Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
A Utah girl was murdered by her own mother during a trip to Las Vegas, and her stepmother made a desperate plea for help finding the 11-year-old just hours before her and her mother’s bodies were found in a hotel room.
Share in Facebook post to US Weekly, McKenley Smith shared a missing poster with a photo of the pair Addy Smith and her mother, Tonya McGeehan38 years old, smiling all over his face.
“My daughter Addy and her mom are missing,” McKenley wrote in the heartbreaking post. “Please share any informative posts, calls or texts, thank you!”
Little did McKenley know that Addy was dead – shot to death by her own mother on Saturday, February 14, while the two were staying at the Rio Hotel and Casino. McGeehan later died by suicide, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
No other hotel guests reported hearing gunshots, according to investigators.
Mother and daughter compete in a cheerleading competition in Las Vegas. When Addy failed to compete on Sunday, February 15, others on her team became worried about her and McGeehan.
A mother and daughter from Utah were found dead in a Las Vegas hotel room on Sunday, February 15, in what police are calling a murder-suicide, Us Weekly has learned. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department confirmed that Tawnia McGeehan, 38, and her daughter Addi Smith were traveling to Las Vegas from Utah to compete in a cheerleading competition. (…)
That morning, police knocked on their hotel room door but cleared the scene without getting a response. However, hotel staff continued to field calls from loved ones in Utah and cheered on moms at the scene to check on the couple.
Four hours later, security finally opened the door and discovered a horrific situation.
McGeehan and her ex-husband were involved in a bitter custody dispute over Addie. Brad Smiththis delay lasted nine years. During that time, she lost custody of Addy when a judge determined she intentionally acted to try to alienate Addy from his relationship with her father. However, the parents reached a joint custody agreement in recent years that split physical custody of Addy.
McGeehan left a note, which police found in the room. Investigators have not disclosed the contents of the note.
Addy is a member of Utah Extreme Cheer (UXC).
Now there are reports that McGeehan may have received some nasty text messages from other gas moms.
According to McGeehan new york posthas been having issues with some of the other women on the team who have daughters.
“There were one or two ladies who didn’t get along with her and it got really bad a month ago,” Tanya’s mother said. Connie McGeehansay post. “In the last game they had, another girl was eliminated and some of the moms said it was because of Addy. They texted (Tawnia) mean things and blamed Addy. She and Addy had a lot of joy in their lives. I think what happened the day before (their death) put her in a difficult situation.”
Kory Uyetake, UXC team leader explains to us post He knew there were “comments back and forth” between Tania and some of the other moms, but said everything seemed normal after the team traveled from Utah to play in Nevada on Saturday.
Connie added that Tanya also suffered from depression, but noted that things seemed to be improving after regaining custody of Addy.
If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or considering suicide, please call National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Please call 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
