Two Men on Trial for Selling Cocaine to One Direction’s Liam Payne Before His Fatal Hotel Fall

The tragic death of former One Direction star Liam Payne has taken a new legal turn, as Argentinian authorities confirm that two men accused of supplying him with cocaine just hours before his fatal plunge will face trial. Waiter Braian Nahuel Paiz, 25, and hotel worker Ezequiel David Pereyra, 24, are set to stand before a Buenos Aires court on charges of selling narcotics—charges that could carry up to 15 years in prison if convicted. The duo has been in custody since January 2025 and is the only two individuals still facing prosecution in connection with Liam Payne’s shocking death.

One Direction’s Liam Payne, 31, died on October 16, 2024, after falling from the balcony of Room 310 at the upscale CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The singer, once a global icon with chart-topping hits, was reportedly in an extreme state of intoxication when the incident occurred.

According to a statement from Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office No. 14, Paiz and Pereyra “sold drugs” to Payne before his death. The statement further details that Liam had been in a proven state of intoxication from a combination of substances, including cocaine, ethyl alcohol, psychotropic drugs, and sertraline, an antidepressant.

“The autopsy showed Liam’s death was caused by polytrauma and internal and external hemorrhaging,” the report reads. “Toxicology revealed he consumed cocaine both via inhalation and smoking, with traces found that suggest usage occurred as recently as minutes before his death.”

Liam Payne’s Death: Autopsy Reveals Multiple Traumas

The prosecution claims Paiz initially met Payne at a restaurant in Puerto Madero, while Pereyra worked directly at the hotel where the incident happened. Surveillance and forensic evidence, including communications between the men and Payne, reportedly form part of the case.

While Paiz and Pereyra await trial, three others previously charged in the case—including Payne’s close friend Rogelio Nores and two hotel staff members—have had their charges dropped due to lack of evidence.

From jail, Paiz has maintained his innocence. According to Argentine outlet Infobae, he said: “I don’t know what I’m doing here. I’m a good person. I shared drugs with Liam, but I didn’t sell them.”

As global fans continue to mourn the loss of the former One Direction heartthrob, the legal proceedings are expected to bring more clarity to the events that unfolded during Payne’s final hours.

No official date has been announced for the trial, but sources close to the case suggest it will begin within the coming months.

Liam Payne, who was in Argentina for private engagements, had been open about past struggles with mental health and substance abuse. His death sent shockwaves through the entertainment world, reigniting conversations around celebrity addiction, accountability, and mental health in the spotlight.