Resorts World Murder Suspect is Ex-Las Vegas Congressional Candidate, Wrestler

Posted on: March 6, 2024, 06:01h. 

Last updated on: March 7, 2024, 11:10h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More

Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

One-time wrestler and politician Daniel Rodimer was identified this week as a suspect in the death of Christopher Tapp in a violent incident at a Las Vegas Strip hotel.

At first, the death was believed to have been from an accidental fall at the Resorts World Las Vegas. But authorities now say there was an October 29 fight in a hotel room.

Tapp, 47, was injured and rushed to a local hospital, where he died on November 5. The death was called “suspicious” by local police. Later, the Clark County coroner’s office ruled the death a homicide. The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head.

On Tuesday, a warrant was filed for open murder against Rodimer in Las Vegas Justice Court, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) sources confirmed on Wednesday to news outlets.

Rodimer surrendered to authorities at about 6 p.m. Wednesday, according to TV station KLAS.

Rodimer Ran Against Lee

Rodimer is well known as an unsuccessful politician and former professional wrestler. In 2020, he attempted to capture Nevada’s third congressional district seat, which was held by incumbent Rep. Susie Lee (D). He lost by about 13K votes.

The following year, Rodimer ran for the sixth congressional district in Texas. Rodimer ran as a Republican both times. He failed in both attempts.

Before launching his unsuccessful political career, Rodimer was a professional wrestler who went by the name of Dan Rodman.

Tapp’s Conviction

Tapp also gained notoriety before his death.

He was incarcerated for two decades for a sexual assault and homicide conviction.

He eventually was released after it turned out he was innocent of the 1996 charges filed by authorities in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

In 1998, Tapp was convicted by a jury on charges of first-degree murder, rape, and the use of a deadly weapon. His criminal conviction was vacated in 2019 after key evidence was presented.

If the conviction hadn’t been thrown out, he would have spent at least 30 years in prison on the murder charge and 10 years in prison on the rape charge, officials said.

Innocence Project Defense

“Mr. Tapp was officially exonerated in 2019, the first person in the world to be proven innocent with genetic genealogy,” according to the Innocence Project, which represented him.

The Innocence Project is a legal organization that works to exonerate those who have been wrongly convicted.

Mr. Tapp’s prosecution and conviction relied almost exclusively on the tortured, fabricated and false confession [by police],” the Innocence Project said in an online statement.

Tapp sued the City of Idaho Falls for wrongful conviction in 2020, receiving a settlement of $11.4 million.