Argentine businessman Rogelio Luis “Roger” Nores has been cleared of all charges related to the death of One Direction singer Liam Payne, who died in October 2024. Prosecutors have formally dropped the manslaughter charge against Nores, who had been investigated for his alleged role in Payne's fatal fall from a Buenos Aires hotel balcony.
In a ruling signed on June 9, three appeal court judges agreed with a prior decision that found Payne, 31, to be an adult responsible for his own drug use. Nores' defense attorney, Rafael Cúneo Libarona, stated that Nores had no duty to care for Payne's addictions and was not his guarantor. Nores was initially indicted on a manslaughter charge in November 2024 and later faced a drug supply charge, both of which have now been dismissed without appeal.
Investigators had sought to forensically analyze Nores' devices after a message from Payne requesting "six grams" was found on the singer's phone. However, judges ruled there was no evidence that Nores agreed to supply drugs, as he did not reply to the message.
Prosecutors also sought to have Payne's American girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, testify about his condition, but this request was also refused by the judges due to insufficient cause.
Meanwhile, two other men, restaurant waiter Braian Nahuel Paiz, 26, and hotel worker Ezequiel David Pereyra, 22, are still awaiting trial. They are accused of selling cocaine to Payne in the period leading up to his death. Both men spent over a year in police custody before being released in March. Case sources indicate that plea deal negotiations are underway, which could potentially lead to a resolution without a full trial. If a plea deal is accepted, the charge could be reduced to free drug supply, carrying a maximum sentence of six months, which would be covered by the time already served, given their lack of prior convictions.
Payne's former partner, Cheryl Cole, is a plaintiff in the case representing their 9-year-old son, Bear. Her lawyers have stated their sole interest is to safeguard Liam Payne's "intimacy, honor and memory" and have not objected to rulings in favor of any defendant thus far.
On July 3, the judge in the case granted prosecutors permission to conduct further forensic analysis on ten cellphones and a flash drive seized from Paiz and Pereyra. This analysis will examine text messages, social media conversations, and browsing histories for evidence related to the alleged drug sales.
Previously, manslaughter charges against two other hotel employees, security head Gilda Martin and receptionist Esteban Grassi, were also dropped.