A former GOP congressional candidate surrendered to authorities on Wednesday after officials issued an arrest warrant over the death of a man in Las Vegas late last year.
Daniel Rodimer, 45, turned himself in to officials on Wednesday after police issued the warrant over the death of 47-year-old Christopher Tapp at a Las Vegas casino last October.
Rodimer’s attorneys said he would vehemently fight the allegations.
“Mr. Rodimer is voluntarily surrendering to authorities and will post a court ordered bail,” attorney David Chesnoff said in a statement to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “He intends on vigorously contesting the allegations and asks that the presumption of innocence guaranteed all Americans be respected.”
Officials first said Tapp was injured in a “purported accident” at the Hilton Resorts World on the Las Vegas strip before he died at an area hospital. But detectives later classified the death as suspicious after learning there was an altercation inside a hotel room prior to Tapp’s death.
The Clark County Coroner’s Office later ruled his death a homicide, citing blunt force trauma to the head, according to KTNV, the local ABC affiliate.
Police documents obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal alleged the dispute arose after Tapp offered Rodimer’s stepdaughter cocaine or other drugs during a party in a suite at the casino. Rodimer allegedly confronted the man in a bathroom, reportedly saying: “If you ever talk to my daughter again, I’ll fucking kill you.”
A witness told authorities they heard two loud banging noises and that Rodimer had punched the other man. Another witness told police they saw Rodimer knock Tapp to the ground “at which time Christopher’s head hit a small table.” A third witness reportedly added that Tapp slipped and fell before hitting his head.
Rodimer, a former professional wrestler, launched a failed bid for Nevada’s 3rd congressional district in 2020 in which he was endorsed by then-President Donald Trump. He later ran for another seat in Texas during a special election, but drew criticism after reportedly using a fake southern accent to try and garner support.
