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UPDATE
Former congressional candidate Daniel “Big Dan” Rodimer has turned himself in to law enforcement over the death of Christopher Tapp.
Rodimer is accused of being responsible for Tapp’s death after a violent altercation on October 29, 2023.
Former Republican congressional candidate Dan Rodimer has turned himself in at the Clark County Detention Center after being charged with murder pic.twitter.com/ygQp46d7eD https://t.co/oF7tIObDMV
— Las Vegas Locally 🌴 (@LasVegasLocally) March 7, 2024
You can read our original story below for the details of the event, which have recently come to light.
ORIGINAL STORY
A former Nevada and Texas congressional candidate Daniel “Big Dan” Rodimer is wanted for an open murder charge, as previously reported.
Daniel “Big Dan” Rodimer is wanted for the charge of open murder in connection with a homicide that took place in Las Vegas in 2023, according to court records. A warrant request was issued on Tuesday. As of Wednesday afternoon, jail records did not indicate that Rodimer is in custody.
Rodimer is a former professional wrestler who unsuccessfully ran as a Republican for Congress, both in Nevada in 2020, and in Texas in 2021. Rodimer lost Nevada Congressional District 3, to Democrat incumbent Susie Lee by 13,000 votes, and then ran in the Texas’ District 6 special election.
The homicide took place at Resorts World on October 29, 2023, where 47-year-old Christoper Tapp was found suffering from injuries that were initially purported to be caused by an accident. Tapp was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. Tapp’s cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, and the Coroner ruled the death a homicide.
Read More: Former Republican Candidate Daniel ‘Big Dan’ Rodimer Wanted for Murder in Las Vegas
New details have emerged regarding the suspected motive and other damning details of that fatal night. The criminal complaint alleges that Rodimer and his stepdaughter were guests at the hotel suite which was hosted by an F1 driver and attended by multiple “Instagram influencers.”
It is alleged that Rodimer became upset with Christopher Tapp after he offered cocaine to Rodimer’s stepdaughter. Witnesses report several individuals using cocaine during the Halloween party.
According to court documents, there was a designated “fun room” at the suite party, where lines of cocaine were arranged alongside a hundred-dollar bill. A witness stated that specific “rules” were enforced, including a prohibition on Rodimer’s stepdaughter from consuming cocaine. Later that evening, a witness informed the police that the suspect entered the “fun room,” located within a suite bathroom, shortly after Tapp had entered to snort cocaine.
Reportedly, Rodimer confronted him, stating, “If you give my daughter any of that (expletive), I will (expletive) kill you.” Another woman at the party intervened, attempting to de-escalate the situation by escorting Rodimer out of the room, leaving Tapp alone inside.
Rodimer was described as wearing a large fur jacket without a shirt, portraying a “Ken” costume. One witness reported observing an “angry Ken” tear off his jacket and dash into the “fun room” containing the cocaine.
Another witness purportedly alerted the party’s host, an unnamed F1 driver, about the brewing conflict, advising him to intervene, saying “he better go stop Dan because he was going to fight Christopher.”
The witness who initially witnessed Rodimer’s rush into the bathroom stated she observed Rodimer knock down Tapp, causing him to hit his head against a table. She informed the authorities that Rodimer proceeded to strike Tapp “repeatedly on his head and body.”
She mentioned that the Tapp did not fight back, prompting her to leave due to the distressing nature of the altercation she described as “disgusting.” While departing through the lobby of the resort, she claimed to have seen Tapp being transported by paramedics. He was admitted to Sunrise Hospital, where he remained until his passing a week later.
Another witness recounted hearing “two loud banging noises” emanating from the bathroom during the altercation.
Initially, Tapp’s demise was believed to be accidental in nature and related to an “overdose” or “fall.” Although the incident occurred on October 29, medical professionals pronounced Tapp dead at Sunrise Hospital on November 5. His autopsy revealed evidence of blunt head trauma, resulting in multiple brain bleeds. and recent cocaine use. The Clark County Coroner’s office ruled the manner of death as a homicide.
Investigators additionally acquired text exchanges between Rodimer and his wife, Sarah Rodimer. In one message, Sarah wrote:
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. Nobody should have to watch their husband murder somebody.
Police allege that Sarah later messaged:
I saw you commit murder. Let that sink in, your psychopath.
Another message addressing divorce and child support read:
“I guess you can’t pay anything if you’re in prison. I’m doing zero visitation. You are a monster.”
Tapp and Rodimer are reported to have known each other through a shared interest in classic cars and racing.
