Deceased One Direction singer Liam Payne was reportedly seen interacting with a hotel employee, who is suspected of supplying drugs to him, in newly surfaced CCTV footage. The video was recorded about three hours before Payne's death at the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The footage, obtained exclusively by TMZ, captures Liam Payne stepping out of an elevator in the hotel lobby and interacting with one of three suspects charged in connection with his death, identified as Ezequiel David Pereyra. While the police have not confirmed the individual's identity, TMZ sources claim it was Pereyra, a bellboy at the hotel. Authorities suspect Pereyra of providing drugs to Payne on the day he died.
According to TMZ, the video also allegedly shows Pereyra stacking chairs in the basement with other hotel staff before Payne arrives via the elevator. The footage reportedly shows the singer speaking briefly with the employee, who then walks away. The recording is timestamped at 2:04 PM, just three hours before Payne tragically fell from the third-floor balcony at 5 PM.
These developments follow the charging of three individuals in connection with Payne's death, including Pereyra, a friend who allegedly abandoned him, and another suspected drug supplier. Authorities claim the drugs were delivered to Payne hidden in Dove soap boxes, accessible only through the Casa Sur Hotel.
Prosecutors have reportedly reviewed 800 hours of CCTV footage from the day of Payne's death to determine who supplied the drugs.
Argentine waiter Braian Nahuel Paiz, who has also been charged for allegedly supplying drugs to Payne, denied the allegations in a statement on November 11.
In his statement, Paiz admitted to meeting Payne twice during the singer’s stay in Buenos Aires and consuming drugs with him. However, he denied supplying narcotics or receiving money from the singer. Paiz claimed their first meeting occurred at a restaurant in the Puerto Madero neighborhood, where they exchanged contact information.
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