One Direction star Liam Payne is dead after a fall at a Buenos Aires hotel. Video / AFP
Liam Payne died during what was supposed to be a brief trip to Argentina to see Niall Horan, his former bandmate, perform in Buenos Aires.
The holiday was extended from five days to two weeks, according to Kate Cassidy, Payne’s girlfriend, who flew home on Monday.
Payne fell to his death from a third floor balcony in the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires after reports that he was behaving erratically and under the influence of drink and drugs.
Less than an hour before his death, he had posted a Snapchat video of the trip, chatting about riding polo ponies and saying that he was looking forward to heading home to see his dog.
But the holiday had been overshadowed by problems.
Maya Henry, his former girlfriend, had made headlines with a TikTok video on October 6 accusing him of “disgusting” behaviour and claiming he had harassed her and her mother with repeated phone calls and messages. She reportedly issued legal proceedings against him last week, which sources said contributed to Payne feeling “extremely overwhelmed”.
In the video, she claimed that Payne had been “weaponising” his fans against her on social media and warned that there was “a lot more of this story so… stay tuned.”
Henry said: “You weaponise your own fan base. People are always saying, ‘oh, she just wants money’… I don’t need money.”
After Payne’s death, representatives for Henry said she was “obviously in shock”.
Here is a reconstruction of the days leading up to his death.
Oct 1: Payne heads to Argentina for ‘talk’ with Niall Horan
Payne tells fans he and Cassidy are heading to Argentina. In a Snapchat video, he says: “We’re going to Argentina. One, because we have to, and two, because we want to, and three, because Niall Horan’s playing down there and I think we might just go and say hello.
“It’s been a while since me and Niall have spoken. We’ve got a lot to talk about and I would like to square up a couple of things with the boy. No bad vibes or nothing like that, but just, we need to talk.”\
Oct 2: ‘So proud’: Star dances at former bandmate’s concert
📲 Liam shared this video of him and Kate during Heaven at Niall's show in Argentina on his Instagram story 🫶🏻🫶🏻
Payne attends Horan’s show at the Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires, later posting a photograph of them together. He posted Snapchat videos of himself dancing with Cassidy during the show and wrote “so proud” above a clip of Horan on stage.
Oct 3: Liam interacts with fans – and video goes viral
Footage of Payne coming down from his private box at the concert to interact with fans, sing along to a One Direction song and signing autographs goes viral.
He was mocked on social media by some fans who accused him of being an “attention seeker” and trying to steal the limelight from his former band member.
Others defended him. “Liam taking his time to show his appreciation to his fans yet still getting hate,” one said.
Oct 5: Payne attends another concert
The couple attended a Sir Paul McCartney concert at the River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires.
Oct 6: Ex-girlfriend accuses Payne of ‘disgusting’ behaviour
Maya Henry, a model and Payne’s ex-girlfriend, posts a lengthy TikTok video in which she accuses him of “disgusting” behaviour and hints that there are stories to come out, claiming she is responding because of abuse from his fans and messages received by her friends and mother.
“Everything gets swept under the rug, everything gets hidden. Nothing ever comes out about him,” she said, claiming that there are “disgusting things that he’s done”. She also accuses him of harassing her with phone calls, messages and emails, and of “blowing up” her mother’s phone with messages.
“There’s a lot more of this story so, I guess, stay tuned,” she said.
The pair dated from 2019 to 2022.
It is reported that Henry has previously issued a cease and desist notice against Payne via her lawyers. A source told People magazine that Payne “was extremely overwhelmed” by difficulties including the legal troubles.
Oct 9: ‘Things are tough for him’
The Sun reports that Payne’s solo career is in trouble, with plans to release his second album “quietly put on ice”. The first single from that record, Teardrops, failed to chart in March. He reportedly split from his manager earlier this year.
The newspaper quotes an unnamed friend saying: “He was a steady hand for Liam and he appears to be struggling without his guidance.
“Things are tough for Liam at the moment,” the friend added. “Things have started to seem slightly erratic, with plans being made before they are cancelled last minute.”
Oct 13: Couple spend quality time together
Liam Payne on a horse, posted by Kate Cassidy to her TikTok account. Credit / @kateecass via TikTok
Cassidy posts a round-up of the couple’s time in Argentina, with images of polo ponies, restaurants and concerts. “I am very grateful for the simple things in life,” she writes above a picture of Payne on horseback.
Oct 14: ‘I need to go home’: Kate Cassidy leaves Argentina
Cassidy flies home to Florida, saying: “I was so ready to leave. Honestly, loved South America, but I hate staying in one place for too long. We were supposed to be there for, like, five days, it turned into two weeks, and I was just, like, I need to go home.”
After Cassidy leaves the country, Payne checks into the CasaSur Palermo hotel.
Less than an hour before his death, Payne posts his final Snapchat video, which appears to have been made on October 14 as it features Cassidy. In the video they discuss the fact she is heading home later that day.
“It’s a lovely day in Argentina,” Payne said, in what appears to be a private house. The couple joke that they are enjoying breakfast even though it is 1pm, with Cassidy saying the pair have been lying in until noon each day. Payne discusses his plans to play polo that day and says that he is looking forward to returning home soon to see his dog.
At 5.04pm police are called to the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires after the hotel desk manager makes an emergency call.
TMZ reported that he had been behaving erratically in the hotel lobby, smashing his laptop.
Moments after the call is made, Payne falls from his third-floor balcony into an internal courtyard. He is pronounced dead at 5.11pm.
