Argentine prosecutors have confirmed that former One Direction star Liam Payne died of fatal head injuries, with internal and external bleeding caused by a fall from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, following an autopsy.
The Guardian reports that the singer sustained 25 injuries sufficient enough to cause his death, which occurred Wednesday (October 16) at around 5:00PM local time at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel.
Prosecutors added that despite no signs of a third party being involved, the incident was being investigated as a "suspicious death" due to protocol.
"Everything indicates that the musician was alone when the fall occurred, and was going through some kind of episode due to substance abuse," the prosecutors said.
Adding, "City police who surveyed the scene found substances inside the room that at first glance — and pending confirmation from the experts — would be narcotics and alcoholic beverages, as well as several destroyed objects and furniture."
Photos taken by hotel employees and shared with the media show Payne's room was "in complete disarray" at the time of his death.
The Buenos Aires police said they found benzodiazepine clonazepam - a tranquilizer used to prevent and treat anxiety disorders, seizures, bipolar mania - along with energy supplements and over-the-counter drugs in his room. They also recovered a whiskey bottle, lighter and cellphone from the courtyard where the 31-year-old's body was found.
Guests staying at the hotel tell The Guardian that they heard yelling and banging right before Payne fell to his death.
“I thought they were doing construction, there was so much banging, doors slamming, most of the day. It was loud, bizarre,” Doug Jones said. “Later I heard the sirens, thinking perhaps there was a fire somewhere. And then I heard a very loud scream.”