Attorney for Binion suspect says detectives ‘at dead end’

Thursday, March 11, 1999 | 11:18 a.m.

The lawyer for a man accused of trying to steal a fortune in silver from Ted Binion said Wednesday homicide detectives are pressuring him into cooperating in the investigation of the gaming figure's Sept. 17 death.

Detectives raided the Pahrump home of David Mattsen Tuesday looking for evidence linking him to Binion's girlfriend, Sandy Murphy, and her reported lover, Rick Tabish, who are said to be targets of the probe into Binion's death.

"They're putting heat on him to become involved in this investigation," attorney James "Bucky" Buchanan told the Sun. "They're looking for his assistance."

Buchanan said detectives are searching for new leads because "they're at a dead end."

Homicide Sgt. Ken Hefner today deflected Buchanan's criticism.

"Those are the words of a defense attorney," he said.

Chief Deputy District Attorney David Roger, who is overseeing the investigation, indicated Wednesday that the probe is intensifying. Roger, a member of the district attorney's Major Violators Unit, said he has been assigned to work full time on the investigation.

Hefner said police still are trying to determine whether Mattsen, a former Binion ranch hand in Pahrump, is a convicted felon.

That could become important because police seized seven handguns and rifles from Mattsen while executing a search warrant at his home Tuesday. It is a crime for an ex-felon to possess any weapons.

Buchanan said he was not aware that Mattsen may be an ex-felon.

Police said Wednesday the weapons may belong to Binion's multimillion-dollar estate, which leaves open the possibility the estate could pursue theft charges against Mattsen.

Mattsen faces a preliminary hearing in Pahrump March 19 on charges that he, Tabish and another man tried to steal $4 million in silver coins and bars from Binion less than 36 hours after his death. The silver was buried in an underground vault in Pahrump.

Buchanan said there have been no formal discussions with police about working out a deal for Mattsen to cooperate in the probe of Binion's death and that Mattsen intends to fight the theft charges at next week's preliminary hearing.

Buchanan also said the weapons seized by police were Mattsen's, and he insisted detectives found nothing that could incriminate his client.

In another development, Roger and a homicide detective flew to Missoula, Mont., today to fight an attempt to unseal a 45-page police affidavit in the Binion investigation.

The affidavit, which also is under seal in Las Vegas, was used to demonstrate police had probable cause to conduct searches last month against Murphy and Tabish in Las Vegas and Missoula. Tabish is a Missoula contractor.

Warrants were executed at a Green Valley apartment shared by Murphy and Tabish and a Las Vegas business owned by Tabish. A Missoula home and a business belonging to Tabish also were searched.