Liam Payne’s body was brought back to the UK on Wednesday ahead of his funeral.
The former One Direction member’s body had been held in Argentina since his tragic death at 31. The release of Payne’s body was initially delayed until the completion of the toxicology tests.
The late singer’s body was taken home by Geoff Payne, who has been in the South American city alongside Payne’s longtime bodyguard since the incident.
A locally-based journalist claimed Payne’s coffin was aboard a flight Wednesday.
Meanwhile, a security source confirmed to Page Six that Payne’s body had been released earlier in the week from the judicial morgue.
The artist will now be laid to rest following a service, which is expected to be attended by his One Direction bandmates: Liam Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Harry Styles and Zayn Malik.
Meanwhile, TMZ reported on Wednesday that Argentine police have raided the homes of two CasaSur Palermo hotel employees, and the residence of one of his other “friends,” as part of their investigation to track down who sold the 31-year-old the drugs.
Page Six reported that Payne is believed to have befriended a member of the cleaning staff at his hotel, who allegedly procured him drugs during his stay. This claim is what promoted his friend Roger Nores to alert CasaSur’s manager.
Payne died instantly of massive internal and external injuries when he took his fatal fall from his hotel balcony, with experts at the time telling The Post that the singer appeared unconscious as he plummeted to the courtyard below.
In addition to the pink cocaine, also called Tusi — a combination of methamphetamine, ketamine and ecstasy — the drugs detected in his bloodstream through toxicology screening included benzodiazepine, crack, and cocaine, ABC News reported last month.
A makeshift aluminum pipe for ingesting the substances was also found nearby.
Medical officials confirmed that the star had a “cranial fracture and extremely serious injuries that led to his immediate death.”
At the time, witnesses told TMZ that Payne was acting “erratic” before his sudden passing. He allegedly smashed his laptop in the hotel lobby and was carried back to his room before the fall.
A day after his death, Payne’s family released a statement saying, “Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul.
“We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time,” they added.
