WWE Republican candidate ‘killed man after he gave medication to daughter’
- Vegas detectives allegedly imagine the previous WWE star killed Christopher Tapp in October 2023 in a row over giving cocaine to his stepdaughter
- A brand new arrest warrant additionally claims Rodimer’s spouse texted him afterwards: ‘I watched you homicide anyone like let that sink in you psychopath’
- Rodimer unsuccessfully tried to run twice for Congress in Nevada and Texas as a Republican candidate
Vegas police are investigating whether or not a WWE wrestler-turned GOP Congressional candidate murdered a person who supplied his stepdaughter cocaine at a resort room social gathering.
Former wrestling star Dan Rodimer, 45, turned himself in on Wednesday night time after he was accused of murdering Christopher Tapp, 47, at a Vegas resort Halloween social gathering final October.
Tapp was a lately exonerated man who had served 20 years in jail after being wrongfully convicted of killing his good friend in 1996. He and Rodimer, who was endorsed by Donald Trump throughout a failed Nevada marketing campaign bid, reportedly knew one another via Vegas’ traditional automobile and racing circuit.
An arrest warrant claims the alleged cocaine-fueled killing got here after Rodimer, dressed as ‘Ken’ from the Barbie film, grew to become enraged by the supply of narcotics to his stepdaughter, whose title and age isn’t recognized.
A witness allegedly heard Rodimer inform Tapp, ‘If you ever speak to my daughter once more, I’ll (expletive) kill you’, seconds earlier than the witness ‘heard two loud banging noises.’
Several different witnesses allegedly gave related variations of occasions, as investigators additionally discovered textual content messages between Rodimer and his spouse Sarah, the place she advised him: ‘I watched you homicide anyone like let that sink in you psychopath.’
Rodimer, 45, has been accused of the homicide of Christopher Tapp, 47, which occurred on October 29 final yr
Rodimer, a former WWE wrestler and has unsuccessfully run for Congress twice, in each Nevada and later in Texas. He is pictured with former president Donald Trump
Rodimer grew to become a wrestler after profitable the 2004 WWE’s actuality ‘Tough Enough’ contest
Tapp was a lately exonerated man who had served 20 years in jail after being wrongfully convicted of killing his good friend in 1996
Tapp’s demise at Vegas’ Resorts World suite was initially dominated as an accident, however the Clark County Coroner’s Office later decided it a murder after discovering ‘blunt drive trauma’ to his head.
According to the reported arrest submitting, a second witness claimed she noticed the previous wrestler ‘knock Christopher to the bottom, at which period Christopher’s head hit a small desk.’
They claimed he then ‘proceeded to punch Christopher all through his head and physique’, stories 8NewsNow.
The alleged deadly assault unfolded at a Halloween social gathering within the Resorts Worls suite on the Vegas strip, the place occasion organizers convey ‘Instagram fashions’ to plenty of events which can be placed on for rich purchasers.
On the night time of the battle, the main bedroom grew to become the ‘enjoyable room’, the place one partier advised cops that a number of folks had been taking cocaine.
Rodimer, who was reportedly dressed as ‘Ken’ from the Barbie film and was shirtless with a fur coat, allegedly flew right into a frenzy when he caught Tapp providing his stepdaughter cocaine.
He reportedly was described by a witness as then turning into ‘offended Ken’, ripping off his jacket and working into the main bedroom ‘enjoyable room’, stories KTNV.
Rodimer, a married father-of-six, pictured together with his spouse Sarah. Investigators discovered chilling textual content messages after the alleged homicide, the place she reportedly advised him: ‘I watched you homicide anyone like let that sink in you psychopath’
The incident unfolded in a resort room in Resorts World Las Vegas on October 29, 2023 after an alleged bust-up with the previous wrestler-turned GOP candidate. Tapp later died in hospital
The former wrestler was charged with Tapp’s demise after it was modified from an unintended to murder ruling by the coroner’s workplace
The witness, who added that they believed the host of the social gathering to be an unidentified F1 driver, advised the host to try to cease Rodimer from attacking the ex-convict, shorty earlier than they heard the ‘two loud bangs.’
A 3rd witness claimed to see Tapp slip and fall earlier than hitting his head on a espresso desk.
Vegas detectives have reportedly obtained chilling textual content messages between Rodimer and his spouse Sarah, the place she stated: ‘I watched you almost homicide anyone and I needed to take your [expletive] palms off from his neck as he laid there and also you ran away and I spent the following two hours making an attempt to deal with him.
‘Nobody ought to have to observe their husband homicide anyone.’
She then allegedly texted: ‘I watched you homicide anyone like let that sink in you psychopath.’
After the alleged battle, some social gathering attendees went to a nightclub. When the one returned to the suite, they discovered Tapp laying together with his eyes open on a mattress however not talking.
They known as 911 and famous that his face was swollen and he had a big mark on the left facet of his neck.
