Docs reveal longtime custody dispute after mother, daughter found dead in Las Vegas hotel
Cheer team contacts police when 11-year-old fails to show for competition
A mother shot and killed her 11-year-old daughter before turning the gun on herself in a Las Vegas hotel room over the weekend in an apparent murder-suicide, police said.
Tawnia McGeehan, 38, and her daughter Addi Smith were found dead Sunday afternoon at the Rio Hotel & Casino. The pair from Utah was in town for a cheerleading tournament.
Las Vegas police were called to the hotel at 10:45 a.m. Sunday for a welfare check after the cheer team contacted authorities when Addi failed to show up for the competition that morning.
“They knocked several times, and they called into the room without any answer. At that point in time, without anything else and no other information and nothing else suspicious, those officers advised security, and they cleared from the call,” police said.
Security discovers bodies after welfare check
After continued calls and social media posts seeking to locate the mother and daughter, hotel security returned to the room around 2:30 p.m. When no one answered the door, they entered the room.
“When they entered the room, they located two deceased females. They immediately backed up and called 911. Patrol arrived and secured the scene,” police said.
Addi’s team, Utah Xtreme, released a message on Facebook:
“We are completely heartbroken. No words do the situation justice. She was so beyond loved, and she will always be a part of the UXC family.”
Years of legal battles preceded tragedy
Court documents obtained by FOX5 show McGeehan and her ex-husband, Brad Smith, had been involved in a custody dispute since Addi was a toddler.
McGeehan temporarily lost custody of Addi in 2020 after the court determined she had acted in ways that could alienate the child from the father. Documents also revealed she had committed domestic abuse in front of Addi and said McGeehan’s ability to co-parent was in serious question.
In 2021, McGeehan filed a temporary restraining order alleging Addi’s stepmother was recording parent-time exchanges, a violation of a court custody agreement.
By 2024, McGeehan and Smith had reached an agreement. The court awarded joint legal and physical custody with one week on and one week off.
Police have not released a motive for the murder-suicide. The cheerleading team’s coach said grief counselors will be available on Tuesday for families.
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