Seven share $100,000 reward

Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2000 | 11:01 a.m.

The $100,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of Ted Binion's killers is being shared by seven people.

The money, put up by Binion's $55 million estate, quietly was distributed a couple of weeks ago.

Estate sources Monday refused to identify the people receiving the cash, saying they didn't believe it was "appropriate" to disclose their names.

The $100,000, the sources said, was distributed "relatively evenly" among the seven recipients, all of whom provided authorities with important information that helped convict Binion's girlfriend, Sandy Murphy, and her lover, Montana contractor Rick Tabish, of killing the wealthy gambling figure on Sept. 17, 1998.

Among those who had sought reward money were Deana Perry, the Neiman Marcus manicurist who testified that she had heard the 28-year-old Murphy predict Binion would die of a heroin overdose just prior to his death, and Steven Kurt Gratzer, who testified that Tabish had sought his help in killing the casino man.

Perry, who's ex-husband is a police officer, stepped forward about a month after Binion's slaying.

Gratzer, a childhood Tabish friend, agreed to testify in March 1999 after District Judge Joseph Bonaventure granted him immunity from prosecution.

Last week, Gratzer was arrested in Missoula, Mont., on felony drug charges. Police there seized methamphetamine, cocaine and $4,100 in cash from him. In April, he was taken into custody in Las Vegas on a domestic battery charge two days after his trial testimony.

Estate sources said the decision to divide up the $100,000 was made because no single witness provided enough critical information to prosecutors, who presented more than 90 witnesses during the two-month murder trial.

Chief Deputy District Attorney David Roger, who put together the criminal case against Murphy and the 35-year-old Tabish, was consulted before the estate handed out the money, the sources said.

One key Binion case player who didn't receive part of the reward was former Binion ranch manager, David Mattsen, estate sources said.

Mattsen, who claimed to have knowledge of Binion's death, had sought the entire reward, but his story conflicted with testimony from other witnesses and prosecutors opted against striking a deal for his cooperation.

The 54-year-old Mattsen was charged with helping Tabish and one other man steal Binion's $6 million silver fortune on Sept. 19, 1998.

He pleaded no contest to conspiracy to commit grand larceny in October and was ordered to do 200 hours of community service.

The 12-member jury that convicted Murphy and Tabish of killing Binion recommended sentencing both defendants to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years on the first degree murder charge.

Bonaventure, who presided over the well-publicized trial, ultimately ordered Murphy to serve a minimum 22 years in prison and Tabish at least 25 years behind bars on all of the charges related to Binion's death.

Both currently are serving time in the Nevada prison system.