LAS VEGAS, NV- Authorities with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) are investigating the deaths of a mother and daughter as a murder-suicide after the pair were found inside a room at the Rio on Sunday, February 15.
LVMPD dispatch received a call at 10:45 a.m. to conduct a welfare check for the mother and daughter in the area of the 3700 block of W. Flamingo Road near South Valley View Boulevard, KATV reported. Upon arriving on scene, officers met with hotel security and went to the room.
They made several attempts to contact the mother and daughter by knocking and calling the room, but received no answer. Police were then cleared from the call, Lt. Robert Price said. Afterwards, hotel security continued receiving calls from family members and friends asking them to keep trying to locate the mother and daughter in the casino.
At 2:30 p.m., hotel security returned to the room and, after several more knocks and call attempts, decided to enter. Inside the room, hotel security found two deceased females. They immediately backed out of the room and called 911. LVMPD officers returned to the hotel, secured the scene, and notified homicide detectives. The detectives remained on scene.
Preliminary information indicates that the mother and daughter were in Las Vegas for a cheer or dance competition. Police said that sometime on Saturday night, the mother shot the daughter and then herself. The mother was in her mid-30s, and the daughter was a preteen, according to police.
Authorities said a note was left in the room, but no details about what it said have been released. While no names were officially released, several people had asked for help finding a Utah woman and her daughter, Addi Smith, after they did not appear for a cheer competition on Sunday.
Addi's team, Utah Xtreme Cheer, later confirmed her death in a Facebook post. "With the heaviest hearts, we share the devastating news that our sweet athlete Addi has passed away," the post read. "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."
Addi's mother has been identified as Tawnia McGeehan, based on comments from Utah Xtreme Cheer regarding the mother-daughter duo's disappearance ahead of the cheer competition, the New York Post reported.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
LVMPD dispatch received a call at 10:45 a.m. to conduct a welfare check for the mother and daughter in the area of the 3700 block of W. Flamingo Road near South Valley View Boulevard, KATV reported. Upon arriving on scene, officers met with hotel security and went to the room.
They made several attempts to contact the mother and daughter by knocking and calling the room, but received no answer. Police were then cleared from the call, Lt. Robert Price said. Afterwards, hotel security continued receiving calls from family members and friends asking them to keep trying to locate the mother and daughter in the casino.
At 2:30 p.m., hotel security returned to the room and, after several more knocks and call attempts, decided to enter. Inside the room, hotel security found two deceased females. They immediately backed out of the room and called 911. LVMPD officers returned to the hotel, secured the scene, and notified homicide detectives. The detectives remained on scene.
Preliminary information indicates that the mother and daughter were in Las Vegas for a cheer or dance competition. Police said that sometime on Saturday night, the mother shot the daughter and then herself. The mother was in her mid-30s, and the daughter was a preteen, according to police.
Authorities said a note was left in the room, but no details about what it said have been released. While no names were officially released, several people had asked for help finding a Utah woman and her daughter, Addi Smith, after they did not appear for a cheer competition on Sunday.
Addi's team, Utah Xtreme Cheer, later confirmed her death in a Facebook post. "With the heaviest hearts, we share the devastating news that our sweet athlete Addi has passed away," the post read. "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."
Addi's mother has been identified as Tawnia McGeehan, based on comments from Utah Xtreme Cheer regarding the mother-daughter duo's disappearance ahead of the cheer competition, the New York Post reported.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
For corrections or revisions, click here.
The opinions reflected in this article are not necessarily the opinions of LET
Comments