Following reports that former One Direction singer Liam Payne died after allegedly jumping from the third floor of a hotel in Argentina, there's been much speculation around the circumstances of his tragic death. With photos of his dishevelled hotel room circulating and claims of drug use at the time, new information from police suggests that Payne was under the influence of a powerful hallucinogenic drug when he fell from the balcony.
The 31-year-old singer had been using a dangerous drug known as "Cristal," which can cause extreme mood swings and aggression, Buenos Aires police told TMZ on Friday.?
Authorities believe the substance may have triggered a hallucination episode that contributed to Payne's fatal fall from the third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel.
Photos from inside his hotel suite reveal a chaotic scene, with the rooms in disarray, champagne bottles scattered, a smashed TV, and various drug paraphernalia, including powders and tinfoil.?
Additional items found include a Dove soap packet, an empty glass, a burned candle, and the scorched top of a drink can on a desk.
La Nacion, Argentina's largest newspaper, reported that traces of white powder found at the scene will be tested to determine if it was cocaine.
Investigators also discovered wax and burned foil in the bathtub, adding to the troubling evidence collected from the room.
Liam Payne rose to fame at 16 after auditioning for "The X Factor" in 2010, eventually becoming a member of the hugely successful boy band One Direction, which disbanded in 2015.?
Payne had openly discussed the challenges of fame, admitting to often feeling isolated under the intense pressures of stardom.?
He once shared that the band's management would confine him and his bandmates to a room for security reasons, where a minibar was always within reach.?
Payne admitted to using alcohol as a way to cope, recalling a time when he thought, "Well, I'm going to have a party for one."
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