A retired skilled wrestler and former congressional candidate surrendered to police in Nevada on Wednesday after a warrant was issued for his arrest within the killing of a person — who himself was acquitted of homicide — who died final yr from a head damage at a Las Vegas Strip resort, his legal professionals stated.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Division stated earlier within the day {that a} warrant had been issued for the arrest of 45-year-old Daniel Rodimer on a cost of open homicide within the dying of Chris Tapp — who beforehand served twenty years in jail for a homicide he didn’t commit.
Tapp, 47, was handled on Oct. 29 by medical personnel responding to a name for assist after he was discovered on the resort and brought to a hospital, the place he later died.
Rodimer’s Las Vegas legal professionals, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, stated in an announcement emailed to The Related Press that Rodimer was “voluntarily surrendering to authorities and can submit a court docket ordered bail.”
“He intends on vigorously contesting the allegations and asks that the presumption of innocence assured all Individuals be revered,” they stated.
Police stated detectives opened a suspicious dying investigation after they acquired new info Nov. 22 concerning the accidents Tapp had suffered “because of a purposed accident.”
“By way of the course of the suspicious dying investigation … detectives have discovered Tapp was in an altercation inside a room on the resort earlier than being positioned and transported to the hospital,” police stated
The Clark County Coroner’s Workplace subsequently dominated it a murder because of blunt power trauma to the pinnacle.
In line with the arrest warrant obtained by CBS affiliate KLAS-TV, Rodimer allegedly turned upset after Tapp provided Rodimer’s stepdaughter cocaine.
A witness then heard Rodimer say, “If you happen to ever speak to my daughter once more, I will [expletive] kill you,” paperwork stated. “Instantly after listening to Dan say this to Christopher, [the witness] heard two loud banging noises.”
KLAS-TV reported that investigators additionally obtained textual content messages between Rodimer and his spouse, Sarah Rodimer, the place Sarah Rodimer stated, “I watched you just about homicide any person and I needed to take your [expletive] fingers off from his neck as he laid there and also you ran away and I spent the following two hours attempting to deal with him. No person ought to have to look at their husband homicide any person.”
Tapp and Rodimer knew one another by the basic automotive and racing circuit, a household legal professional advised KLAS-TV.
Rodimer, a Republican, challenged Democratic Rep. Susie Lee for her seat in Nevada’s District 3 in 2020. He misplaced by round 13,000 votes.
KLAS-TV reported that Former President Donald Trump had endorsed Rodimer earlier than the 2020 election, tweeting: “Dan Rodimer shall be an unimaginable Congressman for Nevada! A former skilled wrestler, he’ll battle for Decrease Taxes, Higher Training and Extra Jobs, and he’ll at all times assist our Courageous Legislation Enforcement. Dan has my Full and Complete Endorsement!”
Rodimer later moved to Texas, the place he was amongst 23 candidates who ran in a particular congressional election in 2021 to fill the seat of Republican Ron Wright, who was the primary member of Congress to die after contracting COVID-19. He completed in the course of the pack, getting lower than 3% of the vote.
Tapp served twenty years in jail for a criminal offense he didn’t commit. In line with the Innocence Undertaking, Tapp was charged and convicted within the 1996 rape and homicide of 18-year-old Angie Dodge, regardless of being excluded by DNA proof. In 2019, Tapp’s homicide conviction was vacated.
“48 Hours” first met Tapp when he was 40 years outdated. Tapp advised “48 Hours” his confession was a lie — a narrative fed to him by police after which compelled again out of him on tape.