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Four months after the singer fell from a hotel balcony in Argentina, Liam Payne’s death is still under investigation.
Criminal charges were initially filed against five people who were believed to have played a role in the tragedy.
Now, three of those suspects have been cleared of any wrongdoing.
It was revealed this week that prosecutors will no longer pursue manslaughter charges against Rogelio “Roger” Nores and two employees of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel, where Payne had been staying at the time of his death.
Investigators determine that Liam’s friend was not guilty of ‘neglect’
Nore is an Argentine businessman who spent a good deal of time in Liam’s presence in the days before his death.
But despite rumors to the contrary, it seems that at no point was Payne officially in Nore’s care.
Rolling Stone reports that prosecutors have determined that Nore was not legally responsible for Liam and may not have been able to prevent the fall even if he had been.
“It is possible that, if he had stayed in his company at all times, [Payne] would not have obtained the drugs and alcohol in the quantities necessary for the state of intoxication he exhibited at the time of his death,” Wednesday’s ruling reads.
“But it cannot be ruled out that, even if he had taken those extreme precautions… that [Payne] would have managed to obtain the substances anyway, as is common among addicts, even when they are under the loving care of their family,” the ruling continued.
Nores celebrates exoneration, continues to mourn his friend
“I went to his hotel three times that day and left 40 minutes before this happened,” Nores told the Daily Mail at the time. “There were over 15 people at the hotel lobby chatting and joking with him when I left.”
In response to news that charges had been dismissed, Nores told the same outlet that he is “glad this is finally over.”
“I’m happy I’m now going to be able to travel to the UK and say goodbye to my friend,” he added.
In January, Nore filed a lawsuit against Liam’s father for publicly alleging that the singer had been in his care.
The investigation continues
The two hotel employees were also cleared following initial claims that they had engaged in “thoughtless, reckless, or merely negligent behavior,” which contributed to the circumstances surrounding Liam’s death.
Ezequiel Pereyra and Braian Paiz — the two men accused of selling Liam cocaine — are still awaiting trial.
Liam’s struggles with addiction have been well-documented. Sources close to the singer’s ex-fiancee, Maya Henry, say that Payne struggled with his sexuality and battled severe mental health issues in his final years.
We’ll have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.
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