Disturbing Note on Las Vegas Hotel Door Preceded Heartbreaking Mother-Daughter Deaths
A chilling warning sign was reportedly left on the door of a Las Vegas hotel room just hours before a young girl and her mother were discovered dead inside — a devastating tragedy that has shaken families from Utah to Nevada.
According to newly released dispatch records, authorities were alerted to a possible suicide attempt after a handwritten note was found on the door of a room at the Rio Hotel & Casino. Minutes later, first responders made a grim discovery: 11-year-old Addilyn “Addi” Smith and her mother, Tawnia McGeehan, were found deceased from gunshot wounds on February 15.
Police say the nightmare began unfolding earlier that morning when Addi failed to appear at a scheduled cheerleading competition. Concerned for her well-being, her coach requested a welfare check around 10:45 a.m. Officers knocked and called into the room for up to 20 minutes but received no response and initially observed no immediate signs of danger.
As the hours passed, unease grew. By mid-afternoon, hotel staff contacted emergency services again after discovering a troubling note posted on the door, indicating a potential suicide attempt. Fire officials relayed the warning to dispatchers at approximately 2:26 p.m. Staff entered the room shortly thereafter. Within minutes, paramedics confirmed that both an adult woman and a child had died.
“The mother shot her daughter and then shot herself,” Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Homicide Lt. Robert Price said at a prior news briefing.
Authorities confirmed that a note was recovered but have not disclosed its contents. Investigators have also not publicly identified a motive. The Clark County coroner ruled McGeehan’s death a suicide caused by a gunshot wound to the head. Addi’s official cause and manner of death remain pending.
A Troubled Backdrop
While law enforcement continues its investigation, court records paint a picture of a long and bitter custody battle between McGeehan and Addi’s father, Brad Smith, following their 2015 divorce. The legal conflict reportedly stretched nearly a decade, with detailed court-ordered protocols governing custody exchanges. Records show McGeehan temporarily lost custody in 2017 before joint custody was restored in 2020.
Family members have identified the victims and are now speaking out amid the heartbreak. Valerie Krystine Muniz, who identified herself as Addi’s aunt, urged the public to refrain from speculation as the family mourns.
“Please help in just spreading love and prayers while my brother tries to pick up the pieces of what has happened,” Muniz wrote. “I have never known a man to love and fight for his daughter like he has done all of Addi’s life. The system failed him and her.”
She did not elaborate on what she meant by that statement.
Tensions Within the Cheer Community
Reports indicate that McGeehan had recently been receiving hostile text messages from other parents connected to Addi’s Utah Xtreme Cheer team. According to family members, disagreements among parents escalated in the weeks leading up to the tragedy.
McGeehan’s mother said tensions flared after another cheerleader was dropped during a competition, with some parents allegedly blaming Addi. Harsh messages reportedly followed.
The owner of Utah Xtreme Cheer acknowledged that disagreements had occurred between McGeehan and a few parents but noted that nothing appeared out of the ordinary when the team traveled to Las Vegas.
Another cheer mom confirmed that while there had been friction among some adults, the focus now is on helping the children cope. One teammate, she said, plans to honor Addi by launching a school-based mental health awareness and suicide prevention initiative — a small light in a moment of immense darkness.
Investigation Ongoing
An attorney who previously represented McGeehan acknowledged he is aware of the existence of the note but has not reviewed it. He stated that the family hopes it will eventually be returned to McGeehan’s mother when law enforcement no longer requires it as evidence.
As of now, Metro Police say there are no new updates and have not provided additional insight into what may have driven this horrifying act.
This heartbreaking case underscores the deep emotional struggles that can unfold behind closed doors — and the innocent lives that can be caught in the crossfire. As families across the country grieve with Addi’s loved ones, many are left asking difficult questions about custody battles, community pressures, and whether warning signs were missed before it was too late.
For now, a young life full of promise has been cut short, and a father’s fight for his daughter has ended in the worst way imaginable.
