New developments continue to emerge as Liam Payne's death investigation proceeds.

According to TMZ, the "Strip That Down" star's friend, Roger Nores, who was originally charged with manslaughter for "abandoning Liam" just before he fell to his death at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, last October, is officially "off the hook."

Judges dropped manslaughter charges against Nores on Wednesday (February 19), in addition to two hotel employees -Gilda Martin and Esteban Grassi- after ruling that there was "nothing the trio could have done to save Liam."

Nores, Martin, Grassi, and drug dealers Ezequiel Pereyra and Braian Paiz were charged in connection to Payne's death in December 2024. Pereyra and Paz remain in jail as they await trial.

TMZ mentioned that judges did not obtain proof that Martin and Grassi acted thoughtless, reckless, or negligent in the moments leading up to Payne's death. Similarly, judges ruled that even if Norse had stayed with Payne during the entirety of their trip to Buenos Aries, the standout would still have found a way to obtain the drugs found in his system by the toxicology report.

The One Direction alum tragically passed away on October 16, 2024, after plunging to his death from a third-story hotel balcony while under the influence of "cocaine, crack and ketamine," and alcohol. Hotel surveillance footage (obtained by ABC News) showed the "Teardrops" hitmaker, whose friends said he was struggling mentally at the time, falling asleep in the lobby and being escorted back to his room on multiple occasions.

Payne was laid to rest during an intimate ceremony in November 2024, which saw friends, family, girlfriend Kate Cassidy, and One Direction bandmates Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson. He is survived by his 7-year-old son Bear, parents Geoff and Karen, and sisters Nicola and Ruth.

For more information on Payne's death investigation and court rulings read: Buenos Aires Waiter Arrested For Providing Drugs To Liam Payne.

Theresa Lucas