Former WWE wrestler, Trump endorsed politician, indicted on murder charge
The 45-year-old is expected to go before a judge on May 8.
www.pennlive.com
Former WWE wrestler, Trump endorsed politician, indicted on murder charge
- Updated: Apr. 29, 2024, 5:06 a.m.|
- Published: Apr. 29, 2024, 5:00 a.m.
Dan Rodimer, a former congressional candidate and pro wrestler, has been indicted on a murder charge. (Las Vegas Review-Journal/File)TNS
By
Daniel Rodimer, a former WWE wrestler who was endorsed by Donald Trump in an unsuccessful run for office in 2020, has been indicted on a murder charge in connection with the death of a man following an incident at a Las Vegas hotel.
Rodimer, 45, is expected to appear before a judge in Nevada on May 8. David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfield, his attorneys, said that Rodimer “maintains his complete innocence and looks forward to his day in court,” according to the Associated Press.
Rodimer turned himself in to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police back in March after a warrant for his arrest was issued for open murder.
KLAS 8 in Las Vegas reported that Rodimer was wanted in the death of Chistopher Tapp, 47, back on Oct. 29, 2023. The station said the Clark County Coroner’s Office ruled Tapp’s death “a homicide as a result of blunt force trauma to the head.”
Police told the station that they discovered that Tapp had been in an altercation prior to being found inside his room at Resorts World. News 8 said the warrant said that Rodimer was angered after Tapp offered his stepdaughter cocaine.
The station said that a witness was quoted as saying they heard Rodimer say , “If you ever talk to my daughter again, I’ll (expletive) kill you.”
The witness then reportedly said they heard “two loud banging noises.”
News 8 reported that a second witness said they saw Rodimer knock Tapp to the ground “at which time Christopher’s head hit a small table.” That witness said the former wrestler then punched Tapp “throughout his head and body.”
Police said they recovered text messages between Rodimer and his wife, Sarah, in which she wrote, “I watched you nearly murder somebody and I had to take your (expletive hands) off his neck as he laid there and you ran away and I spent the next two hours trying to take care of him. Nobody should have to watch their husband murder somebody.”
Later, per News 8, she texted Daniel, “I watched you murder somebody like let that sink in (you) psychopath.”
The station did say another witness said that Tapp “slipped and fell and hit his head on a coffee table,” and other witnesses reportedly said cocaine was being used at the party.
Rodimer was the Republican candidate for Nevada’s 3rd congressional District in 2020. He lost that race to Democratic Rep. Susie Lee by 13,000 votes in 2020. News 8 said Trump endorsed him in that race saying he would be “an incredible Congressman for Nevada!”
Trump noted that he was a former professional wrestler and said “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!”
The station said that Tapp served more than 10 years in prison on a murder and rape conviction that was vacated in 2019.
