Kaylah Walton
A tragic incident involving former One Direction member Liam Payne unfolded in a Buenos Aires hotel, as detailed by a fellow guest, revealing unsettling details about his final hours.
Payne, just 31, died after an unfortunate fall from a balcony at CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Argentina last Wednesday.
Rebecca, who was at the hotel for a wedding, shared her experience with The Daily Mail, noting that Payne seemed eager for attention when she spotted him in the lobby.
“He clearly wanted someone to notice him,” she recalled, mentioning how he lingered near the elevator, appearing “desperate” for acknowledgment.
Despite recognizing him, Rebecca and her friends chose not to disturb his privacy.
However, Payne approached them unexpectedly, introducing himself and making a peculiar remark about enjoying cuddles before inviting them into the elevator.
Rebecca decided to wait for another elevator while her friends accompanied him.
Behavior Becomes Disturbing
Once inside the elevator, Payne made unsettling comments, joking about their American heritage by saying, “You guys are f**king crazy! You guys are fking dangerous!”
The situation escalated when Payne pretended to choke a woman with him, which alarmed onlookers despite his playful intent.
Shortly afterward, Rebecca encountered him again in the lobby, where he was using his laptop in a way that drew attention, as it read emails aloud to him—a further plea for recognition, in her view.
After reading a troubling email, Payne visibly panicked, throwing the laptop down and shouting, “Fk this sh*t, mate!” which startled those nearby.
When Rebecca approached him to check on his wellbeing, he cryptically remarked, “I used to be in a boy band. That’s why I’m so f**ked up.”
A friend of Payne later expressed apologies for his behavior to Rebecca, mentioning that Payne sometimes “gets so high.”
Final Moments and Tragic Fall
Rebecca described Payne as behaving erratically and showing signs of intoxication, like slurred speech and dilated pupils.
In his last moments in the lobby, he stumbled and fell face-first onto the ground.
Hotel staff rushed to assist him, and Rebecca took what would become the last photo of him alive, which showed him conversing with two women while his friend held the elevator door.
Shortly thereafter, Payne tragically plunged from a third-floor balcony into the courtyard.
Witnesses believed at first that he might have lived through the fall, particularly as staff hurried to the scene.
However, Payne was declared dead upon impact, suffering from severe injuries, including a cranial fracture.
Authorities later found alcohol and various substances in Payne‘s disordered hotel room.
The unexpected demise of Payne has left many in disbelief, including his former One Direction bandmates—Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson—who shared their sorrow over the loss of their “brother.”
“We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam‘s passing,” they expressed. “In time, there will be more to say, but for now, we will take time to grieve and process the loss of our beloved brother.”
