It is unclear whether it was Liam Payne who posted the photos and videos to his Snapchat account just moments before the news of his death, or someone managing his account.
In the since-deleted posts, Liam told fans he was having a “lovely day in Argentina” while spending time with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy.
The couple were seen sitting at a dining room table while eating breakfast.
The pair also discussed their plan for the rest of the day, talking about playing polo and riding horses.
There have been reports that Cassidy had left Argentina over the weekend, suggesting that the photos and videos were not posted in real-time.
Buenos Aires police said in a statement that Payne, 31, fell from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in the trendy Palermo neighbourhood of Argentina's capital, resulting in "extremely serious injuries."
Medics confirmed his death on the spot, the statement said.
Payne was one of the founding members of One Direction, one of the most successful boy bands of the past decade.
One Direction formed in 2010 when they auditioned for the British singing competition series The X Factor.
After each singer failed to make it through the competition as a solo act, Simon Cowell and his fellow judges combined them into what would become a successful pop group.
The band became known for their pop sound and romantic hits like What Makes You Beautiful. They had six Top 10 hits on the Billboard charts by the time they disbanded in 2016. They had a loyal fan base, many of whom were teen girls who became known as Directioners.
Payne released his debut solo album LP1 in December 2019, which included the singles Polaroid and Familiar.
Payne had a seven-year-old son, Bear Grey Payne, with his former girlfriend, the musician Cheryl, who was known as Cheryl Cole when she performed with Girls Aloud.
He is also survived by his parents, Geoff and Karen Payne, and his two older sisters, Ruth and Nicola.
Representatives for Payne did not immediately return emails and calls.
this is absolutely so insane bc wym liam payne was just posting on his snapchat story only an hour ago?? pic.twitter.com/xrwNT999MA
— d’aujah 🫧 (@daujahmarie) October 16, 2024
