The family of Liam Payne expressed themselves publicly after the Argentine Chamber of Appeals decided to drop the charges of involuntary manslaughter against three people related to the death of the former One Direction member. In a statement sent to the BBC on March 2, the family requested privacy and expressed their deep sorrow over the tragedy they are still experiencing.
Through their words, the family highlighted how devastating this event has been and how it has profoundly affected those closest to them. “Liam’s death was an unspeakable tragedy. This is a time of tremendous grief for those who knew and loved him. Liam should have had a long life ahead of him,” the statement noted.
Additionally, they reflected the magnitude of the loss for their families: “In contrast, Bear has lost his father, Geoff and Karen have lost their son, Ruth and Nicola have lost their brother, and all of Liam’s friends and fans have lost someone they held in high regard.”
The Judicial Decision and the Family’s Reaction
On February 19, media outlets like Rolling Stone and the BBC reported that Roger Nores, a close friend of Liam, and the employees of the CasaSur Palermo hotel in Buenos Aires, Gilda Martin and Esteban Grassi, were acquitted of charges related to Payne’s death.
This happened following a resolution by the Court of Appeals, which determined that they were not responsible for the incident. Initially, in December 2024, these three individuals had been charged with negligent homicide due to alleged negligence, which could have resulted in sentences of one to five years in prison.
However, the court determined that Nores had no involvement in Payne’s access to alcohol or the substances that caused his death, and that her presence at the location would not have prevented the fatal outcome.
The court ruling stated that “It is possible that, had she stayed with him at all times, (Payne) would not have obtained the drugs and alcohol in the quantities necessary for the state of intoxication he exhibited at the time of his death”. However, it also added that “It cannot be ruled out that, even if extreme precautions had been taken, he would have obtained the substances anyway, as is common among addicts”, according to Rolling Stone and other media outlets.
Concern for Family Well-being
Despite accepting the decision of the Argentine justice, the family of Liam expressed their concern about the emotional impact this process has had on them, especially on their son Bear. “The constant media attention and speculation have caused indescribable and lasting harm to the family, particularly to their son, who is trying to process emotions that no child his age should experience,” they stated.
The family also took the opportunity to express their gratitude for the tribute that Liam received at the BRIT Awards 2025, held on March 1. “This weekend, at the Brit Awards, Liam was remembered for his phenomenal contribution to British music and for his positive impact on millions of fans around the world. We join in that celebration of his life and will always remember the joy his music brought to the world. Liam, you are deeply loved and missed,” the family concluded in their message.