Utah Mother and Daughter Found Dead in Las Vegas Hotel; Police Investigating Apparent Murder-Suicide
The pair had been reported missing after failing to appear at a cheer competition.
A Utah mother and her pre-teen daughter, who were reported missing after failing to show up for a cheer competition in Las Vegas, have been found dead in what authorities are investigating as a murder-suicide.
According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Tawnia McGeehan and her daughter, Addi Smith, were discovered unresponsive inside a room at the Rio Hotel & Casino near the Las Vegas Strip. Officers entered the room Sunday afternoon around 2:30 p.m. after receiving multiple welfare check requests.
Police said officers and hotel security initially attempted to make contact earlier that morning by knocking on the door and calling into the room but received no response. After additional concerns were raised later in the day, authorities made the decision to enter the room.
Inside, they found both McGeehan and Smith suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
Homicide detectives have determined through preliminary investigation that McGeehan shot her daughter before turning the gun on herself. A note was reportedly found inside the room. The incident remains under active investigation.
Trip for Cheer Competition
The mother and daughter had traveled from Utah to Las Vegas for a cheerleading competition. Their absence raised alarm when they failed to arrive and could not be reached.
Earlier, Utah Xtreme Cheer in West Jordan had publicly appealed for help locating them after they did not appear at the scheduled event.
“This is not something we ever imagined posting, but we need the cheer community’s support,” the organization wrote at the time. “We are deeply concerned. Law enforcement has been notified.”
A missing persons flyer indicated they were last seen February 14 around 8 p.m. at the New York-New York Hotel.
What began as a missing persons case quickly evolved into a homicide investigation after the tragic discovery inside the hotel room.
Authorities have not released additional details regarding the contents of the note or potential circumstances leading up to the shooting. The Clark County Coroner’s Office will determine the official causes and manner of death.
The case remains under investigation.
If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. In the United States, you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7.