A close friend of Liam Payne has shared the heartbreaking final conversation they had with the pop star before he fell 45ft from a hotel in Buenos Aires to his death.
Jodie Richards, who previously taught Payne performing arts at Pink Productions in Wolverhampton, thought initial reports of the former One Direction members’ deaths were “false”.
Payne suffered a fractured skull after falling from the third floor of the Casa Sur Palmero Hotel in Buenos Aires shortly after 5pm (ART) yesterday afternoon.
In the wake of the 31-year-old’s death, tributes have poured in from around the world as his friends and family mourn.
Richards revealed his tragic correspondence with Payne just hours before his sudden death.
In an interview with Sky News, Ms Richards explained that Payne had sent her a message to “contact the base” and check on everyone in her home town of Wolverhampon.
Jodie Richards, who previously taught Payne performing arts at Pink Productions in Wolverhampton, has revealed their heartbreaking final exchange.
She revealed that the pair often spoke almost daily, and the star had ‘touched base’ with her on Monday, just days before his death (pictured: a recreation of the texts).
She divulged that she and the 31-year-old spoke almost daily for years, as he continued to skyrocket his fame.
In screenshots obtained by the news outlet, Payne texted Jodie on Monday to check on her, to which she informed him she was at the gym with her son.
After receiving a photo of the singer with his hand on his head, Mrs Richards said: “Sorry, I’m home.”
However, when news of the star’s tragic death broke in Buenos Aires a few days later, the close friend sent a series of heartbreaking and panicked text messages.
‘Liam!!!’ said the first, followed by: ‘Please tell me this isn’t true!!!!!!’
Her next tragic messages to the star also read: ‘Please Liam.
‘Good evening Mr. P. I have no words and I don’t want to say goodbye. When I wake up I’m sure it will all be a dream.
Reliving the horrible moment when news of Payne’s death broke, she told SkyNews: “I got messages from friends saying, ‘Please tell me (Liam’s death) isn’t true.
‘So I had to Google it. I couldn’t believe what was happening, I thought it was fake news.
Liam Payne (pictured in Argentina) may have been “semi-conscious or completely unconscious” when he fatally fell from a hotel’s third-floor balcony, Argentina’s prosecutors said.
The hotel balcony from which Liam Payne fell to his death yesterday in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is surrounded by a circle.
Former One Direction singer Liam Payne died at the age of 31 after falling from a balcony in Argentina.
Liam Payne stayed in Argentina for the past few weeks and was photographed interacting with fans.
During his short stay in the city he took time to socialize with fans outside his hotel.
Last night, thousands of fans gathered outside the hotel where Liam Payne died.
Some were photographed lighting candles and praying for the singer.
Others held their sobs as they paused to remember Mr. Payne, who was one-fifth of the most successful boy band of the 2010s.
“I tried to call him on the phone, but obviously he wasn’t answering. I tried to send him a text message, but it wasn’t going to be a read message.
And obviously, as I turned on the TV, it became more and more apparent that it wasn’t fake.
Ms Richards also spoke about the images of Liam Payne’s body that were published by TMZ after his death.
Following fan reaction, the publication deleted the images.
“I think, to be fair, it’s disgusting that those images were shown to a friend and you don’t want them to see them,” he said.
“But especially because he has a son out there, he has a mom and dad who have had to see those images and they will be circulating for years to come and that’s really not how you want to remember Liam.”
It comes as prosecutors in Argentina said Liam Payne may have been “semi-conscious or completely unconscious” when he fatally fell from a third-floor hotel balcony.
Detectives confirmed that a series of substances “indicating a previous situation of alcohol and drug consumption” were seized in the hotel room.
This contradicts police reports that the 31-year-old man had “jumped” from the hotel’s third-floor balcony.
His girlfriend Kate Cassidy posted a photo of the couple on her Instagram last August.
A heartbreaking video shows Liam Payne singing and dancing at his former bandmate Niall Horan’s home, where he later posted a photo with Niall on Snapchat with the caption: “Reunited.”
Liam Payne with his father Geoff and mother Karen after the X Factor final in London in 2010
In addition to his father Geoff and mother Karen, Payne had two sisters, Nicola (left) and Ruth (right).
Nine weeks ago, Liam Payne’s father Geoff posted a photo of his son and his dog while writing the caption: ‘#Likeifyoulovemyson!’ – a publication that has since been flooded with tributes
Before Payne’s death, hotel staff frantically called 911 regarding “an aggressive man who may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol” who was “trashing up his room.”
Hotel guests reported hearing “violent noises” and assumed construction work was going on in the room, according to the BBC.
Photos have also emerged from the interior of his luxury suite, which appear to show a smashed television, surfaces covered in aluminum foil and white dust, as well as burn marks on the wooden surface.
A preliminary report into the pop star’s death said “every indication” is that Payne was alone when he died.
According local news According to media reports, Payne was taken to the Judicial Morgue, where medical staff performed an autopsy last night.
After conducting a preliminary report, they suspect that Payne died from external and internal bleeding after suffering several injuries.
Authorities have requested further testing, including toxicological, biochemical and histopathological examinations.
The prosecution said that forensic reports showed that no injuries were observed that suggest the involvement of third parties and that the autopsy is compatible with a fall from a height.
However, authorities are still launching an investigation into the “possible involvement of third parties” in the events that occurred before his death.
