Paddock was married and divorced twice. He was first married from 1977 to 1979, and for the second time from 1985 to 1990, both marriages in
Los Angeles County, California.
[7] Family members say he stayed on good terms with his ex-wives.
[32] His brother Eric said that Stephen had no political or religious affiliations of any kind.
[7][33][34] Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo said Paddock was "happy" with President Donald Trump because the stock market was strong.[35]
Paddock's girlfriend, a Catholic, said he was an
atheist who would blame her whenever she made the
sign of the cross and something negative happened afterward.
[1][36] He also did not talk a lot about politics, including the topics of race and gun control, and did not belong to any political organizations,
though he did express a dislike for the Obama administration and
was supportive of President Trump's election, once
commenting his belief that Trump would be able to stop illegal immigration. In addition, Paddock often complained of being sick and was sensitive to chemical smells.
[1]
Paddock lived in Texas and California,
[17][37] and then in a
retirement community in
Melbourne, Florida, from 2013 to 2015.
[7] In 2016, he moved from Florida to another retirement home in
Mesquite, Nevada.
[7][38] According to property records, he bought a new house in Mesquite in January 2015,
[39] and sold his two-bedroom home in Melbourne.
[24] Paddock lived in Mesquite for several years with his girlfriend whom he had met in
Reno, Nevada.
[39] According to neighbors, they also lived together in Reno.
[37] Many Mesquite residents recalled only seeing him around town; those familiar with Paddock described him as someone who did not speak much and kept a low profile.
The local gun owner community never saw him at any of the gun clubs or shooting ranges, including makeshift ones in the nearby desert.[40]
An Australian acquaintance said he met Paddock in the United States and in the
Philippines. He described Paddock as intelligent and methodical. In his account, Paddock claimed to have won a lot of money by applying
algorithms to gambling on machines.
Paddock was conversant in gun laws and in defending his view of the Second Amendment. The acquaintance considered Paddock a generous man whenever he and his girlfriend visited him.
[41]
