Liam Payne’s ‘Presumed Friend,’ 2 Hotel Employees Under Investigation

An alleged friend of Liam Payne and two hotel employees are under investigation after the authorities completed a series of raids.

Argentinian outlet Infobae reported that in addition to the raid at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, other raids took place at the homes of two of the hotel’s employees and a “presumed friend” of Payne.

The investigation of the unnamed person’s residence took place on Tuesday, November 5. According to the outlet, the person was identified by messages on Payne’s phone but was not present at the raid. Authorities looked at the singer’s device to see if they could determine who “provided the drugs,” per Infobae.

Security camera footage is said to show one of the suspected employees interacting with Payne. One of the two employees was reportedly fired.

Related: Authorities Investigating Who Sold Drugs to Liam Payne Before His Death

Authorities are investigating who sold drugs to Liam Payne after multiple substances were found in the musician’s system prior to his death at age 31. A source exclusively told Us Weekly on Tuesday, October 29, that Buenos Aires authorities will look into how drugs came into Payne’s possession before his October 16 death after a […]

Payne died on October 16 at age 31 after falling from a third-floor balcony. Shortly after news broke of the former One Direction member’s death, Payne’s partial autopsy reportedly showed that he had “pink cocaine” — which typically mixes methamphetamine, ketamine and MDMA — cocaine, benzodiazepine and crack in his system when he died.

Payne’s remains are in the process of being prepared to be returned from Argentina to his native United Kingdom. An additional source confirmed to Us Weekly on Saturday, November 2, that the body was sent to “begin the embalming process to preserve the body for the return trip.”

Local sources told Us on Tuesday that the CasaSur Palermo Hotel was raided for a second time.

“Operations carried out by the City Police [and] requested by the prosecutor Andrés Madrea [were] within the framework of the case that is under summary secrecy,” the sources explained while noting that there is confidentiality of a judicial investigation.

Related: Police Detail What They Found in Liam Payne’s Hotel Room

While investigating Liam Payne’s hotel room, police found the scene littered with alcohol, drugs and several broken items. “Everything indicates that the musician was alone when the fall occurred, and was going through some kind of episode due to substance abuse,” read a statement from the prosecutor’s office in Buenos Aires on Thursday, October 17, […]

According to video footage captured by local news outlet Farandula Show, three law enforcement officers were seen leaving the hotel while wearing blue vests, backpacks and shoulder bags. One official carried a cardboard box plus multiple loose items under his arm. The items were taken to a police car parked outside the building.

The initial raid of the hotel took place on October 23. Sources close to the investigation told Us at the time that the authorities were looking to identify staff members who were working days prior to Payne’s death and on the day of the tragic incident. Investigators were also on the hunt for documents from the hotel’s registration books and computers plus security camera footage.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).