The former One Direction star, 31, died after falling from the third-floor balcony of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel.
According to TMZ, hotel staff called 911 to report an “aggressive” male. By the time authorities arrived, Payne had already fallen. It remains unclear whether the fall was intentional or accidental.
The photos, believed to show the interior of his room, reveal a smashed TV screen and traces of a white powder on a desk. Argentinian daily Clarin also shared images showing a burnt candle, pieces of aluminum foil, and the top of a fizzy drink can with the metal burned, scattered on a desktop.
Photos of Payne’s body shared by TMZ show him wearing a white t-shirt and khaki shorts, lying unconscious on the ground after the fall.
Before the incident, witnesses reported Payne acting “erratically” in the hotel lobby, where he allegedly smashed his laptop and had to be carried back to his room. Authorities were called to check on an “aggressive man possibly under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”
Local ambulance manager Alberto Crescenti confirmed the emergency response, stating that they arrived within minutes and found Payne’s injuries to be “incompatible with life,” leaving no possibility for resuscitation.
Payne, who had previously opened up about his struggles with alcohol and drugs, enjoyed massive success as part of One Direction but had acknowledged that his lifestyle had once become a “cause for concern.”
