Tragic Cheer Trip: Mother-Daughter Murder-Suicide Shocks Community

In a tragic turn of events, a mother and her daughter, in Las Vegas for a cheerleading competition, were discovered dead in their hotel room. Authorities state the mother fatally shot her daughter before taking her own life, marking this as a murder-suicide. Concern arose when the duo failed to appear at an eagerly anticipated event, prompting family and cheer officials to report them missing.

“There was a note left,” according to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Lt. Robert Price, who held a press conference on Sunday night to announce the deaths. “The mother shot her daughter and then shot herself,” Price said.

Police found the bodies of the mother and “pre-teen” — whose age was not immediately provided — while conducting a welfare check to try to locate a Utah woman identified in missing persons fliers as Tawnia McGeehan and her daughter Addi Smith, local CBS affiliate KLAS reports. Smith”s cheerleading team, Utah Xtreme Cheer, identified her on Facebook as being the daughter who was found dead.

The Utah Xtreme Cheer team shared their sorrowful announcement on social media, expressing, “With the heaviest hearts, we share the devastating news that our sweet athlete Addi has passed away. We are completely heartbroken. No words do the situation justice. … Please keep her family in your thoughts and prayers and continue to send them love as they navigate this unimaginable loss.” Their heartfelt post resonated with many, garnering support and condolences from cheer communities nationwide.

Expressing solidarity, another cheer team from Elevation Athletics reached out, highlighting the collective grief felt within the cheerleading community. “There are no words that can make sense of a loss like this. Please know that your entire gym family is being lifted up in prayer by all of us here,” the team owner shared on Facebook, emphasizing the shared mourning.

Las Vegas police were initially alerted to the situation around 10:45 a.m. on Sunday, when a welfare check was requested for McGeehan and Smith at the Rio Hotel & Casino, situated on 3700 W. Flamingo Road. Officers, along with hotel security, attempted to reach the room, knocking repeatedly and calling the room’s phone, but received no response, according to police spokesperson Price.

At that time, officers found no immediate cause for alarm and ended their check. However, the hotel security team remained vigilant, responding to ongoing inquiries from family and friends eager to find McGeehan and Smith.

Price further detailed the sequence of events, stating, “At approximately 2:30 p.m., security went back up to the room to attempt to locate the mother and child again. They knocked several times and called into the room without success. It was then that security made the decision to enter the room, where they discovered the two deceased females.” This discovery has left a deep scar on all those who knew them, as the community grapples with the profound loss.

“At approximately 2:30 p.m., security went back up to the room to attempt to locate the mother and child again,” Price explained. “They knocked several times. They also called into the room without success. At that point of time, security decided to make entry into the room, [and] when they entered the room, they located two deceased females.”

Before being found, missing persons fliers showing McGeehan and Smith smiling in a photo together were shared online by family and cheer officials.

“It appears that the mother and daughter came here … for a dance competition,” Price said, noting how they arrived on Saturday. Facebook posts by Utah Xtreme Cheer show Smith’s team competing Saturday on “Day 1” of the competition.

Price said that nobody in adjacent hotel rooms heard “any arguing or fighting” leading up to the discovery of the bodies. Asked about a possible motive, Price told reporters, “That’s still part of our investigation.”