DEVELOPING: Call Logs Reveal Tawnia McGeehan Rejected Three FaceTime Calls from Brad Smith the Night Before Mediation Hearing — Fourth Call Came from His New Wife’s Number

In the latest revelation deepening the mystery surrounding the murder-suicide of 11-year-old Addi Smith and her mother Tawnia McGeehan, newly obtained call logs show McGeehan rejected three consecutive FaceTime calls from Brad Smith’s phone the night before a critical mediation hearing in their ongoing custody dispute. The fourth call, which came from the phone number of Brad’s new wife, McKennly Smith, was not rejected — raising fresh questions about McGeehan’s state of mind and possible final interactions in the hours leading up to the tragedy at the Rio Hotel & Casino on February 15, 2026.

This detail, confirmed by sources familiar with the investigative file, aligns with earlier neighbor accounts of a heated argument in which McGeehan was heard saying “You won’t take her from me” and the friend’s recollection that McGeehan felt she was “losing everything.” Combined with Brad Smith’s recent filing for a custody adjustment and McGeehan’s documented “obsession with losing Addi,” the rejected calls paint a picture of escalating dread and avoidance in the final days.

McGeehan, 38, fatally shot her daughter before taking her own life in what Las Vegas Metropolitan Police have ruled a murder-suicide. The pair had traveled from West Jordan, Utah, for a cheer competition with the Utah Xtreme Cheer team. No motive has been officially released, but investigators are now examining whether fear of further custody loss — triggered by the impending mediation — played a central role.

The Night Before Mediation: Rejected Calls and a Final Connection

The mediation hearing, scheduled for mid-February 2026, stemmed from Brad Smith’s January filing seeking modifications to the May 2024 joint custody order. Sources say the session was expected to address concerns over McGeehan’s stability, recent cheer-related conflicts, and decision-making authority.

Call logs reviewed by investigators show three FaceTime attempts from Brad’s number between approximately 8:15 p.m. and 9:05 p.m. the night before the hearing — all rejected after ringing. Minutes later, a fourth FaceTime came from McKennly Smith’s phone and connected briefly before ending. The duration and content of that call remain under analysis, but its timing — hours before the pair left for Las Vegas — has drawn intense scrutiny.

A relative who spoke with McGeehan that evening described her as “exhausted but determined,” repeating that she felt she was “losing everything.” The same relative noted McGeehan’s urgent doctor visit three days earlier for a medication adjustment, during which she appeared frantic.

This sequence fits the broader pattern of McGeehan’s documented fixation on losing Addi. A nurse who treated her testified that McGeehan was “obsessed with losing Addi Smith,” frequently expressing terror that the courts or Brad’s new family would take her daughter away. Medical records from August 2025 noted “episodes under extreme stress,” though the court-submitted copy is missing a physician’s signature on the final page and one detail is still under review.

Custody Battle: From Supervised Visits to Joint Custody — Then a New Challenge

The rejected calls cannot be separated from the nearly decade-long legal war between McGeehan and Brad Smith.

2015–2017: Divorce proceedings in Utah’s 4th District Court.
2020: Commissioner Marian Ito found McGeehan committed domestic abuse in Addi’s presence and engaged in parental alienation. Smith received temporary sole custody; McGeehan’s visits were supervised by three appointed monitors.
2021: McGeehan sought a restraining order against McKennly, alleging recordings of exchanges.
May 2024: Joint legal and physical custody restored on a week-on, week-off schedule. McGeehan granted presumptive decision-making over education, health, and religion, with strict handoff protocols to minimize contact.

Brad’s January 2026 filing for adjustment — confirmed by court records — sought changes that could have limited McGeehan’s role. The mediation hearing was the next step in that process.

Neighbors previously confirmed hearing an argument involving Addi’s name, with McGeehan shouting “You won’t take her from me” before a door slammed. The call logs now place that tension in the immediate run-up to the Vegas trip.

Cheer Community Pressures and Final Warning Signs

McGeehan was also dealing with escalating conflicts within the Utah Xtreme Cheer community. Her mother, Connie, reported “mean” texts from other moms blaming Addi for a prior stunt drop. A teammate recalled Addi becoming unusually silent during warm-ups, saying “She wasn’t herself anymore.” McGeehan appeared visibly upset after a late-night discussion about performance placement and exchanged sharp texts with a fellow mom hours before check-in.

These stressors, layered on top of the custody filing and rejected calls, may have pushed McGeehan to a breaking point. The fourth call from McKennly’s number — the only one answered — could represent a final, desperate attempt at communication or confrontation.

Scene Evidence and Ongoing Investigation

At the Rio, investigators recovered:

A cracked phone with an open contentious text thread.
A shattered phone case near the bed.
A hidden hotel recording device in McGeehan’s handbag.
An unopened sealed envelope on the dressing table.
A note (contents confidential).

Forensic teams are analyzing the FaceTime logs alongside the 9:43 p.m. voicemail and the tense call with McKennly days earlier. The nurse’s testimony and medical records are being cross-referenced for signs of motive.

LVMPD has not released an official motive, but sources say the pattern of obsession, avoidance, and fear of loss is central to their understanding.

Community Mourning and Calls for Accountability

The Utah Xtreme Cheer team remains devastated. Addi was remembered as a “beautiful girl who didn’t deserve this.” A GoFundMe for Brad Smith’s family has raised significant funds to support the surviving loved ones.

In West Jordan, blue ribbons flutter on mailboxes. Vigils continue, with tributes emphasizing Addi’s kindness and passion for cheer.

Connie McGeehan has said the family had “no idea” Tawnia was contemplating such an act. The relative who described her exhaustion added: “She wasn’t unstable… she was exhausted — and terrified of losing the one thing she had left.”

This case has renewed debate about how family courts handle mental health, domestic abuse findings, and parental alienation claims. Experts call for mandatory counseling and risk assessments when a parent expresses obsessive fear of losing a child.

As the investigation proceeds, the focus remains on supporting those left behind — particularly Addi’s father, stepmother, and the young athletes who knew her.

The lights of the Rio still shine, but for those who knew Addi and Tawnia, the glow is now overshadowed by unanswered questions and unimaginable loss.