Newly released police dispatch audio lays bare the frantic response to a devastating murder-suicide at the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, where 34-year-old Tawnia McGeehan fatally shot her 11-year-old daughter Addilyn “Addi” Smith before turning the gun on herself. The pair from West Jordan, Utah, had traveled for Addi’s cheerleading competition with Utah Xtreme Cheer but never showed up, prompting her father Bradley Smith’s urgent welfare check call. Firefighters first requested an ambulance for two patients with head gunshot wounds, later confirming it as a mother-daughter murder-suicide with a medication bottle bearing Tawnia’s name nearby.

Years of Bitter Custody Wars Unraveled Family
Court records expose a decade-long custody nightmare between Tawnia and Bradley, divorced since around 2015, marked by strict rules like parking five spaces apart for child handoffs and bans on filming or criticizing each other in front of Addi. In 2020, Bradley gained temporary sole custody after judges cited Tawnia’s “parental alienation” behavior and domestic abuse in Addi’s presence, though joint custody was restored by 2024 with app-only communication. Sources hint at recent tensions, including “mean texts” from other cheer parents, adding layers to the probe.

Community Mourns as Probe Continues
Utah’s cheer world is reeling, with teams pausing practices to honor Addi’s “sweet smile” while police withhold the suicide note’s contents amid ongoing investigation. No gunshots were reported, suggesting the act occurred quietly late February 14, 2026; autopsies confirm Tawnia’s suicide by head wound, with Addi’s manner pending. If you’re struggling, reach out to 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.