Mom on cheer competition trip with daughter gunned down the 'pre-teen' inside hotel room then took her own life in 'devastating' murder-suicide: Officials

A mother and daughter who were successful Las Vegas for a cheer contention were recovered dormant successful a edifice room, with cops saying the ma gunned down her kid past took her ain beingness successful a murder-suicide. The brace was reported missing aft they failed to amusement up for an event, according to household and cheer officials.

"There was a enactment left," according to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Lt. Robert Price, who held a press conference connected Sunday nighttime to denote the deaths. "The parent changeable her girl and past changeable herself," Price said.

Police recovered the bodies of the parent and "pre-teen" — whose property was not instantly provided — portion conducting a payment cheque to effort to find a Utah pistillate identified successful missing persons fliers arsenic Tawnia McGeehan and her girl Addi Smith, section CBS affiliate KLAS reports. Smith's cheerleading team, Utah Xtreme Cheer, identified her connected Facebook arsenic being the girl who was recovered dead.

"With the heaviest hearts, we stock the devastating quality that our saccharine jock Addi has passed away," the squad said successful a post. "We are wholly heartbroken. No words bash the concern justice. … Please support her household successful your thoughts and prayers and proceed to nonstop them emotion arsenic they navigate this unimaginable loss."

Cheer officials from crossed the state who are adjacent with the Utah Xtreme Cheer squad besides shared their condolences connected Facebook, with 1 squad proprietor saying, "There are nary words that tin marque consciousness of a nonaccomplishment similar this. Please cognize that your full gym household is being lifted up successful supplication by each of america present astatine Elevation Athletics."

Price told reporters that constabulary received a payment cheque telephone astir 10:45 a.m. Sunday for McGeehan and Smith astatine a edifice country successful the Rio Hotel & Casino located astatine 3700 W. Flamingo Road. Officers and information went up to the country and "knocked respective times," on with calling the edifice phone, but didn't get immoderate answer.

Police "cleared from the call" arsenic thing seemed "suspicious" astatine the time, according to Price, but information continued to get accusation from household and friends asking them to effort to find McGeehan and Smith.

"At astir 2:30 p.m., information went backmost up to the country to effort to find the parent and kid again," Price explained. "They knocked respective times. They besides called into the country without success. At that constituent of time, information decided to marque introduction into the room, [and] erstwhile they entered the room, they located 2 deceased females."

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Before being found, missing persons fliers showing McGeehan and Smith smiling successful a photograph unneurotic were shared online by household and cheer officials.

"It appears that the parent and girl came present … for a creation competition," Price said, noting however they arrived connected Saturday. Facebook posts by Utah Xtreme Cheer amusement Smith's squad competing Saturday connected "Day 1" of the competition.

Price said that cipher successful adjacent edifice rooms heard "any arguing oregon fighting" starring up to the find of the bodies. Asked astir a imaginable motive, Price told reporters, "That's inactive portion of our investigation."