Argentine police on Friday arrested one of the two men accused of supplying drugs to British singer Liam Payne before he fell to his death from his third-floor hotel room in Buenos Aires. Braian Paiz, who is accused of having supplied cocaine to Payne, is one of five defendants indicted in connection with the death of the 31-year-old former One Direction pop star in October. Three of the five were charged with manslaughter and the other two with supplying illegal drugs, prosecutors said earlier this week.

Prosecutors said Payne had consumed cocaine, alcohol and a prescription antidepressant before falling to his death from the balcony of his room at the Casa Sur Hotel. Paiz, 24, is accused of supplying Payne with drugs two days before his death. His home has been searched, police sources said.

Offerings in honor of British singer Liam Payne are pictured in front of the "Casa Sur Palermo" hotel, where he died, in Buenos Aires on December 30, 2024.

In November, Paiz denied in a television interview having given drugs to Payne, although he said that he met the pop star and spent time with him at his hotel. Paiz denied taking money for the drugs, but the judge in the case said evidence suggested he had been paid. Payne had spoken publicly about struggling with substance abuse and coping with fame from an early age.

His death prompted a global outpouring of grief from family, former bandmates and fans, with thousands gathering in cities around the world to offer their condolences. One of the highest-grossing live acts in the world in the 2010s, One Direction went on indefinite hiatus in 2016. Payne enjoyed some solo success before his career stalled. — AFP