Warning: This article contains discussion of drug addiction which some readers may find distressing.
Liam Payne's ex fiancée has spoken out for the first time since the musician's death last October.
The former One Direction member died on October 16, 2024, at the age of 31 after falling from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Five people have been charged in connection to Payne’s death. Hotel manager Gilda Martin, receptionist Esteban Grassi and Payne’s friend Roger Nores have been charged with manslaughter.
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Two others, hotel employee Ezequiel Pereyra and waiter Braian Paiz, have been charged with supplying drugs.
A UK inquest confirmed Payne's medical cause of death as 'polytrauma', meaning multiple traumatic injuries.
The hearing was also told Payne was formally identified 'with the assistance of the funeral directors in Buckinghamshire'.
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During the hearing, Senior Coroner Crispin Butler said: "Whilst there are ongoing investigations in Argentina into the circumstances of Liam’s death, over which I have no legal jurisdiction, it is anticipated that procuring the relevant information to address particularly how Liam came by his death may take some time through the formal channel of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office."
Payne's former fiancée, Maya Henry, has since spoken out for the first time, sharing a statement with Rolling Stone.
The pair confirmed their relationship in September 2019 before getting engaged in 2020.
After breaking up in June 2021, they had reconciled by October 2021 but called it quits for good the following year. Payne was in a relationship with Kate Cassidy, 25, before he died.
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Henry, 24, told the outlet: "This was someone I loved very much. Initially, it was the drug use and addictions that tore us apart. Anyone who has been with an addict understands how difficult that is.
"While I loved him deeply, he did things that hurt me in ways I'll never fully understand, and he continued to hurt me years after we broke up."
She continued: "I tried to be there for him. I loved him so much that I convinced myself I could fix things, that if I just held on a little longer, he would change.
"I put myself in situations that were unsafe and harmful, ignoring every red flag because I didn’t want to give up on him."
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Henry added: "I knew there were parts of himself he was struggling with - parts of his identity he wasn't ready to fully face, even within our relationship."
She explained that she 'stood by him in his darkest moments' and when it ended, she was 'left with nothing but emptiness'.
Henry admitted: "I wasn’t just heartbroken; I felt defrauded, as so many women in my position would. But what I do know is this: It wasn’t about me or anything
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"I did. It was about struggles beyond my control. And in the end, I had to choose myself. I had to walk away, no matter how much it hurt, because staying in his world meant losing myself."
Hotel guest Doug Jones also spoke to the Rolling Stone and claimed he heard a lot of what went on during that tragic October evening.
Jones, who was making business calls at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel, said: "I heard some really bizarre noises, like yelling, and it sounded like someone was partying.
"It sounded like people were coming and going nonstop. It was happening every few minutes."
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He added: "[The shouting] just sounded manic, almost insane. I heard the loudest one around five, and then I started hearing all the sirens."
A toxicology report carried out after Payne's passing found the singer had traces of 'alcohol, cocaine and prescription antidepressant' in his system.
If you want friendly, confidential advice about drugs, you can call American Addiction Centers on (313) 209-9137 24/7, or contact them through their website.
Topics: Celebrity, Liam Payne, Sex and Relationships
Callum Jones