Lamar Odom is weighing in on reports that Liam Payne had multiple drugs in his system prior to his death at age 31.
A partial autopsy showed that Payne had “pink cocaine” — a recreational drug typically mixing methamphetamine, ketamine and MDMA — along with cocaine, benzodiazepine and crack in his system, according to a report published by ABC News on Monday, October 21.
Us Weekly previously confirmed that Payne died on October 16 after a fall from a hotel balcony in Argentina. Buenos Aires emergency services chief Alberto Crescenti said that the singer suffered “serious injuries” that were untreatable by the time first responders arrived on the scene.
When approached by TMZ for comment on Payne’s toxicology report, Odom, 44, recalled his past experiences with substance abuse and said that he thought he had used pink cocaine before, saying, “I’ve done a lot of things. I’m not ashamed, though, because it’s my testimony.”
The retired NBA player was hospitalized in 2015 after overdosing in a Nevada brothel and has been sober for several years. He now owns recovery clinics.
“Drugs could cause you to hallucinate,” Odom said. “And if [Payne] was in a hallucination state, then who knows what would happen.”
The athlete said he’d “heard voices before” and experienced paranoia while using drugs, especially crack. During his TMZ interview, Odom was asked if he thought that the drugs in Payne’s system contributed to his tragic fall.
“I mean, to death? I don’t know,” he replied. “I was always strong enough to kind of bear down and realize there’s no exception to not being here.”
He noted, “Well, I mean, if you’re hearing voices, then it’s hard to escape those voices, so God forbid if those voices told him to do something that led to his fate. That’d be a shame.”
Odom told the outlet: “I’m gonna make sure I say a prayer for his family and everyone that he knows.”
He also said that he hopes the tragedy “is a wake-up call for everyone in the industry — Hollywood, music, sports — that drugs don’t discriminate. Age, race, color, creed.”
On October 16, Us confirmed that Buenos Aires City Police officers were dispatched to the CasaSur Palermo Hotel after a 911 call reporting an aggressive man thought to be under the influence.
In a translated transcript of a 911 call obtained by the BBC, the hotel’s chief receptionist claimed that a guest had taken “too many drugs and alcohol.”
“So, we have a guest who is high on drugs and who is trashing the room,” the caller alleged. “So, we need someone to come.”
The speaker then warned in a follow-up call that the guest “may be in danger” because the hotel room had a balcony, while also claiming that the guest was “trashing the entire room” whenever he was “conscious.”
“So, we have a guest who is high on drugs and who is trashing the room,” the caller alleged. “So, we need someone to come.”
The speaker then warned in a follow-up call that the guest “may be in danger” because the hotel room had a balcony, while also claiming that the guest was “trashing the entire room” whenever he was “conscious.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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