Former One Direction star Liam Payne's cause of death has been confirmed.

The 31-year-old singer died on October 16 after falling from a third-floor balcony at the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Police were alerted to the scene following reports of “an aggressive man who could be under the effects of drugs and alcohol.” Upon arrival, officers were informed by the hotel manager of a loud noise in the inner courtyard. Investigators found that Payne had fallen from his room’s balcony.

Audio obtained from the Buenos Aires security ministry reveals a hotel worker calling for help, stating: “When he is conscious, he is destroying the entire room, and we need you to send someone.” The worker also expressed concern about the balcony, noting, “The guest's life was at risk.”

In Argentina, five individuals have been charged in connection with Payne's death. The hotel's manager, a receptionist, and a friend of Payne face manslaughter charges, while two others, including a hotel employee and a waiter, have been charged with supplying cocaine.

During a hearing on December 17 at Buckinghamshire Coroner's Court, Senior Coroner Crispin Butler had stated that determining the exact circumstances of Payne's death "may take some time" due to ongoing investigations in Argentina.

Now, according to a UK inquest, Payne's death has been officially attributed to "polytrauma," reports The Mirror US.

Payne's funeral took place in November in Buckinghamshire, attended by his former partner Cheryl Tweedy, their son Bear, and fellow One Direction members Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson.

The singer, who rose to fame with One Direction, had pursued a successful solo career following the band's hiatus, releasing his debut album LP1 in December 2019.

Last month, a friend who was with Payne an hour before he died opened up about how the singer was prior to the incident.

Payne’s close friend, Roger Nores, has since shared new insights into the One Direction star's tragic death.

Nores, a businessman from Argentina who befriended Payne in 2020 at a Vogue event in London, was with the singer on the day he died.

In a recent interview featured in the new documentary TMZ Investigates: Liam Payne: Who’s to Blame?, Nores pushed back against reports that Payne had been in a frenzied state before his death, instead describing him as "in good spirits".

Nores revealed details of their final interaction, describing Payne as relaxed and cheerful.

"I'm a very good friend of Liam, and I was with him the day that he passed away," Nores said in the documentary.

"He was in good spirits. He was like talking to 10 or 15 Americans that were here for a wedding. And so he was talking to them, and he was joking around."

 Featured image credit: Jeff Schear / Getty

A major update has emerged regarding the tragic death of Liam Payne.

The late singer and former member of One Direction tragically passed away on October 16 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The 31-year-old fell from the balcony of his third-floor room at the CasaSur hotel, suffering fatal injuries described by Alberto Crescenti, head of the state emergency medical system, as "incompatible with life".

Payne had succumbed to "internal and external hemorrhaging" after plunging 40 meters, an autopsy later confirmed in the Argentinian capital.

In the wake of his death, Buenos Aires police launched a thorough investigation, initially questioning five individuals linked to the distressing event.

Now, Argentinian authorities have confirmed that three individuals have been detained, and a significant raid has been carried out at the Buenos Aires hotel where the singer died, BBC News has reported.

On October 23, the CasaSur hotel became the focal point of the investigation as police conducted a significant raid, seizing crucial evidence including computer hard drives and hotel camera footage, a government official disclosed to AP.

The latest updates from ABC News Worldwide and Argentine media outlet La Nacion reveal that two hotel employees and an Argentine businessman - a reported acquaintance of Payne - have now been arrested. It remains unclear if these detentions are connected to the initial investigations.

According to a statement from the office of prosecutor Andres Esteban Madrea, reported by Sky News, the arrested individuals face charges of "abandonment of a person followed by death, supply, and facilitation of narcotics".

Payne's body had been held in Argentina pending an autopsy and toxicology tests, but has since been released to his family for repatriation to the UK, where he will be laid to rest.

Fans have been leaving floral tributes, balloons, cards, and photos of Payne at a church where his funeral is believed to be being held.

Several fan-organized memorials have also taken place around the world to pay tribute to the star.

