Daniel Rodimer Denied Petition To Dismiss Murder Charge

A three-judge panel with the Court of Appeals of the State of Nevada denied a petition from former wrestler and congressional candidate Daniel Rodimer, who was seeking to dismiss his 2023 murder charge. 

The appeal was denied in April. 

Rodimer is charged with the 2023 murder of Christopher Tapp. 

Authorities claim Rodimer fatally punched and choked Tapp during a party inside a Resorts World Las Vegas suite after believing Tapp offered his stepdaughter cocaine. Rodimer has pleaded not guilty.

Rodimer’s attorneys arugued prosecutors used “inadmissible hearsay” during grand jury proceedings when taking testimony from a witness who said Rodimer’s wife told her not to talk to police about what she saw and that a police detective gave an opinion on Rodimer’s guilt during his testimony to the grand jury. 

The appeals court ruled the testimony was not hearsay as it made no factual assertions. Prosecutors also were not obligated to tell the grand jury about the witness’ drug use, the court found.

On the second argument, the court ruled that the police testimony only covered the course of the investigation and “did not give an opinion as to Rodimer’s guilt or even mention Rodimer at all.”

Tapp, 47, was injured on October 29, 2023 at the Resorts World hotel and taken to a hospital, where he died several days later. Investigators initially believed Tapp had been fatally injured in a fall, but they later learned that he had been in an argument with Rodimer.

Rodimer, a Republican, lost bids for Congress in Nevada in 2020 and in Texas in 2021. He was a contestant on Tough Enough in 2004. He signed with WWE in 2006 on a developmental deal and released in August 2007.