Liam Payne‘s loved ones are set to pay their respects this week, but one noteworthy figure will NOT be there!
According to The Sun on Monday, the One Direction alum’s friend and manager Rogelio “Roger” Nores will not be allowed at the funeral. Roger is currently one of three people who has been arrested in connection with Liam’s death. He was reportedly charged with abandonment of a person followed by death as well as the supply and facilitation of narcotics in connection to the musician’s death (though he has denied the allegations and authorities haven’t officially named the suspects). This comes after the 31-year-old singer fell from a hotel balcony in October while high out of his mind on several drugs, including pink cocaine.
Related: Liam Payne Did NOT Die By Suicide — It’s Official
Per the outlet, the funeral is expected to be held in the singer’s hometown of Wolverhampton this week. Additional details have not been shared publicly. What is clear is that the Argentine businessman “is not welcome” at the service. An insider expressed:
“Liam’s family want his funeral to go off without a hitch and right now opinions are strained when it comes to Roger. It’s true he and Liam had a bond but he’s never been popular when it comes to Liam’s wider circle.”
Oh, no. That’s a red flag. We wonder why they didn’t like him. Was he a bad influence when it came to Liam’s substance abuse issues?
The source also hit back at Roger’s claim that he was not Liam’s manager. After it was reported he was arrested in connection to the tragic death, Roger released a statement insisting he “never abandoned Liam” as had been suggested, claiming there were many other people with the Teardrops artist when he left his hotel minutes before the tragedy. He also declared via DailyMail.com:
“I wasn’t Liam’s manager he was just my very dear friend and please refer to the email I sent to Liam and his team on August 23. I’m really heart-broken with this tragedy, and I’ve been missing my friend every day.”
That said, The Sun reportedly viewed emails that proved Roger was in charge of Liam’s career until the singer signed with the talent agency CAA, which was announced this July. Roger apparently resigned over the deal. The latest insider referenced this confusion, stating:
“There is a difference in the narrative, Roger would say he stepped back from working with Liam — others would say he was pushed.”
Innerestingly, Liam’s final vacation seemed to be a major turning point in their relationship. The pair hung out a lot during the Strip That Down crooner’s time in the country, including at Roger’s home and at Niall Horan‘s concert, per the outlet. This was apparently with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy while she was still in the country. But this may have been a shock to some, the confidant shared:
“Many people didn’t even know Liam and Roger had reconnected until his fateful trip to Argentina last month.”
Hmm. The source concluded:
“Due to the ongoing investigation in Argentina, he’s not welcome at this week’s service.”
Yeah, that’s not surprising. His family and friends want to grieve in a safe, private space. Having someone there who may have played a part in Liam’s death — or at least is reportedly still under investigation? That would certainly take the focus away from the celebration of Liam’s life.
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