He was taken to Sunrise Hospital, the place he handed away every week afterward November 5. An post-mortem reportedly discovered he had cocaine in his system, and died after struggling a number of mind bleeds.
Rodimer and his spouse had been reportedly within the midst of a bitter divorce on the time, and their textual content messages additionally noticed her inform Rodimer: ‘I’m not going to fill out silly (expletive) paperwork that I need not fear about contemplating you are going to be in jail for tried homicide.’
Rodimer with Chuck Norris on the marketing campaign path throughout considered one of his unsuccessful runs for workplace
Rodimer (pictured with Magic Johnson left, and North Dakota Governor Kristi Noem proper) turned to politics on the finish of his wrestling profession
The father-of-six turned himself into Clark County Detention Center on Wednesday night time. Lawyers for the accused stated he ‘vigorously contests’ the allegations, 8News Now stories.
His reset bail was set earlier than his arrest at $200,000, which Rodimer posted, information present. He is now set for a courtroom date on April 10.
When the alleged homicide occurred, Police stated that Tapp had been concerned in an ‘altercation’ previous to his demise.
Originally from Rockaway, New Jersey, Rodimer grew to become a wrestler after profitable the 2004 WWE’s Tough Enough contest, ultimately happening to wrestle on its RAW model beneath the title Dan Rodimer.
In 2020, he challenged Democratic Rep. Susie Lee for her District 3 seat in Nevada and misplaced by 13,000 votes.
He later moved to Texas to run as a Republican in a District 6 particular election with the slogan, ‘Vote Big Dan’, the place he was thrashed as soon as once more gaining simply over 2,000 votes, equal to 2.7 p.c of the poll.
In 2020, he acquired Trump’s full endorsement, with the previous president tweeting on the time: ‘A former skilled wrestler, he’ll battle for Lower Taxes, Better Education and More Jobs, and he’ll at all times help our Brave Law Enforcement. Dan has my Complete and Total Endorsement!’
Rodimer’s bio on Instagram states he’s a regulation faculty graduate, and his wrestling fan web page signifies he attended the University of South Florida, the place he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and performed soccer for the varsity.
He additionally had a semi-pro soccer profession for the Tampa Bay Barracudas, performed for Arena Football League, and labored as a private coach, in line with the web page.
Tapp, pictured behind bars, served twenty years in jail after being wrongfully convicted of killing his good friend in 1996
Christopher Tapp, pictured proper together with his public defender John Thomas throughout Tapp’s post-conviction reduction listening to on the Bonneville Courthouse in Idaho Falls on March 22, 2017
Brian Dripps confessed to Dodge’s homicide in 2021. He is now serving between 20 years and life in jail
Tapp died not lengthy after he was free of jail the place he was serving time for the wrongful conviction of the rape and homicide of his good friend 18-year-old Angie Doge in Idaho.
Tapp was charged in February 1997, roughly eight months after Dodge’s almost decapitated physique was found at her Idaho Falls condominium.
Tapp spent a long time in jail after being wrongfully convicted of the homicide of Angie Dodge (pictured)
Tapp initially advised investigators he had nothing to do with the crime, however after a number of interviews and a polygraph take a look at, the then 20-year-old confessed to being concerned and accused two others.
One of his associates was additionally charged, however this was later dismissed. Tapp was discovered responsible in 1998 and sentenced to 40 years.
However, he maintained he had solely advised police what they wished to listen to and his case was ultimately taken up by the Idaho Innocence Project.
Carol Doge, the sufferer’s mother, additionally didn’t imagine Tapp was accountable after reviewing video of his interrogation.
She was shocked to see police displaying Tapp pictures of the crime scene after he didn’t seem to have any information of Dodge’s condominium.
Steve Drizin, a scientific professor of regulation at Northwestern University and co-director of the Center on Wrongful Convictions, additionally reviewed the movies of the confession and advised ‘Dateline’ it was the ‘worst instance of police contamination’ and ‘fact-feeding’ he had ever seen.
In 2017, Tapp’s lawyer efficiently argued his shopper had been coerced and the prosecutor’s workplace agreed to vacate the conviction to time served, nonetheless this nonetheless left him with the responsible conviction.
‘That was one of many hardest choices of my life, to proceed to should say I used to be convicted of a first-degree homicide I do know I did not do,’ Tapp advised ‘Dateline.’
‘But I needed to transfer on with my life. And that was the one alternative I had so I took it with the most effective capability that I had.’
In 2019, he was absolutely exonerated after DNA proof linked Dodge’s neighbor Brian Dripps to the scene and he was sentenced to twenty years in jail.
Since returning to regular life Tapp had acquired married, purchased a house and located work at a manufacturing facility.
He was additionally pressuring officers to signal laws guaranteeing compensation for the wrongfully convicted.
In 2021 the invoice grew to become regulation and in 2021 that invoice grew to become regulation. Today wrongfully incarcerated individuals are given $62,000 for every year inside and $75,000 yearly for these on demise row.
DailyMail.com has contacted Rodimer for remark.
