One Direction ‘Devastated’ After Liam Payne’s Death, as Autopsy Reveals Extent of Injuries

(L–R) British band One Direction's Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson arrive at the BRIT Awards 2014 at the O2 Arena in London on Feb. 19, 2014. Joel Ryan/Invision/AP

The remaining members of One Direction have spoken out on the death of band mate Liam Payne at the age of 31, with the group revealing they have been left “devastated” by the singer’s sudden passing.

Payne was found dead after falling off a balcony at the CasaSur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Oct. 16.

Argentine authorities are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the singer’s death.

“We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing,” One Direction members Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, and Niall Horan wrote in a joint statement published on social media.

“In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.”

The group added they will forever “treasure” the memories they shared with Payne.

“For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us,” the group said. “We will miss him terribly.

“We love you, Liam.”

Police said in a statement that they were called to the CasaSur Hotel in the capital’s Palermo neighborhood after being notified of an “aggressive man who could be under the effects of drugs and alcohol.”

When law enforcement officials arrived at the scene, the hotel manager reported hearing a loud noise from the inner courtyard, and police discovered Payne had fallen from the balcony of his room and into the courtyard.

Buenos Aires police also said they found Payne’s hotel room “in complete disarray” with broken objects and furniture.

Autopsy Report Reveals Extent of Payne’s Injuries

Drugs and alcohol also appeared to be in the room, Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office said.

An autopsy report published on Oct. 17 showed Payne died from “polytrauma” and “internal and external hemorrhage” to the skull, chest, abdomen, and limbs.

The autopsy report also revealed that Payne had a lack of defensive injuries, and may have fallen into a state of unconsciousness, contributing to the possibility that the singer “was going through some kind of substance abuse episode” at the time, Argentina’s Prosecutor’s Office said.

All signs suggest the artist was alone at the time of his death, the prosecutor added.

Payne had been on holiday in Argentina with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, who left South America and returned to the United States just two days before his death.

He had posted a series of photos and videos of the couple on his official Snapchat account in the hours before he died.

Payne was born in Wolverhampton, England, and shot to fame in 2010 on the UK TV show “The X Factor,” where One Direction was formed by record executive Simon Cowell.

The band went on to become one of the best-selling boy bands of all time, selling more than 200 million records worldwide and winning nearly 200 awards before going on a hiatus in 2016.

Payne had been outspoken about his struggles with mental health, alcohol, and substance abuse. In a video posted to his YouTube account in July 2023, the singer told fans he had been sober for six months after spending 100 days in a rehab facility in Louisiana.

He leaves behind a 7-year-old son, Bear Grey Payne, whom he shared with ex-girlfriend Cheryl Cole.

Rudy Blalock, The Associated Press, and Reuters contributed to this report.