A twice defeated congressional candidate and former pro wrestler has been charged with the murder of a man at a Halloween party last year in a hotel room on the Las Vegas strip.
Daniel Rodimer was “flying in to address the warrant,” according to a court docket. Rodimer surrendered on teh charge and posted a $200,000 bond to be released, the Las Vegas Review Journal reported. He has an April 10 court date.
Rodimer’s attorneys told the newspaper that “He intends on vigorously contesting the allegations and asks that the presumption of innocence guaranteed all Americans be respected.”
Rodimer, 45, was dressed Ken from the “Barbie” movie, in a fur jacket and no shirt, on October 29, 2023, when he followed 47-year-old Christopher Tapp into a restroom and accosted him for allegedly offering his stepdaughter cocaine, according to court documents that cite eye witnesses.
“If you ever talk to my daughter again, I’ll f******* kill you,” a “visibly upset” Rodimer told Tapp, the documents say.
A witness reported hearing two loud bangs and said that Rodimer punched Tapp. Another witness reported seeing Tapp on a bed in the master bedroom of the room where the part was held. He was awake but not speeking. That witness said someone hold him that Tapp slipped and fell, but he reported to police that he’d received texts from someone else in the party who said that “Dan got really made and punch Chris.”
A third witness reported seeing Rodimer “knock Christopher to the ground at which time Christopher’s head hit a small table.” That witness also said that “Dan proceeded to punch Christopher throughout his head and body,” calling Rodimer “the instigator” and said Tapp “was not fighting back.”
The witness left the room “because she did not want to continue to witness what Dan was doing to Christopher because it was ‘disgusting,’” the documents said.
Medical personnel eventually arrived and took Tapp to a hospital, where he died on November 5.
The initial report said that Tapp was injured in a fall, but further investigation uncovered witnesses who said otherwise. An autopsy in early January ruled his manner of death was homicidel
Tapp made headlines when he was released from prison after spending 21 years for the rape and murder of 18-year-old Angie Dodge in 1996. Another man confessed to the crime, leading to Tapp’s 2017 release, and he was exonerated two years later.
Rodimer ran for Nevada’s 3rd District Congressional seat in 2020 against incumbent Rep. Susie Lee, but lost despite being endorsed by then-President Donald Trump. His candidacy was dogged by allegations about bar fights and 911 calls his girlfriend made alleging domestic violence. After his loss, he sued, alleging voter fraud, but the suit was thrown out by a Clark County judge when he failed to present any evidence of fraud.
After losing that race, he tried again, this time in Texas in a special election for the 6th Congressional District. He didn’t come close to making the runoff in that race after being endorsed by US Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona.
Rodimer signed a one-year developmental contract with the WWE in 2006m appearing as Dan Rodman, but was released at the end of the contract.
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[Featured image: FILE – Dan Rodimer speaks at the Las Vegas Police Protective Association, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020, in Las Vegas. . (AP Photo/John Locher, File)]
