Unanswered Questions Following Liam Payne’s Death: Autopsy, Funeral Date, and UK Return
Liam Payne’s death was a huge tragedy and there are still unanswered questions about what happens next.
The One Direction singer died at the age of just 31 last week, falling three stories to his death from his hotel balcony at the CasaSur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Argentine media reports suggest traces of cocaine were found in his body when he died.
Authorities from Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office say Payne might have fallen while in a state of “semi or total unconsciousness” after alcohol and a white substance were found in his hotel suite. An initial post-mortem showed he died from multiple injuries after the fatal fall from the balcony.
But his death is currently being treated as “inconclusive” by officials. And more than one question remains regarding what happens to the singer’s body as investigations continue.
When singer’s body will return to UK
Liam’s body is currently still in Argentina as the investigations into his death are still underway. It’s believed he will remain in Argentina for between 10 and 15 days while toxicology tests take place, after which the singer’s remains will be handed over to his family members and repatriated to England.
His grieving parents, Karen and Geoff, have flown over to Argentina to identify their son and arrange for his repatriation. It’s reported dad Geoff is refusing to leave his son’s side as the family hope to fly his body home this week.
A source said: “Liam’s loved ones just want him home, back where he belongs among his family. As they await the pathologist to finish their tests, behind the scenes, they have been tackling the logistics about how best to get his body back to the UK.
“There are no direct commercial flights between Buenos Aires and London, but naturally, they want the flight to have the least stops and interruptions possible. But Geoff is determined to accompany his son home.”
It is a 6915-mile journey from Buenos Aires to London. One possibility is that the family use a private jet, but not many have enough fuel for such a trip.
When Liam’s funeral will take place
Fans of the Strip That Down singer have been gathering at vigils across the UK and all over the world to pay tribute to him following his death. Fans have brought flowers, written tributes and sang Liam’s songs to remember him.
The vigils have taken place in places including London and Liverpool in the UK, Paris in France, Munich in Germany, Milan in Italy, outside the hotel in Argentina (this was attended by dad Geoff), Jakarta in Indonesia, and Manila in the Philippines.
However, it’s currently unknown when exactly Liam’s funeral will take place but it’s suggested it could be next month. If it takes up to 15 days for the results of the investigation to come out, a funeral could take place at the beginning of November.
The British Embassy is providing support to Liam’s bereaved family as they organise arrangements, and it is thought that the funeral will be held in the singer’s hometown of Wolverhampton. It remains uncertain whether there will be an official memorial for fans to honour Liam, as the funeral itself will be a private event, attended by the singer’s immediate family and friends.
Autopsy results
The initial findings of Liam’s autopsy revealed Liam died from “multiple traumas” that caused “internal and external bleeding” after his fall. It’s been reported Liam had over 20 injuries at the time of his death, with forensic experts stating “the 25 injuries described in the autopsy are compatible with those caused by a fall from a height”.
The local public prosecutor’s office said: “The head injuries were sufficient to cause death, while the internal and external hemorrhages in the skull, chest, abdomen and limbs contributed to the mechanism of death.”
Argentinian sources suggest crack cocaine and methamphetamine was in Liam’s system when he fell to his death. ABC News and TMZ claimed a cocktail of drugs called “pink cocaine” – containing methamphetamine, ketamine and MDMA – had been found during a partial autopsy, as well as crack cocaine and benzodiazepine.
Prosecutor Marcelo Roma has ordered comprehensive tests, including biochemical, histopathological, and toxicological, to find out whether drugs or alcohol were involved in the incident. It’s been reported that the final toxicology results are not expected to be made public for weeks.
Argentinian police are reportedly looking into how traces of power ended up in Payne’s hotel room just 24 hours after being told by a doctor he was clean. The Sun reported it’s possible they were picked up from a neighbourhood 15 miles away.
