Recently released surveillance video from the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires shows Liam Payne interacting with a hotel employee that has been arrested in relation to his death, according to sources.
The male employee is alleged to have been the person that delivered drugs to the former One Direction star shortly before his death. A brief interaction was captured on surveillance video, sources told TMZ. The video clip shared by the outlet Nov. 14 showed a man believed to be Payne exiting a basement elevator in the the hotel for a few moments to chat with another man. Sources at the hotel claimed the staff member that shook hands and spoke with Payne was Ezequiel David Pereyra, who worked as a bellboy. Police suspect Pereyra provided the late star drugs in a soap box, according to TMZ.
Police said hotel employees were the only ones who could access the supply of soup, according to TMZ
The identity of the staffer in the video has not been officially confirmed at this time, the outlet reported. Police have reportedly obtained the footage.
The video appears to show the employee stacking chairs in the basement of the hotel with other staff members as the elevator door opens and the man believed to be Payne appears. The two conversed for a short time before they slapped hands. The employee then exited through a doorway.
BERLIN, GERMANY – FEBRUARY 17: Liam Payne performs on stage during the 2020 Laureus World Sports Awards at Verti Music Hall on February 17, 2020 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images for Laureus)
The time stamp on the surveillance video was 2:04 p.m., approximately three hours before Payne fell to his death from the third-floor balcony of his hotel suite, according to TMZ.
The friendliness and casual demeanor between the employee and the man believed to be Payne seemed to suggest they were familiar with one another.
Toxicology results discovered pink cocaine, crack, ketamine and other drugs in Payne’s system at the time of his death, according to sources. Prosecutors have since determined Payne’s death was accidental and not a result of suicide, according to TMZ. (RELATED: Liam Payne’s Friend Reportedly Facing Charges In His Death)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 06: Liam Payne performs during WE Day UK 2019 at The SSE Arena on March 06, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images)
Police have taken Pereyra and two other individuals into custody in connection with Payne’s death. One of them was an alleged drug dealer and the other was a friend who allegedly left Payne to his own devices, according to TMZ. The investigation into Payne’s death has included over 800 hours of hotel surveillance footage, police said.
This article was originally published at dailycaller.com
