Liam Payne was seen arguing with a woman about money in the lobby of his hotel just hours before he died after falling from a balcony in Buenos Aires, another guest has claimed. The former One Direction singer, 31, plunged 45 feet from the third floor into the courtyard of the Casa Sur Hotel in the Argentine capital on Wednesday, sparking an outpouring of grief around the world.
In the wake of the tragedy, hotel guests shared their chilling memories of the moments before his death, including hearing “violent noises” and a “scream.” One guest claims that Payne had made a shocking admission just minutes before plunging to his death: “I used to be in a boy band, that’s why I’m so.”
Michael Fleischmann, from the United States, was also staying at the luxury hotel and claims that just three hours before Payne’s death, the singer seemed “a little wild” while arguing with an unnamed woman about money. She claimed the former boy band star kept telling the woman: “I’ll give you $20,000 just because I can. “I have 55 million dollars and I like to help people.”
During the “very tense situation,” the woman is said to have spoken in Spanish and the hotel manager translated the conversation to Payne around 2 p.m. local time. Fleischmann told the Buenos Aires Herald that he only recognized the man “with an English accent who seemed to be causing a disturbance” in the lobby as Payne until after news of his death broke.
He added that the singer had “seemed very upset, agitated, a little wild, walking and walking” and “seemed to have a lot of energy.” Fleischmann’s mother, Toni, added: “It seemed like she was extremely uncomfortable with him and a little apprehensive.
“It was just me, my son, Liam Payne, the wife and the staff. The manager was trying to politely intervene or calm him down. “There was a feeling of anxiety in the area.” The mother and son ended up getting on the same elevator as Payne. They later left the hotel and the woman who was seen arguing with the star was outside the building talking on the phone.
Payne was found dead by police, who say they found the pop star’s medications, including clonazepam, a medication used to control epilepsy, involuntary muscle spasms and panic disorders.
Photos from inside the luxurious suite, published by Argentine magazine Clarín, appeared to confirm the worrying report about Payne’s mental state.
On a table, the surface was covered with aluminum foil, white powder, a lighter, and burn marks on the wooden surface. A blackened aluminum drink can lid appeared to have been heated and a broken television screen on a shelf showed signs of a heavy impact, while a half-empty champagne glass lay nearby.
Rebecca, not her real name, a 28-year-old IT consultant from Washington, DC, took these disturbing photographs of Payne in the lobby shortly before his death.
She said his strange behavior and horrific aftermath had left her “shocked.” As tributes continued to pour in for Payne, including from his former bandmates:
Rebecca’s 30-minute surprise encounter with Payne took place in the lobby of the hotel, where she was staying for a wedding. Payne was due to leave Wednesday morning, but had not yet left by late afternoon, he said. Rebecca took her photos starting at 4:26 p.m. local time (8:26 p.m. UK time), which is also when Payne made the ‘boy band’ comment. Just 36 minutes later, hotel staff raised the alarm at 5:04 p.m. after Payne’s fall. An ambulance arrived at 5:11 p.m. and Payne was certified dead.
Rebecca told MailOnline in an exclusive interview: “One of my friends was due to pick up his suite, so the hotel staff were a bit nervous because he still hadn’t checked out at 4.30pm, but also because of his behaviour.
“I got to the hotel, and he was waiting by the elevator, and it was so clear that he wanted someone to recognize him, there was something a little desperate about him. “I was with my friends and we knew who it was, but it didn’t bother any of us that much. “When the elevator arrived, he suddenly said to us without any questions: ‘Yes, I’m Liam!’ really dragging out the conversation, and then he said: ‘Okay, come on, get on the elevator with me, I love hugs.’ “I decided against it and waited for the next one, but some of the other girls picked on him and halfway through he started saying, ‘Oh, you guys are Americans, I live in West Palm Beach. “I know Americans. You guys are fucking crazy! You guys are fucking dangerous!