Many have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to urge others not to attend the main funeral, in order to allow Payne's family and bandmates to grieve in peace.

As the legal proceedings unfold, tributes have poured in for the beloved artist. Payne's girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, who was with him in Argentina shortly before his death, mourned the loss of the 'Strip That Down' singer, remembering him as her "best friend and love of her life."

Additionally, more than 130,000 people signed a new Change.org petition calling for legislation to "safeguard artists' regarding their mental health in the entertainment industry" - a change they are calling "Liam's Law".

Our thoughts continue to go out to Payne's family, friends, and fans at this time.

Featured image credit: Jeff Spicer / Getty

Warning: This article contains details that some readers will find upsetting.

Last week, it was tragically announced that Liam Payne had passed away suddenly at the age of 31.

The former One Direction singer had been staying at the CasaSur hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

During his time in the country, he attended a concert of former 1D bandmate, Niall Horan, along with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy. The couple seemed in good spirits as Payne shared footage of them dancing at the concern on his social media pages, and later shared selfies with Horan.

Sadly, two days after Cassidy left the country, the heartbreaking news broke that Payne had died following a fall from the balcony of his third-floor hotel room.

Despite authorities attending to the singer promptly, Payne's injuries were so severe that first responders stated that there had been "no possibility of resuscitation".

The singer's father, Geoff, has since traveled to the city for the recognition of the body and to arrange its repatriation.

The results of Payne's preliminary autopsy were released on Thursday, detailing that the singer suffered severe injuries that led to “internal and external hemorrhaging” from the fall, according to a post-mortem carried out by two forensic pathologists in Buenos Aires.

Alberto Crescenti, head of the Buenos Aires emergency services, previously revealed Payne had a "cranial fracture and extremely serious injuries that led to his immediate death".

With tributes pouring in for the singer, authorities in Argentina have released more details regarding Payne's tragic death.

In a statement to AP, authorities confirmed that medics confirmed Payne's death at the scene, adding that he had suffered "extremely serious injuries".

Forensic experts later concluded that "the 25 injuries described in the autopsy are compatible with those caused by a fall from a height".

Additionally, the Public Prosecutor's Office has said in a statement: "The head injuries were sufficient to cause death, while the internal and external hemorrhages in the skull, chest, abdomen and limbs contributed to the mechanism of death."

It adds that police were already arriving at the hotels following emergency calls just after 5:00PM from a hotel manager expressing concerns about the safety of an unnamed male guest.

In the official statement, police authorities state that the 31-year-old had "jumped from the balcony of his room", with forensic experts detailing that Payne had no "defensive type" injuries and that his wounds were "vital and produced at the same time as each other".

The Buenos Aires police also said in its statement that the singer's hotel room was "in complete disarray".

According to Argentinian outlet La Nacion, per AP, authorities are ruling out "the intervention of third parties". That being said, Argentine prosecutors said on Thursday that they are investigating the events leading up to the singer's death, which they described as "suspicious" - citing potential drug and alcohol use.

Per The Mirror, the singer's body is expected to remain in Argentina for a further 10 to 15 days, until the results of toxicological tests are known. The outlet adds that Payne's medical history may be requested to analyze his mental health history.

As authorities await the results, the singer's tragic death is currently deemed "inconclusive" by Argentina's National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor's Office, according to a report from the Daily Mail.

Following Payne's death, each of his One Direction bandmates have shared a heartfelt tribute to the singer - they can all be read in full, here.

Our thoughts continue to go out the Payne's family, friends, and fans at this time.

Featured image credit: Slaven Vlasic / Getty

Liam Payne has tragically died at the age of 31.

The heartbreaking news was confirmed on October 16, with reports stating that the former One Direction singer had been pronounced dead after having fallen from a third floor room balcony of the Hotel CasaSur in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

BBC News states that officers had originally been responding to a call regarding an "aggressive man who may have been under the effects of drugs and alcohol". AFP adds that a hotel manager made the call, and was concerned about a guest "destroying the room".

