A former pro wrestler and ex-congressional candidate wanted in connection with a 2023 Las Vegas Strip killing turned himself in to the Clark County Detention Center Wednesday evening, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.
Daniel Rodimer, 45, was seen walking into the jail shortly before 6 p.m. local time with his lawyer, David Chesnoff. As he entered the building's front entrance, he avoided reporters and covered his face, the outlet noted.
“Mr. Rodimer is voluntarily surrendering to authorities and will post a court ordered bail,” Chesnoff and attorney Richard Schonfeld wrote in a statement to the Review-Journal. “He intends on vigorously contesting the allegations and asks that the presumption of innocence guaranteed all Americans be respected.”
The Metropolitan Police Department issued an arrest warrant for Rodimer Wednesday in connection with the November death of 47-year-old Christopher Tapp, an Idaho man who served a 20-year prison sentence after his wrongful conviction.
According to Metro police records, Rodimer went into a Resorts World suite bathroom to confront Tapp, who was alleged to have offered Rodimer's stepdaughter cocaine or other drugs during a party at the hotel. A "visibly upset" Rodimer was then heard saying, “If you ever talk to my daughter again, I’ll f—-ing kill you,” which was followed by two loud bangs, arrest records said. A witness told police Rodimer had punched Tapp.
After completing the booking process Wednesday, Rodimer posted a surety bond on a $200,000 bail, court records show. He is scheduled to appear in court April 10.
Rodimer, a Republican who received an endorsement from then-President Donald Trump in 2020, was defeated in Nevada's 3rd congressional district race by incumbent U.S. Rep. Susie Lee, D. Rodimer launched another congressional bid in a special election in Texas' 6th district in 2021, but also lost that race.
