DA still seeking solution to Binion ‘jigsaw puzzle’

Thursday, May 27, 1999 | 11:11 a.m.

Clark County District Attorney Stewart Bell today shot down speculation authorities were close to filing charges in Ted Binion's murder.

"I don't know whether we'll ever be in a position to file charges or not," Bell told the Sun. "We cannot file charges unless we ethically have an abiding conviction in the truth of the charges, and that means we feel we can prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt."

Bell, who likened the eight-month homicide investigation to a "complex jigsaw puzzle," added: "There's still more investigative work that needs to be done."

But he insisted he's more convinced than ever that Binion, a longtime gaming executive at the Horseshoe Club, was a victim of a homicide.

"I think it's fair to say that the investigation has progressed and the police and our office have learned more about the cause of death, and we don't feel like we're spinning our wheels," Bell said. "We're making progress in eventually solving this puzzle."

Binion's sister, Horseshoe Club President Becky Behnen, who first raised the possibility Binion was murdered, said today she was disappointed with Bell's remarks.

"I feel a little let down by this, but I know that I have to be patient," Behnen said.

There has been much speculation at the courthouse within the past week that homicide detectives were ready to make arrests in the investigation.

Detectives reportedly have been building a circumstantial case against Binion's 27-year-old girlfriend, Sandy Murphy, and 33-year-old Montana contractor Rick Tabish, who authorities believe was her lover at the time of Binion's Sept. 17 death. Tabish faces criminal charges in the attempted Sept. 19 theft of Binion's silver fortune in Pahrump.

Bell acknowledged that investigators at this point do not have any "live witnesses" to the murder.

"We don't have any statements from people who said 'I was there and I saw what happened,' " Bell explained. "I would venture to say this is as complex as any case we've had since I've been here."

Bell, a criminal defense lawyer before he was elected to office in 1994, said he has been reviewing the work of Chief Deputy District David Roger, who has been working full time with homicide detectives the past several months.

Bell said he has total confidence in Roger, a member of his elite Major Violators Unit.

"We're not going to have him do this exclusively unless we feel that some progress had been made on behalf of the public," Bell said. "He's a valuable lawyer in this office."

Bell's comments come after the new lawyers for Murphy and Tabish put the word out they were trying to add famed Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz to the defense team.

Bill Terry, who represents Murphy, said Dershowitz has been retained. But Steve Wolfson, who's defending Tabish, said he has yet to hear from the celebrity lawyer. And Dershowitz isn't commenting.

Binion's body was discovered on the floor of his 2408 Palomino Lane home next to an empty bottle of the prescription sedative, Xanax. Drug tests later found lethal levels of Xanax and heroin in his system, and the coroner ruled his death a homicide.

Both Murphy, who lived with Binion, and Tabish have refused to cooperate with homicide detectives.

On Friday, the drama moves back to probate court, where District Judge Michael Cherry has scheduled a hearing on whether to allow Murphy back into Binion's $900,000 home.

Murphy has been awarded the home, its contents and $300,000 in cash, but her inheritance has been threatened because she has refused to help Binion's estate gather valuables missing from his safe.