Documents reveal new details about Chris Tapp’s homicide as ex-congressional candidate turns himself in

LAS VEGAS — A former Nevada congressional candidate and pro wrestler wanted in connection to the homicide of Christopher Tapp turned himself in to authorities Wednesday night.

Daniel Rodimer, 45, refused to answer questions from reporters as he walked into the Clark County Detention Center with his attorney, David Chesnoff, according to the Las Vegas-Review Journal.

Newly released court documents shed new light on what led to Tapp’s death when Las Vegas Metro Police were called to Resorts World on Oct. 29.

Rodimer and his stepdaughter were guests at a Halloween party that reportedly included Tapp, 47, an F1 driver, multiple social media influencers and others, according to an arrest warrant.

A “fun room” was set up inside a suite bathroom at the resort that included lines of cocaine next to a hundred-dollar bill, according to court documents. A witness told police “rules” had been put in place – one of which was not to allow Rodimer’s stepdaughter to consume the cocaine.

A witness explained to officers that someone told Rodimer his stepdaughter had been offered cocaine from “the guy who got out of prison (Tapp).” Rodimer then went to the “fun room” and confronted Tapp.

“If you ever talk to my daughter again, I’ll (expletive) kill you,” he reportedly said.

A woman at the party attempted to calm Rodimer down by walking him out while Tapp remained in the bathroom alone.

Rodimer was wearing a large fur jacket with no shirt as a “Ken” costume, court documents detail. A witness told police he watched “angry Ken” rip off his jacket and run back into the bedroom containing the “fun room.”

Another witness told the host of the party “he better go stop Dan because he was going to fight Christopher,” according to court documents.

One witness who watched Rodimer run into the bathroom said she saw him knock Tapp down, resulting in Tapp hitting his head on a table. She told police Rodimer continued to punch Tapp “throughout his head and body” and Tapp was not fighting back.

The woman left the room and went to the lobby of the hotel, where she later saw Tapp being wheeled out by paramedics. He was taken to Sunrise Hospital, where he was on life support until his death on Nov. 5.

Police were initially told Tapp’s injuries were the result of a “slip and fall” accident in the suite. A security guard told officers Tapp was lying on a bed and his speech was slurred. He was unable to say his name and had difficulty staying awake.

Investigators also obtained text messages between Rodimer and his wife.

“I watched you nearly murder somebody and I had to take your (expletive) 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,” she wrote. “Nobody should have to watch their husband murder somebody.”

She then reportedly texted, “I watched you murder somebody like let that sink in your (sic) psychopath.”

An autopsy report, obtained by EastIdahoNews.com, showed Tapp’s toxicology was positive for cocaine, alcohol and marijuana. He had multiple brain bleeds and died of blunt force trauma to the head. The Clark County Coroner’s Office ruled Tapp’s death a homicide.

Rodimer, a Republican who was endorsed by then-President Donald Trump in 2020, lost his bid to Democratic Rep. Susie Lee in Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District by about 3% in 2020. He left Nevada and ran for Congressional District 6 in Texas in 2021.

“I’m moving back to Texas. I have six children and I want them to be raised in a constitutional-friendly state,” Rodimer said in a news release when he announced he was running.

Rodimer rose to fame as a contestant in the 2004 Tough Enough competition, according to WrestleZone.com. He also worked at WWE’s Deep South Wrestling developmental brand.

“Mr. Rodimer is voluntarily surrendering to authorities and will post a court ordered bail,” Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, Rodimer’s attorneys, wrote in a statement to the Las Vegas-Review Journal Wednesday. “He intends on vigorously contesting the allegations and asks that the presumption of innocence guaranteed all Americans be respected.”

Court records indicate Rodimer posted $200,000 bail and he is set to appear for his next court hearing on April 10. Rodimer was “flying in to address the warrant,” the Las Vegas Justice Court docket says.

Tapp was wrongfully convicted in 1997 for the rape and murder of 18-year-old Angie Dodge in Idaho Falls. He wrongfully confessed to the crime and tried multiple times to appeal the conviction. Tapp was released from prison in 2017 and exonerated in 2019, when investigators arrested 54-year-old Brian Dripps. Dripps, who said he acted alone, pleaded guilty and is serving a 20-year-to-life prison sentence.