The manager reportedly told the call operator that the guest "has a balcony, and we are afraid they might do something to put their life at risk".

However, shortly after their arrival, reports say that a loud sound echoed from the hotel's interior courtyard and Payne's body was shortly discovered.

The head of the city’s SAME emergency medical service told local media that the singer had suffered "very serious" injuries as a result of the fall and, although he was transported to a nearby hospital, there was "no possibility of resuscitation".

Alberto Crescenti, the head of the state emergency medical system, told Argentina’s Todo Noticias TV channel: "The alarm was raised at 5.04PM local time saying a person was lying in an internal patio at Casa Sur.

"At 5.11PM an ambulance arrived and the man was certified dead.

"Afterwards we found out he had been a famous singer. Unfortunately the injuries he had suffered as a result of the fall proved to be fatal. There was no possibility of resuscitating him."

As of this writing, the UK Foreign Office has said it is in touch with authorities in Argentina as an investigation is underway.

Argentinan fans have gathered outside of the hotel overnight, some singing songs from Payne's music catalogue. Numerous police officers have been photographed standing guard by the entrance.

Tributes from fans have poured in on social media platforms, with celebrities also paying tribute.

"I am in shock right now. Liam was always so kind to me," wrote singer and composer Charlie Puth on Instagram. "I can not believe he is gone."

An Impactful Life and Career

Liam Payne was born on August 29, 1993, in Wolverhampton, England.

A a child, Payne showed a keen interest in music and athletics. His early musical endeavors were encouraged after he joined the Pink Productions Theatre Company when he was just twelve.

His initial brush with fame came when he auditioned for the British television series The X Factor in 2008. At just 14 years old, he performed in front of judges Simon Cowell, Cheryl Cole, Dannii Minogue, and Louis Walsh.

Impressing the judges with a rendition of Frank Sinatra's 'Fly Me to the Moon', he was sadly cut from the show during the "judge's houses" stage, but encouraged by Cowell to try again in two years.

So he did.

Returning to the show in 2010, this proved to be a pivotal moment in his career.

During his 2010 stint on The X Factor, Payne was grouped with four other solo contestants to form a new boy band. Along with Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson, the five-piece became One Direction - a group that would go on to change the landscape of modern pop music.

The group quickly gained popularity in the UK and abroad, finishing third in the competition.

Following The X Factor, One Direction signed with Simon Cowell's Syco Records and released their debut album, Up All Night in 2011, which became a top seller in multiple countries.

One Direction went on to have a multitude of number one albums and singles across the globe over the years - with some comparing their popularity to that of "BeetleMania" in the 60s.

Following One Direction's hiatus in 2016, Payne embarked on a solo career. He signed a deal with Republic Records in North America, and his debut single 'Strip That Down' featuring Quavo, released in 2017, was a commercial success. It marked his emergence as a solo artist with a more R&B and pop sound, distinct from the pop rock style of One Direction.

Outside of music, Payne has been open about his struggles with mental health during his time with One Direction, discussing how fame at such a young age impacted him.

In 2019, he appeared on the Sky show Ant Middleton And Liam Payne: Straight Talking, where he bravely spoke out about his struggles.

"For some certain circumstances - I'm quite lucky to be here still, which is something I've never really shared with anyone," he said. "I can't go too deep into it because I don't know how I feel myself. I still haven't made my peace with it, to be honest."

In his personal life, he became a father in March 2017 with then-partner Cheryl Cole.

The couple welcomed son Bear, who remains out of the public eye.

Liam and Cheryl broke up in 2018.

Payne would become engaged to model Maya Henry in August 2020, but they also separated in 2022. Since October 2022, Payne had been in a relationship with influencer Kate Cassidy.

Current reports say Cassidy left Argentina just two days before Payne's tragic death, per TMZ.

Our thoughts go out to Payne's family, friends, and fans at this time.

Featured image credit: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for ABA