In addition to his frequent forays into casinos and gun shops, Las Vegas strip killer Stephen Paddock took 20 cruises, many of them in Europe and the Middle East, investigators have learned.
The cruises included stops at ports in Spain, Italy, Greece, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, according to information provided by a law enforcement source who asked not to be identified because the source was not authorized to share information about the investigation. Paddock’s girlfriend, Marilou Danley, accompanied him on nine of the cruises.
The information provided by the source did not specify the cruise line involved, the type of cruises, when they occurred or the couple’s reason for travel. Most cruise ships have casinos on board, and Paddock was an avid gambler.
Investigators have taken note of the foreign travel as they attempt to piece together a profile of the mass killer and a timeline of his activities leading up to the attack that left at least 58 people dead and nearly 500 injured.
Paddock’s car, a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Touring, was found in the hotel parking garage and contained 90 pounds of Tannerite and two suitcases filled with hundreds of rounds of ammunition, according to information provided by the source.
Authorities suspect the Tannerite was intended for use in target practice or to make the car explode if fired upon, according to information provided by the source.
The information from the source was derived from intelligence obtained earlier this week. Authorities have since said that the vehicle contained 50 pounds of Tannerite.
So far, investigators have found no evidence supporting a claim by ISIS that Paddock had converted to Islam and carried out the attack on the terror group’s behalf, according to the information provided by the source. Paddock’s girlfriend, Danley, has been unable to provide a motive for the mass killing, according to the information.
Investigators have also determined that Paddock booked three rooms at the Ogden, a luxury condominium tower in Las Vegas, between September 17 and September 28. The condos were on high floors and facing north overlooking the Life Is Beautiful music festival, according to the information provided by the source. He attempted to book a room at the El Cortez, but there were no vacancies, according to the information.
The source said investigators recovered a notepad with numbers in it “significant to the gunman” and were attempting to determine their meaning.
The presence of the numbers was first reported by The New York Times, based on an interview with Sheriff Joseph Lombardo of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
This story has been updated to reflect additional information provided by a law enforcement source.