Daniel Rodimer, 45, the former Tough Enough contestant charged with murder has turned himself into police in Nevada.
Rodimer has been charged with killing Christopher Tapp, 47. Tapp was found injured in his hotel room and later died in hospital. Officials believed at first Tapp’s death was an accident due to an overdose but now have evidence that Tapp was in fact murdered. Medical officials concluded he died of blunt force trauma to the head.
Rodimer’s lawyers released a statement saying that he voluntarily surrendered to police and will be posting bail.
“He intends on vigorously contesting the allegations and asks that the presumption of innocence guaranteed all Americans be respected,” they stated to the Associated Press.
It seems that the men knew each other through their mutual interest in classic cars and racing.
KLAS-TV reports that police documents state that Rodimer allegedly became enraged when Tapp offered his stepdaughter cocaine during a party.
The report also states that a witness said authorities Rodimer warned Tapp: “If you ever talk to my daughter again, I’ll f—–g kill you. Immediately after hearing Dan say this to Christopher, [the witness] heard two loud banging noises.”
Another witness stated that they saw: “Dan knock Christopher to the ground, at which time Christopher’s head hit a small table. Dan proceeded to punch Christopher throughout his head and body.”
Police also have alleged text messages between Rodimer and his wife, Sarah.
“I watched you nearly murder somebody and I had to take your f—–g 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,” she wrote.
Tapp spent 20 years in prison for a rape and murder he did not commit.
Rodimer competed on the fourth season of the WWE reality show which also featured Mike Mizanin who would go on to become The Miz, Nick Mitchell who would become Mitch of the Spirit Squad and the eventual winner Daniel Puder.
Rodimer was a former arena league football player and was released by the WWE after being employed as a developmental talent for a year.
He went on to run for the Nevada State Senate, Nevada’s 3rd congressional district and Texas’s 6th congressional district special election. He never won any of those positions.
In the past, Rodimer has been arrested three times for assault but has never been convicted.
