The body of pop star Liam Payne was returned to his family on Wednesday and is set to be flown to the UK, prosecutors in charge of the case confirmed to the BBC.
The singer died three weeks ago after falling from a third-floor balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
A post-mortem examination confirmed the 31-year-old man suffered internal and external bleeding and multiple external injuries as a result of the fall.
His body was preserved in Argentina while local authorities completed further toxicology and laboratory tests. The document was released to his family on Wednesday, prosecutor Andrés Madrea told the BBC.
Payne became one of the most recognizable names in pop music after rising to fame in the 2010s with boy band One Direction.
A co-writer on many of their hits, he also achieved solo success with songs like “Strip That Down” and “Bedroom Floor.”
A week before his death, news broke that the singer was facing legal action from ex-fiancée Maya Henry, who issued a cease-and-desist order over what she described as “forced sexual” contact.
Kate Cassidy, Payne’s girlfriend at the time of his death, said the couple had been planning to get married.
The singer’s family said they were “heartbroken” by his death, adding: “Liam will always live in our hearts and will be remembered as the kind, funny and brave soul he was.”
In October, some media outlets reported on preliminary toxicology tests, which the Associated Press (AP), citing an unnamed official, said showed evidence of cocaine exposure.
But they said the official stressed that the preliminary results did not accurately indicate how much of the drug was in his blood at the time of his death.
The Argentine prosecutor’s office is continuing to investigate his death.
