Two women who spent the last day with former One Direction member Liam Payne have provided detailed sworn statements that shed new light on the singer’s final hours before his death in Buenos Aires on October 16, 2024. The accounts depict a volatile scene in a hotel room involving drug use, emotional distress, and an attempted payment dispute shortly before Payne’s fatal fall from a third-floor balcony.

Payne, 31, died after falling 46 feet from a balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel, where he had checked in following reports of disruptive behavior at the Park Hyatt hotel earlier that day. Toxicology tests revealed a combination of cocaine, alcohol, and the sedative Klonopin in his system. The sedative, which can have dangerous interactions with alcohol, was noted as a factor in his impaired state.

The two women, identified as Aldana Serrano, 32, and Lucila Goitea, 29, both escorts, gave their statements to Argentine prosecutors just hours after Payne's death. According to their testimony, Payne contacted them on the morning of October 16 through WhatsApp, requesting their company at his hotel room and offering $5,000 for their services. Aldana noted initial skepticism, requiring Payne to verify his identity by video call, although the material he sent was not current.

Upon meeting Payne around 11:30 a.m. in Room 310, the women described a scene of heavy drug use and alcohol consumption. Payne reportedly ordered champagne for the women and whisky for himself and was observed handling drug paraphernalia. Both women said they engaged in consensual sex with Payne once during their time together.

A payment dispute arose when the women requested the agreed fee, which Payne attempted to resolve via international wire transfer or PayPal—methods the women were unable to accommodate. Frustrated, Payne smashed his £30,000 gold Rolex watch and punched a television in the hotel room, stating he could replace the luxury items. He also expressed emotional vulnerability, mentioning his son, Bear, aged nine, and crying that money did not bring happiness.

At one point Payne kneeled and begged the women to stay, apologizing for his behavior, but they declined to remain beyond approximately 4 p.m. CCTV footage corroborates the erratic behavior described, including Payne pacing the hotel lobby and reportedly yelling about his past fame. Later, hotel staff reportedly found him unconscious in the lobby and assisted him back to his room.

Concerns about Payne’s mental state prompted a hotel employee to call emergency services, fearing for his safety given the balcony’s accessibility. Payne’s fall occurred shortly thereafter at 5:07 p.m. Investigators believe the combination of drugs and alcohol severely impaired him and that he may have been attempting to leave the hotel via the balcony, a practice he had reportedly used in previous years to avoid attention.

The investigation remains active. Two men, waiter Braian Paiz and hotel employee Ezequiel Pereyra, face charges linked to supplying the drugs found in Payne’s system. Both deny the allegations and have been released on bail pending trial. Discussions are reportedly ongoing between prosecutors and defense attorneys regarding potential plea deals.

Payne arrived in Buenos Aires 16 days before his death to renew his U.S. visa and attend a concert. His girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, and a close friend, Roger Nores, were with him for the initial part of the visit and both stated he was sober during that time. Cassidy left two days prior to Payne’s death, and Nores departed hours before the incident.

The two women have declined media interview offers but have fully cooperated with authorities, voluntarily providing their phones and information. Prosecutors consider their statements crucial in piecing together the circumstances leading to Payne’s untimely death.

Payne is survived by his son Bear, who is being raised out of the public eye by Cheryl Cole. His estate is held in trust for Bear until he reaches adulthood. The official inquest into Payne’s death in the United Kingdom is currently on hold pending the outcomes of the Argentine investigation.