Liam Payne's Friend Roger Nores Speaks Out After Manslaughter Charges Against Him Dropped: 'We Were Together Every Day'

Rogelio “Roger” Nores, a friend of the late Liam Payne, opened up about his friendship with the One Direction singer after being cleared of manslaughter charges related to his death.

In an interview with Reuters published on Friday, March 7, the Argentinian businessman said of Liam, “As a friend, you see them having a drug problem and you do what you can, but at the end of the day it’s their decision.” 

He continued, “You start seeing a chain of events, and it was just bad luck — it happened in a way that ended in tragedy.”

Liam died in October 2024 at age 31 after falling from a hotel balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. A preliminary autopsy revealed he died of multiple injuries and “internal and external” hemorrhages. Per his toxicology report released in November 2024, Payne had “alcohol, cocaine and prescription antidepressants” in his body.

The singer’s cause of death was confirmed by an inquest in the UK as “polytrauma,” according to a hearing in December at Buckinghamshire Coroner’s Court.

According to Nores, he and Liam spent a lot of time together in the months before his death.

“The last six months of his life, we were together every single day, all the time, along with our girlfriends at that time,” Nores told Reuters.

Nores’ lawyer, Rafael Cuneo Libaron, who was present during the Reuters interview, stated that the businessman had sent Liam’s family an email shortly before his death recommending that he go to rehab. The lawyer said that, ultimately, the drugs “are at fault” for Liam’s death. 

Nores also addressed the backlash he has received from Liam’s fans, acknowledging their feelings. “When someone you grew up with, with their voice, their songs, and all of a sudden they’re gone, it’s hard to deal with,” he said. “They’re trying to find an explanation.”

In December, Nores was charged with manslaughter alongside hotel manager Gilda Martin and receptionist Esteban Grassi. At the same time, hotel employee Ezequiel Pereyra and waiter Braian Paiz were charged with supplying drugs to Liam.

A statement claimed that Nores was charged after allegedly “failing to fulfill his duties of care, assistance and help” toward Liam and that he “abandoned him,” knowing he suffered from “multiple addictions.” The charges against Nores, Martin and Grassi were dropped after a hearing in Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Court in February.

Pereyra and Paiz remain in prison as they await trial.

In January, Nores sued Liam’s father Geoff Payne for defamation. In a lawsuit obtained by PEOPLE, Nores claims that Geoff made sworn statements that were “false, contained material omissions, and many parts were not based on personal knowledge” that have been shared in the media and caused “injury” and damages worth more than $10 million.

In the 263-page complaint, Nores alleges that his friendship with the late musician was misrepresented and that he “did not have a legal duty to Liam.” Instead, he claims that he and Liam were just “mutual dear friends.” In the complaint, Nores pledges all “net financial proceeds of the judicial proceedings for the benefit of Liam Payne’s son, [Bear].”

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Liam’s family issued a statement to the BBC on March 3, condemning “the constant media attention” following his tragic death.

“Liam’s death was an unspeakable tragedy,” the statement read. “This is a time of tremendous grief and pain for those who knew and loved him. Liam ought to have had a long life ahead of him. Instead, Bear has lost his father, Geoff and Karen have lost their son, Ruth and Nicola have lost their brother and all of Liam’s friends and fans have lost someone they held very dear.”

In their statement, the family also addressed the manslaughter charges being dropped. “We understand that the investigation into Liam’s death was absolutely necessary, and the family recognizes the work done by the Argentinian authorities,” they wrote. “However, the family accepts the Court of Appeal’s decision to drop all charges.”

The family added that “the constant media attention and speculation” alongside the process “has exacted indescribable, lasting damage on the family, particularly on Liam’s son who is trying to process emotions which no seven-year-old should have to experience.”

“The family has always wished for privacy to grieve and asks that they be given the space and time to do so,” they continued.