Liam Payne’s close friend Roger Nores is officially in the clear in the investigation into the One Direction star’s death. Court records obtained by the New York Post show the Argentine businessman has been fully cleared of all criminal charges tied to Payne’s fatal October 2024 fall from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, with prosecutors declining to appeal the ruling and making the dismissal final.
Nores had been accused of abandoning Payne despite allegedly knowing the singer was struggling with addiction. He maintained he was simply Liam’s friend, not his caretaker, and insisted he’d done everything possible to help him. His attorney echoed that position, stating Nores “never had the duty of caring for Payne” and was “not his physician, nurse, or therapist”.
Judges ultimately agreed with Nores’ defense, ruling that Payne, 31, was responsible for his own decisions and finding Nores bore no criminal responsibility. This isn’t Nores’ first legal victory in the case, in February 2025 he was cleared of manslaughter charges after the court ruled there was nothing he could have done to save Liam. The recent decision confirms the dismissal cannot be appealed, making his exoneration permanent.
The investigation isn’t over, though. Two men accused of supplying Payne with drugs before his death remain under investigation. According to the New York Post, prosecutors are still reviewing evidence from electronic devices, and a possible plea deal is reportedly being discussed. The pair, restaurant waiter Braian Nahuel Paiz and hotel worker Ezequiel David Pereyra, served over one year in custody until their release in March.
Payne died after falling from the third-floor balcony of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires on Oct. 16, 2024 . The singer had traveled to Argentina with Nores, who left the hotel lobby approximately 40 minutes before the fatal fall . A post-mortem examination found the cause of death as multiple traumas from the fall.
