Who are Sandy Murphy and Rick Tabish and where are they now? Whereabouts explored ahead of NBC Datel

Publish date: 2024-05-06

Sandy Murphy and Rick Tabish were the lovers arrested in connection with casino tycoon Ted Binion's death in September 1998. They were both charged with first-degree murder and found guilty after a sensational trial in May 2000. But three years later, Sandy and Tabish's convictions were overturned, leading to a re-trial in November 2004 when both were found not guilty and released from prison.

Ted Binion was found dead at his Palomino Lane home by his then-girlfriend, Sandy Murphy, of an apparent overdose. However, an investigation revealed that he was likely forced to consume a fatal concoction of heroin, Xanax, and Valium. All suspicion fell on the girlfriend, who stood to gain a lot. Moreover, incriminating evidence and her affair with Rick were used to name both suspects.

According to Oxygen, after the former lovers were released, Sandy Murphy married an art dealer and now lives in Laguna Beach with him. Meanwhile, Rick Tabish made money off crypto mining and currently resides in Montana.

This Friday, August 11, a two-hour NBC Dateline episode will further delve into the controversial case surrounding Ted Binion's decades-old death. The upcoming episode, titled What Happened in Vegas, airs on the channel at 9 pm ET. An official synopsis says:

"A chance encounter on the Pacific Coast Highway with a woman he first spoke to in a jail cell leads Keith Morrison to reexamine the mysterious death of Las Vegas casino magnate Ted Binion."

Sandy Murphy and Rick Tabish were convicted of poisoning and murdering casino tycoon Ted Binion

According to the New York Times, Sandy Murphy and Rick Tabish were found guilty of first-degree murder in the September 17, 1998, death of casino tycoon Ted Binion, owner of Las Vegas' Binion's Horseshoe Casino. They were convicted of plotting to murder and poisoning the millionaire with drugs to steal silver bars worth $8 million from his hidden vault.

The outlet reported that Sandy Murphy and Rick Tabish were charged with murder and other charges after the latter was caught by officers digging Ted's hidden vault in the Mohave desert of Pahrump, Nevada, two days after his death.

Police, using Rick's cellphone records, then found that he called Sandy, Ted's live-in girlfriend and a former stripper, at least thrice from that location. They also learned about their affair and Sandy's attempts to get herself included as a beneficiary in the millionaire's Will before his death.

The lovers were arrested and charged with Ted Binion's murder in his Palomino Lane estate home. Authorities believed the duo forced the 55-year-old to ingest a fatal concoction and suffocated him to death.

Moreover, Ted's lawyer and long-term friend James Brown informed police of a distressing call Ted made the night before the tragic incident. In the call, Brown said that the former casino owner had asked him to take "Sandy out of the Will."

"If she doesn't kill me, if I'm dead, you'll know what happened," Brown quoted Ted.

As per the Will, Sandy Murphy was to receive his Palomino Lane home and $300,000, leaving the rest for his daughter Bonnie Binion. Authorities suspected that Sandy and her lover murdered Ted for taking her out of the Will.

According to Oxygen, other evidence used at their previous trial also included testimony from Rick's friend, a former Army Ranger named Steven Kurt Gratzer, who claimed that they once discussed murder. Gratzer reportedly said:

"He told me that there was a former casino owner in Las Vegas he had some business arrangements with and owed him some money. He wasn't paying it, and he wanted to utilize my services to help in killing this man."

The outlet reported that Gratzer also mentioned that the two called a pharmacist friend to ask him about the amount of Xanax required to kill someone.

NBC Dateline will further delve into Ted Binion's alleged murder case in an upcoming episode this Friday.

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