Liam Payne had dangerous blood alcohol level when he died, $244K seized from hotel employees
According to a Friday report from Argentina's Public Prosecutor's Office, originally written in Spanish, the One Direction star's blood alcohol level at the time of his death was 2.7 grams per liter, or 0.27% BAC, which is considered dangerously high. In the majority of the United States, the legal limit is 0.08%.
The singer also had cocaine metabolites, methylecgonine, benzoylecgomine, cocaethylene and sertraline, an anti-depressant medication, in his system, according to the report.
Payne, 31, died in October after falling from a Buenos Aires, Argentina, hotel balcony. Toxicology testing previously found Payne had traces of alcohol, cocaine and a prescription antidepressant in his system in the 72 hours before his death.
Argentine prosecutors announced in December that they had begun charging people in connection to the pop star's death. Three people had been charged with negligent homicide, but those charges were dropped. Two had been charged with supplying the singer with drugs in the days before his death.
Friday's report confirmed the "preventative detention" of the two, both employees of the Casa Sur Palermo hotel, identified by their initials. BBC and Sky News previously identified one, a waiter, as Braian Paiz and another as Ezequiel Pereyra.
The prosecutor's office claims "BNP" (Paiz) supplied Payne with cocaine twice on Oct. 14, while "EDP" (Pereyra) supplied him cocaine on Oct. 15 and 16, based on security footage and witness testimony. Payne died on Oct. 16. The office also claims the home of Paiz has been linked to drug sales and that it was his family's "main livelihood."
Paiz's defense has claimed he supplied the singer with drugs for free, according to the report. However, prosecutors allege Payne "went down to the reception to ask for money" before a drug exchange.
Their respective charges could result in four to 15 years in prison, and authorities seized 5 million pesos from the pair, equivalent to nearly $244,000, according to the report.
Argentine investigators ruled out the possibility that Payne's fall was voluntary early on and believe he was in a state of partial or full unconsciousness at the time of his fall. In November, authorities ruled the musician died from 25 injuries from his fall, resulting in "polytrauma" and "internal and external hemorrhage."
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental and/or substance use disorders, you can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's free and confidential treatment referral and information service at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). It's available 24/7 in English and Spanish (TTY: 1-800-487-4889).
Contributing: KiMi Robinson, Paste BN; Kylie Madry, Reuters