Liam Payne's Friend Roger Nores Cleared as Death Investigation Continues

Roger Nores has been fully cleared of all criminal charges connected to Liam Payne's death, marking another major legal development in the ongoing investigation.

Court records obtained by the New York Post show prosecutors chose not to appeal the court's dismissal, making the ruling final.

Nores' defense attorney, Rafael Cúneo, said, "There is no chance that Nores will be brought back into the case. The court was clear in its ruling that cleared him of any criminal wrongdoing."

Nores had previously been accused of abandoning Payne despite knowing the former One Direction singer was struggling with addiction. Throughout the case, Nores argued he could not be held legally accountable for Payne's health.

His attorney reiterated that position, saying, "Roger never had the duty of caring for Payne, much less caring for his addictions. He was not Liam’s guarantor. He was his friend, not his physician, nurse, or therapist."

In a June 9 decision, the three appeals court judges agreed with that argument, finding that Payne, 31, was responsible for his own decisions and that Nores did not bear criminal responsibility for the singer's death.

The latest decision makes the dismissal final because prosecutors did not challenge the ruling.

This is the second time Nores has secured a favorable ruling in the case.

Per TMZ, in February 2025, he was cleared of manslaughter charges after the court determined there was nothing he could have done to prevent Payne's death. That ruling removed one of the most serious accusations against him.

The judges reportedly ruled that Nores played no role in Payne's "obtaining and consuming alcohol" and could not have stopped his fatal fall from the hotel balcony.

According to TMZ, Nores even breathed a sigh of relief, saying, "Happy this is finally over."

While Nores is no longer part of the criminal case, the broader investigation has not ended.

According to court documents, investigators sought permission to forensically analyze Nores' electronic devices, along with those of two other people, after a message was found on Payne's phone asking Nores for "six grams."

The Argentine businessman, however, did not respond to the message. Judges at the Buenos Aires Criminal Court of Cassation denied the request, ruling there was no evidence that he had agreed to provide the drugs.

Payne died on October 16, 2024, after falling from the third-floor balcony of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires. His death sparked a lengthy investigation into the events leading up to the fatal fall.