Cheer Mom’s Feud, Depression Preceded Las Vegas Murder-Suicide of 11-Year-Old Daughter
awnia McGeehan, 38, and her 11-year-old daughter Addi Smith were found dead in their hotel room at the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on February 15, 2026. They had traveled from Utah for a national cheerleading competition. Police believe McGeehan shot her daughter and then herself. A note was found at the scene, but its contents have not been shared.
Connie McGeehan, Tawnia McGeehan’s mother, said that Tawnia had been having problems with one or two other mothers on her daughter Addi Smith’s cheer team, Utah Xtreme Cheer. Connie explained that about a month before the incident, another girl was dropped during a routine. Some mothers blamed Addi for what happened, sent Tawnia hurtful messages, and held Addi responsible.
“Cheer was her and Addi’s life. I think something happened the day before [they died] that made her spiral,”Connie said in an interview with The New York Post.
Connie said they seemed happy before leaving for the Las Vegas competition. They bought new clothes for the trip and gifts for teammates. Tawnia even shared Snapchats of Addi doing backflips in their hotel room early in the morning. Still, Connie noticed that in one photo, Tawnia did not look happy.
Someone close to the cheer team said there was a recent argument between Tawnia and another cheer mom in a waiting room. Kory Uyetake, who owns Utah Xtreme Cheer, said he knew about some comments exchanged between Tawnia and other parents, but that everything seemed normal when the team went to Las Vegas.
On Sunday, February 15, 2026, Tawnia and Addi were found dead in their hotel room at the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said that Tawnia shot her 11-year-old daughter and then herself. A note was found at the scene, but what it said has not been shared.
Tawnia had struggled with depression and had been in a long custody battle with Addi’s father, Brad Smith, since their divorce in 2015. Court records show that the custody arrangements were complicated, with detailed rules for exchanges and communication between the parents.
The Utah cheer community is grieving Addi’s loss. Utah Xtreme Cheer called her a dedicated athlete who always wanted to get better and was ready for new challenges. Her coach, Seth Wayman, described her as a “coach’s dream” and praised her positive attitude and commitment to cheerleading.
