Celebs And Viral

Final farewell: One Direction reunites to honour Liam Payne

Liam Payne’s funeral is set to be held on Wednesday, just over a month after the One Direction star died at the age of 31.

The singer suffered fatal injuries after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 16.

The ceremony will be closed to the public, attended by just family and closest friends including his four One Direction bandmates: Louis Tomlinson, 32, Niall Horan, 31, Zayn Malik, 31, and Harry Styles, 30.

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A wake is expected to be held following the service.

A source told The Independent: “Liam’s funeral is taking place tomorrow afternoon in the Home Counties. His family have gone to great lengths to put together the perfect service and give him the sendoff he deserves.

“Liam may have been a global superstar but to his parents, Geoff and Karen, he will always be their little boy. It is going to be an incredibly difficult day.”

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In a joint statement published days after Payne’s death, his former bandmates said: “We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. Picture: Instagram/OneDirection

Heartbreak in Buenos Aires: Three charged in Liam’s tragic death

Shortly before his passing, the father of one, who shares a son with Cheryl Tweedy, reportedly travelled to Buenos Aires to renew his US visa and attend Niall’s performance at the Movistar Arena.

Following Liam’s death, three individuals have been formally charged in connection with the incident.

According to a translated statement from Argentina’s public prosecutor’s office, authorities carried out “exhaustive and meticulous measures to clarify the circumstances” surrounding the 31-year-old’s death.

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According to The Mirror, the statement revealed that “based on the evidence gathered, numerous documents, and the case’s background,” prosecutor Andrés Esteban Madrea charged three individuals in a detailed 180-page report submitted to Judge Bruniard last Friday. The charges include abandonment of a person resulting in death, an offense that could carry a sentence of up to 15 years.

One of the accused had been accompanying the singer daily in Argentina. Another was an employee at the hotel where Liam was staying, while the third is alleged to have supplied drugs.

Authorities raid properties, scour 800 hours of CCTV

The investigation into the Buenos Aires incident has intensified, with authorities conducting nine property raids and thoroughly examining Payne’s devices, LeedsLive reported.

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They’ve also reviewed more than 800 hours of CCTV footage and gathered detailed testimonies from hotel staff, family members, friends, and medical professionals.

Prosecutors have ruled out any third-party involvement in the death and dismissed “self-harm” as a possibility, based on a forensic psychiatric evaluation.

NOW READ: Three charged after Liam Payne’s drug-related death

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Compiled by Carien Grobler