Dozens of fans gathered to remember the late British singer Liam Payne outside the Palermo hotel where he died a year ago Thursday.
Some asked for justice, with a trial to determine responsibility into the pop star’s life still pending.
Payne, a former member of the boy band One Direction, fell from the third floor on October 16, 2024 with the shock of his death felt worldwide.
An autopsy revealed cocaine and alcohol in his organs.
"For me he will always be a good kid who gave us great happiness," said Jenifer Ramírez, 20, as she showed up at the hotel door, just as she did last year.
Aged just 31 at the time of his death, the star was in town to attend a concert by Niall Horan, who was part of the chart-topping boyband along with Harry Styles, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson.
"It was a band which marked my adolescence, I’ve been following it since its creation. It was a very, very heavy blow," said Leticia Alleri, 27, who travelled two hours from the outskirts of Buenos Aires together with her sister and cousin to pay him tribute.
The tree in front of the hotel was a monument full of photos of the idol, flowers and candles which perfumed the air before the silent gaze of the fans. Some spoke out to demand "justice."
At present, two persons aged 25 and 24 are remanded in custody for presumably supplying drugs to the singer while they await trial, for which a date has yet to be set.
The accused could face up to 15 years in prison.
One of them had got to know Payne while working as a waiter at a Buenos Aires restaurant and the other worked at the hotel where he died. Three other people were acquitted.
The accused sold cocaine to Payne on four occasions, the last time one hour before his death. They are incriminated by videos from the hotel’s security cameras and the testimony of at least five people.
The accused waiter has denied selling the drug although he admitted to having joined Payne in his room to consume cocaine, according to an interview with Gente magazine.
The autopsy revealed that Payne died as a result of the injuries produced by the fall into an inner patio of the hotel.
The singer’s room was found smashed up after the tragedy.
– TIMES/AFP
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