Liam Payne’s body is set to be flown back to the UK by Monday “at the latest”, with his funeral expected to take place next week.
The singer has reportedly been moved from a Buenos Aires morgue to the historic British Cemetery in the northern part of the Argentinian capital, following permission granted to his devastated father Geoff by prosecutors.
Local media suggest that the repatriation will occur either tomorrow or Monday – “48 hours maximum” – once the embalming process is complete. Respected Argentinian newspaper La Nacion reported that Geoff was personally informed in a recent meeting with prosecution chief Andres Madrea that he could return to the UK with his son’s body two weeks after arriving in South America following the 31-year-old’s tragic hotel fall.
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The paper stated: “All the documents are ready for the former One Direction singer to return to his homeland so a funeral can take place there next week. When Geoff Payne reached Argentina on October 18 he was told the repatriation process could take between four and five days, but because of the circumstances surrounding his son’s death things took longer than expected.”
Liam’s grieving father is still waiting for the toxicology and tissue test results, which he was told on October 21 would be necessary before his son’s body could be repatriated. The tragic event occurred at CasaSur Palermo Hotel on October 16, launching an investigation that was initially believed to be a drug-induced ‘psychotic episode’ with no third-party involvement.
In a recent search, police seized computers and documents from the boutique hotel where Liam had been staying, seemingly part of an effort to locate his alleged drug supplier amidst suspicions that someone from the hotel had provided him with narcotics. Argentine news outlet Infobae reported that traces of cocaine were found in Liam’s system, yet tests on a white powder found in his hotel room have been “inconclusive.”
Meanwhile, unverified accounts from the US claim that an array of substances, including a mix known as pink cocaine, believed to contain MDMA, ketamine, methamphetamine, as well as crack cocaine and benzodiazepine, were detected in his system during a preliminary autopsy.
Geoff was overcome with grief as he arrived in Argentina just 48 hours following the tragic passing of his son. He was seen solemnly reading tributes at a fan-created shrine outside Liam’s hotel.
In a poignant moment, Geoff entered the third-floor suite where the ex-One Direction star had stayed, collecting Liam’s clothes and personal items, which authorities confirmed were no longer needed for investigation. Meanwhile, thousands of heartbroken Liam Payne enthusiasts have rallied together, signing a petition demanding a memorial be established to honor the late singer’s legacy.
The fans are calling for a lasting “structure or mural” to be erected in Wolverhampton, his hometown in the West Midlands. Notably, the British Aires British Cemetery, where the petitioners suggest the tribute, has been at its present site since 1892 and is the resting place for war heroes from both World Wars.