Liam Payne was struggling with issues relating to his ex-fiancée, Maya Henry, in the period before her death on October 16 at age 31.
A source with knowledge of the situation told PEOPLE that Payne “was extremely overwhelmed by all the legal problems” involving Henry.
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Henry, 23, issued a cease-and-desist order last week to the former One Direction singer after she alleged he repeatedly contacted her, according to the daily mail .
The former couple was reportedly engaged before calling off their relationship in 2022, the daily mail .
In a TikTok shared on October 6 by Henry, a Texas-raised model and author of the novel Thinking about the future, claimed that his ex, whom he does not name but associates with “One Direction fans,” continues to “blow up” his phone.
“He always sends me messages from different phone numbers. “I never know where they’re going to come from… Plus, he sends me emails,” Henry said. “Not just me, but it blows up my mom’s phone too. Does this seem like normal behavior to you?”
“I also sent messages to my friends,” he continued. “I found out later and apparently they were able to go to his house.”
Additionally, he claimed that Payne “weaponized” One Direction fans against him. “He says he ‘takes advantage of One Direction fans because they will always be loyal to him and won’t tell on him.’”
Payne died after falling from several floors of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires on Wednesday, October 16, the Argentine Federal Police confirmed to PEOPLE. Police are investigating the cause of his death and an autopsy will be performed.
The photographs obtained by the daily mail, supposedly from his hotel room, shows what appears to be a large amount of drug paraphernalia and a smashed television.
Argentine news channel TN was the first to report the news of his death.
Payne is survived by his 7-year-old son, Bear Gray, and his ex, Girls Aloud singer Cheryl.