Daniel Rodimer on October 8, 2020 in Boulder City, Nevada.Photo:Ethan Miller/Getty
Ethan Miller/Getty
Former congressional candidate and WWE starDaniel Rodimeris wanted in connection to the November 2023 death of Christopher Tapp, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said in a Wednesdaypress release.
An arrest warrant was issued on Wednesday for Rodimer, 45, in connection with Tapp’s death, who was 47 at the time. Tapp himself was wrongfully convicted of murder and was incarcerated for 21 years in Idaho. He was released in 2017.
Rodimer is “flying in to address the warrant,” read the Las Vegas Justice Court docket, reports theLas Vegas Review-Journal.
Currently, the arrest warrant requests Rodimer to be held on a $200,000 bail, according to the court docket, per theLas Vegas Review Journal.
“Mr. Rodimer is voluntarily surrendering to authorities and will post a court ordered bail,” his attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, wrote in a statement to PEOPLE. “He intends on vigorously contesting the allegations and asks that the presumption of innocence guaranteed all Americans be respected.”
Christopher Tapp (L), Republican Rep. Doug Ricks and Charles Fain on June 15, 2021.AP Photo/Keith Ridler, File
AP Photo/Keith Ridler, File
The altercation allegedly occurred after the deceased offered Rodimer’s step-daughter cocaine during a party in a Resorts World suite, according to Metro police documents, per theLas Vegas Review-Journal.After, Rodimer allegedly went into the same bathroom that Tapp was in and said, “If you ever talk to my daughter again, I’ll f—— kill you,” according to the police report.
One witness told police she saw “Dan knock Christopher to the ground, at which time Christopher’s head hit a small table,” police documents said citing the same witness, per CBS 8 News. “Dan proceeded to punch Christopher throughout his head and body.”
Another witness allegedly said Rodimer punched Tapp after two large noises were heard. Medical personnel arrived at Resorts World and transported the victim to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center.
Investigators obtained Rodimer’s text messages with a woman identified as Sarah. “I watched you nearly murder somebody and I had to take your f—— hands off from his neck as he laid there and you ran away and I spent the next two hours trying to take care of him. Nobody should have to watch their husband murder somebody,” read Sarah’s text to Daniel, per police documents, although they do not say whether these texts were about Tapp, reports CBS 8 News.
Sarah also texted, “I watched you murder somebody like let that sink in your psychopath,” said the police, per CBS 8 News.
Daniel Rodimer on October 8, 2020 in Boulder City, Nevada.Ethan Miller/Getty
In 1996, Tapp was convicted of rape and murder of 18-year-old Angie Dodge. The deceased was released from his initial arrest in 2017 and exonerated in 2019.
Daniel ran for Nevada’s 3rd District Congressional seat in 2020. He lost the race. The following year, he ran in a special election for theCongressional seat in Texas’ 6th District. He also lost the 2021 race.
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The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the Clark County Coroner’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for more information on Wednesday.
source: people.com
