Recently released footage from the MGM hotel chain shows Las Vegas mass murderer Stephen Paddockâs final days; drinking, gambling, and eating while calmly amassing his lethal arsenal under the radar of both staff and thousands of tourists.
Paddock appears casually dressed throughout the surveillance videos as he wanders the halls and elevators of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on the Las Vegas strip; frequently bringing bags and large suitcases into his suite.
While itâs unclear whatâs contained in Paddockâs baggage, itâs likely multiple guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition used in his deadly rampage.
âThe faces of hotel guests and staff are blurred to preserve their privacy, reducing them to smudges that crisscross the screen at random. Mr. Paddock is the only person who appears throughout,â writes the New York Times, who published the footage online.
Investigators are still struggling to determine Paddockâs motive behind the attack; randomly firing his self-modified semi-automatic rifle into a crowd of festival-goers below and killing 58 people.
Watch the disturbing security footage above.
VEGAS MYSTERY DEEPENS: Coroner REFUSES to RELEASE Gunmanâs Autopsy
In yet another stunning twist into the investigation of Stephen Paddockâs Las Vegas rampage, the Clark County coronerâs office is refusing to release the gunmanâs autopsy; saying they wonât disclose the report until âordered toâ by a District Judge.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the coronerâs office has desperately fought to keep the official autopsy of Stephen Paddockâs body confidential, going so far as to pay out $32,000 in legal fees to fight those seeking to view the findings.
This week, a Las Vegas court ordered the Clark County office to release the records but has so far failed to comply; claiming they were waiting for the legal decision to be âfinalized.â
âI donât believe this is consistent with what the court ordered,â said an attorney on behalf of those seeking to view the report. âThey have delayed this for too long, and whatever stage the coronerâs report on Paddock is in, it should be provided to the Review-Journal and Associated Press without further delay. No more games. Release the records.â
â(The judge) also rejected arguments by the coronerâs office that there were any privacy interests with regards to the autopsy of Stephen Paddock, let alone any that outweighed the strong presumption of access to records in Nevada,â added the lawyer.
The coronerâs decision to withhold the autopsy raises even more questions as speculation swirls surrounding the case. Local law enforcement have released little information regarding Paddockâs rampage; the worst mass shooting in American history.
VEGAS MYSTERY DEEPENS: Gunman's Hard Drive VANISHES from Crime Scene
A laptop recovered from the 32nd story hotel suite where Stephen Paddock launched his deadly assault in Las Vegas had its hard drive intentionally removed prior to the shooting; further clouding the gunman’s motives and raising new questions over why he intentionally covered his tracks.
According to ABC News, Paddock intentionally removed the hard disk before SWAT officers stormed his hotel room, but the drive’s location remains a mystery and has not yet been recovered.
The disk may provide insight into why Paddock launched his rampage and how he avoided detection.
Federal investigators also believe Paddock purchased forensic software that allows individuals to permanently delete records and files from a personal computer, again signaling the gunman intended to conceal his motives from investigators.
The Las Vegas Police Department and the FBI are struggling to come to grips with the deadliest mass shooting in American history. Mass shooters commonly leave behind manifestos, writings, or digital footprints that shed light on their atrocities.
So far, little is known over why Stephen Paddock, a former accountant from Mesquite, Nevada, went on his murderous rampage that left 58 people dead and over 500 injured.