Records Show Custody Battle Preceded Las Vegas Murder-Suicide
Posted on: February 17, 2026, 11:21h.
Last updated on: February 17, 2026, 11:26h.
- A decade-long custody dispute preceded a tragic murder-suicide at the Rio in Las Vegas, according to court reports
- Hotel security discovered the bodies of 38-year-old Tawnia McGeehan and 11-year-old Addi Smith after they missed the national cheer competition they traveled from Utah to Las Vegas to attend
- Police believe McGeehan murdered her daughter and then turned the gun on herself
A 38-year-old Utah mother, who police say shot and killed her 11‑year‑old daughter inside a Las Vegas hotel room before taking her own life, was involved in a decade‑long child custody dispute, according to family court documents obtained by TMZ and KLAS-TV/Las Vegas.
According to the reports, initial orders from 2015 granted Tawnia McGeehan primary physical custody, while her ex-husband, Bradley Smith, maintained joint legal custody. However, that arrangement was frequently challenged. Records show several filings for “custodial interference” against McGeehan, though those specific charges were eventually dismissed.
By 2020, the tone of the litigation shifted. A court order that year alleged McGeehan exhibited behaviors “on the spectrum of parental alienation” and accused her of committing domestic abuse in the child’s presence. Consequently, a judge temporarily awarded sole custody to Smith, citing his superior “understanding of the child’s needs.”
The dispute continued into 2021, when McGeehan sought a restraining order, claiming she was being recorded during custody exchanges. Peace appeared to have been reached by 2024, when the most recent court updates established a “week-on, week-off” joint custody schedule.
Tragic Turn
The mother and daughter traveled from Utah to Las Vegas last week for the JAMZ Nationals cheer competition. Fears were first raised on Sunday morning, February 15, 2026, when Addi failed to appear for her scheduled performance with her team, Utah Xtreme Cheer.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police initially arrived at the Rio Hotel & Casino for a welfare check around 10:45 a.m. After receiving no response to repeated knocks, officers cleared the scene, lacking the legal threshold to force entry. However, after persistent pleas from family and friends, security returned at 2:30 p.m. and entered the room to find the mother and daughter dead.
Investigators believe McGeehan shot Addi late Saturday night before turning the gun on herself. A note was discovered at the scene, though its contents remain confidential.
On Monday, the cheer community honored Addi with a moment of silence at the Orleans Arena — a moment posted to JAMZ Cheer and Dance’s social media page.
A GoFundMe for the family has gained significant traction, notable for a shared photo of Addi from which her mother had been digitally removed — a stark visual representation of a community struggling to reconcile the victim with the perpetrator.
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