Prosecution plans interview of Tabish’s brother-in-law

Friday, March 17, 2000 | 12:03 p.m.

Las Vegas authorities plan to fly to Missoula, Mont., next week to interview Rick Tabish's brother-in-law and other witnesses about the recovery of 100 pounds of silver coins believed to have been stolen from Ted Binion.

The brother-in-law, Dennis Rehbein, turned over the coins he said he received from Tabish to Missoula police on Wednesday after being granted immunity in Las Vegas to testify for the prosecution in the upcoming Binion murder trial.

Tabish, a 35-year-old Missoula contractor, and his reported lover Sandy Murphy, are set to stand trial March 27 on charges of killing Binion and stealing his valuables, including a $300,000 collection of rare coins and currency.

Homicide detectives plan to arrive in Missoula on Monday, and Deputy District Attorney David Wall, one of the prosecutors in the Binion case, expects to join them on Tuesday to participate in the interview of the 37-year-old Rehbein.

Prosecutors believe the coins were stolen from Binion after he was killed at his Las Vegas home on Sept. 17, 1998.

On Thursday, Rehbein's lawyer, John E. Smith, told the Sun his client received the coins from Tabish on Nov. 1, 1998, as collateral for a $25,000 loan to the murder defendant.

Rehbein, who works in the family's construction business in Missoula, feels that he's a victim of circumstances.

"He's stuck in the middle of this only because he accepted these coins from Rick Tabish," Smith said.

Smith described Rehbein as a "law-abiding citizen" who plans to tell the truth to authorities.

Rehbein turned over the silver after Missoula police, acting on a tip, had inquired about it, Smith said.

"This is very difficult for the family," Smith said. "There has never been any insinuation or belief expressed to me by anyone in law enforcement that Dennis Rehbein has done anything wrong."

Rehbein is the brother of Tabish's wife, Mary Jo, who also lives in Missoula.

Mary Jo Tabish has stood by her husband despite allegations he was romantically involved with Murphy, a 28-year-old one-time topless dancer, at the time of Binion's slaying. Murphy had been living with the former casino executive.

The recovered coins are believed to be those identified on a handwritten list of coins stolen from Binion's house after his death. Murphy allegedly wrote the seven-page list and faxed it to Tabish in Missoula on Nov. 2, 1998.

The list was provided to homicide detectives by Tanya Cropp, a 24-year-old Murphy friend who is cooperating in the murder case. Some of the coins on the list include silver dollars dating back to 1878.

Harry Claiborne, who represents Binion's daughter, Bonnie, said the former casino executive told him prior to his death that the coin and currency collection was worth about $300,000.

Last October Claiborne filed a wrongful death lawsuit on Bonnie's behalf, alleging Tabish and Murphy engaged in a "secret sexual relationship" while plotting her father's slaying.

The suit seeks to recover the coin collection and other items allegedly stolen from Binion's home.