"Just bad luck": Close friend speaks out after manslaughter charges dropped in Liam Payne's death case

Liam Payne, a member of One Direction, passed away tragically, and his close friend Rogelio "Roger" Nores recently spoke out after being exonerated of manslaughter charges. In a tearful interview, Nores talked about their close relationship and the events leading up to Payne's tragic death, highlighting the part "bad luck" had in the singer's passing.
"The last six months of his life, we were together every single day, all the time, along with our girlfriends at that time," he said to Reuters. According to him, "As a friend, you see them having a drug problem, and you do what you can, but at the end of the day, it's their decision." He acknowledged Payne's well-documented substance usage issues.
Payne passed away on October 16, 2024, after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires. The autopsy revealed a cocktail of substances in his system, including alcohol, cocaine, and prescription antidepressants. This led to manslaughter charges against Nores, the hotel manager, and a receptionist, alleging their failure to assist Payne given his addictions. However, these charges were dropped in February, while two other hotel employees still face trial for allegedly supplying Payne with drugs.
Nores has been subject to a great deal of criticism from Payne's loyal fan base, who understandably are looking for explanations and to blame someone. He acknowledges their suffering, saying that it is hard for them to come to terms with the loss and that they are attempting to find an explanation.
Putting another twist into this tangled situation, Nores has also sued Geoff Payne, the father of Payne, for defamation. Nores alleges Geoff provided Argentinian officials with false and harmful information. Nores has promised that any money he collects in the lawsuit will be given to Payne's son, Bear. He thinks Geoff is acting out of his own sorrow and ignorance of the circumstances. Liam Payne's relatives, in a statement made available to the BBC, asked for privacy while they keep mourning his demise. They had referred to his death as an "unspeakable tragedy" and an hour of "immense grief and pain."
Details of Liam Payne's demise remain a delicate and complicated matter, and although proceedings in court remain for some, Nores' view provides some insight into the last few months of the singer and the strife he endured.