Although Roger Nores, a close friend of Liam Payne, is formally exonerated in the One Direction star’s death investigation, the case is still ongoing.
Argentine billionaire Nores has been exonerated of all criminal accusations related to Payne’s tragic October 2024 fall from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, according to court documents obtained by the New York Post. The dismissal was final as the prosecution did not file an appeal.
As TMZ previously reported, Nores had been accused of abandoning Payne despite allegedly knowing the singer was struggling with addiction. Nores maintained he was simply Liam’s friend — not his caretaker — and insisted he’d done everything he could to help him.
His attorney echoed that position in a statement to the New York Post, saying Nores “never had the duty of caring for Payne” and was “not his physician, nurse, or therapist.
Judges ultimately agreed, ruling Payne, 31, was responsible for his own decisions and finding Nores bore no criminal responsibility.
This isn’t Nores’ first legal victory in the case of Liam’s death … in February 2025 he was cleared of manslaughter charges — after the court ruled there was nothing he could have done to save Liam.
The investigation isn’t over, though. Two men accused of supplying Payne with drugs before his death remain under investigation. According to the New York Post, prosecutors are still reviewing evidence from electronic devices, and a possible plea deal is reportedly being discussed.
Payne died after falling from the third-floor balcony of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires on Oct. 16, 2024.