Liam Payne's autopsy shows the star died of multiple injuries from a fall

Liam Payne died of multiple injuries and internal and external bleeding after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina's prosecutor's office said. An autopsy showed that the pop star's head injuries were sufficient to cause death.

An ongoing investigation – including interviews with five witnesses in an attempt to reconstruct the 31-year-old musician's last hours – indicates he was alone when he fell. Alcohol and drug paraphernalia were seized from Payne's hotel room.

The former One Direction member died at 5pm local time on Wednesday. Guests at the Casa Sur hotel told the Guardian they heard screams and shouts for hours before Paine fell.

“I thought they were building, lots of banging, door slamming most of the day. It was loud, weird,” said Doug Jones. “Later I heard sirens, thought maybe there was a fire somewhere. And then I heard a very loud scream.”

According to Reuters, a hotel receptionist called emergency services to notify police of an “aggressive person who may be under the influence of drugs and alcohol.” The hotel manager said he heard a loud noise at the back of the hotel and when police arrived they found a man lying on the balcony of his room.

The photos, which appeared in local news and online to show Payne's room in disarray, were believed to have been taken by hotel staff, sparking a backlash about journalistic ethics.

Payne's family said in a statement they were “heartbroken” by his death. “Liam will live forever in our hearts and we will remember him for his kind, funny and brave spirit. We as a family are doing all we can to help each other and ask for privacy and space during this terrible time.”

One Direction was formed on The X Factor in 2010. Host Dermot O'Leary paid tribute to Payne, describing him as “a joy” who “had time for everyone, [was] Polite, grateful and always humble”.

Ronnie Wood – who performed with the band when he returned as a guest on the show in 2014 – said it was “a pleasure to work with him”, while pop star Charlie Puth, who co-wrote Penn's 2017 single Bedroom Floor, He is a “master artist”.

Penn's former One Direction bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Niall Horan have yet to comment on his death. Cheryl Tweedy, with whom Penn had a son, Bear, in 2017, also did not comment.

Rebecca Ferguson, who was runner-up in the seventh series of The X Factor, in which One Direction came third and was outspoken about abuse within the music industry, recalled meeting Penn in a taxi to the show from Euston station.

“I can't help but think of that boy who is optimistic and looking forward to his bright future,” he tweeted.

“I've been talking about the exploitation and profiteering of young stars for years and the effects – many of us are still living with the aftermath and PTSD. Many of us today are devastated and reflective because this is finally the first victim.”