Former Trump-Backed Candidate Wanted in Vegas Killing Turns Self In

A former Republican congressional candidate who was endorsed by ex-President Donald Trump is being held by authorities in the deadly beating of a man at a hotel on the Las Vegas Strip last year, according to local police.

Daniel Rodimer, who was backed by Trump during his failed 2020 campaign for a U.S. House seat in Nevada's 3rd Congressional District, turned himself in to authorities at Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, around 6 p.m. Wednesday, according to Las Vegas CBS affiliate KLAS citing the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD).

An arrest warrant was issued earlier in the day for Rodimer, who is a suspect in the killing of 47-year-old Christopher Tapp on October 29, 2023, after Tapp allegedly offered cocaine to Rodimer's stepdaughter during a party at Resorts World Las Vegas, according to police. Tapp previously served two decades in prison after being convicted of rape and murder charges that DNA evidence later proved false.

The Context

Rodimer, 45, was a WWE professional wrestler prior to entering politics. He ran two unsuccessful campaigns for Congress, the 2020 campaign in Nevada and the January 2021 special election for Texas' 6th Congressional District.

Trump backed Rodimer during his 2020 campaign, writing that he would be "an incredible Congressman" while issuing his "Complete and Total Endorsement" on Twitter, which has since been renamed X.

"@DanRodimer will be an incredible Congressman for Nevada!" Trump tweeted. "A former professional wrestler, he will fight for Lower Taxes, Better Education and More Jobs, and he will always support our Brave Law Enforcement. Dan has my Complete and Total Endorsement! #NV03"

Before running for Congress, Rodimer was arrested on more than one occasion, accused of assault, but was not convicted. Court documents published by The Daily Beast in 2019 said that Rodimer boasted that he "liked to 'f***' people up" during one violent incident at a Waffle House restaurant in Florida.

Tapp was convicted in 1998 for the rape and murder of 18-year-old Angie Dodge in Idaho, despite no physical evidence linking him to the crimes. DNA evidence later conclusively showed that a different man was responsible, with a confession and conviction following in 2021.

In 2017, Tapp was released from prison after his rape conviction was vacated. He was not fully exonerated for murder until 2019, proceeding to settle a wrongful conviction lawsuit against the city of Idaho Falls for $11.7 million in June 2022.

LVMPD investigators originally ruled that Tapp's violent death just over one year later was an accident. Additional investigations determined that it was a homicide. Rodimer's name had not been publicly mentioned in association with the case until Wednesday.

What We Know

"Through the course of the investigation, homicide detectives were able to identify 45-year-old Daniel Rodimer as the suspect in this case," LVMPD said in a release on Wednesday. "On March 6, 2024, an arrest warrant was issued for
Rodimer on the charge of open murder."

A witness attending a party in Tapp's suite at Resorts World on October 29, 2023, overheard Rodimer telling Tapp, "If you ever talk to my daughter again, I'll [expletive] kill you," according to an arrest warrant obtained by KLAS.

Rodimer, who reportedly knew Tapp "through the classic car and racing circuit," "became upset" after Tapp offered his stepdaughter cocaine, according to police documents. Other witnesses said the drug was being widely used at the party.

"Immediately after hearing Dan say this to Christopher, [the witness] heard two loud banging noises," the arrest warrant states.

An additional witness, according to police, said that she heard "Dan knock Christopher to the ground, at which time Christopher's head hit a small table," with Rodimer then continuing to "punch Christopher throughout his head and body."

KLAS reported that LVMPD investigators also implicated Rodimer by obtaining text messages between him and his wife, Sarah Rodimer.

"I watched you murder somebody like let that sink in your [sic] psychopath," one of the messages from Sarah Rodimer reportedly reads.

Newsweek reached out for comment to LVMPD via email on Wednesday night.

Views

"Mr. Rodimer is voluntarily surrendering to authorities and will post a court ordered bail," Rodimer's lawyers David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld wrote in a statement to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

"He intends on vigorously contesting the allegations and asks that the presumption of innocence guaranteed all Americans be respected," they continued.

Rodimer reportedly covered his face and refused to speak to reporters just before turning himself in on Wednesday night. He was accompanied by Chesnoff.

Newsweek reached out for comment to Chesnoff and Schonfeld via email on Wednesday night.

What's Next?

Rodimer's arrest warrant reportedly called for $200,000 bail. Court records indicated that he had posted bond Wednesday night, according to the Review-Journal.

At the time of publication, it was unclear whether Rodimer had been released from custody. He is expected to appear in court April 10, when he may be formally charged.