Ted Binion
Ted Binion | |
---|---|
Born | Lonnie Theodore Binion November 28, 1943 Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
Died | September 17, 1998 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | (aged 54)
Known for | His collection known as the Binion Hoard, and his murder. |
Spouse | Doris Binion (m. 1980-1995 d.) |
Children | 2 |
Parent | Benny Binion (father) |
Relatives | Jack Binion (brother) |
Conviction(s) | Drug Charge |
Lonnie Theodore Binion (November 28, 1943 – September 17, 1998), also known as Ted Binion, was an American
Early life
Ted Binion was born in Dallas, Texas, in 1943, to casino executive Benny Binion. He had an older brother, Jack, president of the Horseshoe casino and former chairman of Wynn Resorts, and three sisters: Becky, Brenda, and Barbara. Ted moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, with his father in 1946. He was involved early on in his father's casino, Binion's Horseshoe.
While growing up, Ted spent summers at the family's Montana retreat, a cattle ranch in Jordan, to work with the ranch hands. Later, in the early 1960s, Benny sent his three grandsons — his daughter Barbara’s sons — to Montana to work on the ranch. According to the county recorder’s office, by the 1980s, Benny had expanded his holdings to 85000 acres (340 km2), with the last parcel purchased in 1985. The family sold all of the parcels in April 1998 to John Hillenbrand.
Career
In 1964, Benny regained full control of the Horseshoe after previously selling his interest to cover his legal costs in defending himself on
Binion was arrested in 1986 on
In 1996, the GCB provisionally banned Binion from any management role in the Horseshoe and he had to undergo regular drug testing. He was also banned from the casino's premises.
Inside the basement of the Horseshoe — housed in a floor-to-ceiling vault — was Binion's silver collection, later known as
Personal life
In 1967, Binion was the target of a kidnapping plot. The alleged perpetrator, cabdriver and petty criminal Marvin Shumate, was found dead, shot in the chest and in the head at the base of Sunrise Mountain on the east side of Las Vegas.[9][10][11]
Binion was an avid reader of magazines and books. He was a history buff, particularly
Buried treasure
After his death,
After Binion was banned from the casino, he contracted the construction of the Pahrump underground vault with MRT Transport, a trucking company owned by Rick Tabish. An MRT tractor-trailer was used to transport the silver from the casino to the underground vault, and the only two people who had the combination to the vault were Binion and Tabish.[14][7] The vault was secured three days after Binion's death when Nye County sheriff's deputies discovered that Tabish and two other men were attempting to unearth the silver using an excavator and dump truck.[15][16]
Binion hid millions in and around his Las Vegas home, all of which went missing after his death. The riches are rumored to be buried on the property under odd mounds in the front and back yards. At the conclusion of the trial, much of Binion's silver was given to his daughter who had some of it offered for sale to the public. A large portion still remains unclaimed at the courthouse.[8]
Death and aftermath
On September 17, 1998, Binion was found dead on a small mattress on the floor of his Las Vegas estate home at 2408 Palomino Lane, near
Binion's death was initially treated as a probable suicide. His live-in girlfriend, Sandy Murphy, said that he had been suicidal ever since he lost his gaming license a few months earlier.[3] His sister Barbara, who was also afflicted with drug problems like her brother, had committed suicide from an overdose in 1983.[19] This contributed to the perception that Binion could have been vulnerable to suicide as well. However, Binion's other sister, Becky, discounted any talk of suicide, saying that in her conversations with him he did not sound despondent.[20]
Las Vegas homicide detectives suspected foul play in Binion's death, as his body did not show the typical signs of a drug overdose. While his stomach contained heroin, police thought that neither a heroin addict, nor someone attempting suicide, would take heroin in that manner. However, despite the urgings of Becky and Jack Binion, law enforcement officials refused to open a full-scale homicide investigation.
In June 1999, Murphy and Tabish were arrested for Binion's murder, as well as for
A police report that was not used in the first trial by Tabish's first attorney, Louie Palazzo, revealed that there was a drive-by shooting at the front of Binion's Las Vegas, Palomino Lane home on June 5, 1997. Included in the police report was a statement by Ted Binion alleging that Chance LeSueur and Benny Behnen (son of Ted's sister Becky Behnen) were the shooters.[23]
Murder trial and re-trial
The trial of Murphy and Tabish attracted national media attention. In May 2000, after two months of trial and after nearly 68 hours of deliberation, Murphy and Tabish were found guilty.
However, in July 2003, the
The defendants were granted a new trial, which began on October 11, 2004 in Judge Bonaventure's courtroom. This time, Murphy was represented by Michael Cristalli, while Tabish was represented by Tony Serra and local Las Vegas attorney Joseph Caramagno.[26] Each was acquitted of murder, but both were convicted on lesser charges of burglary (12 to 60 months) and grand larceny (12 to 60 months).[27] Tabish was also convicted for the use of a deadly weapon (18 to 60 months). Murphy was sentenced to time served and did not return to prison.[28]
Tabish was originally sentenced to serve consecutive terms and was denied parole in 2001, 2004 and 2005. On January 26, 2009, he was brought into Las Vegas where the Nevada parole board granted him "Parole to Consecutive," meaning the three convictions were to run concurrently.
Tabish received another parole hearing in Las Vegas on January 13, 2010. The Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners announced January 26, 2010 that Tabish (then 44) would be granted parole. His younger brother described the news as "pretty wonderful".[29]
Tabish was released on May 18, 2010. His parole started on April 2, 2010, but negotiating the terms of his release delayed his actual exit from prison.[30]
Print and electronic media
The prosecution death theory, which the jury ultimately rejected, formed the basis for
The cable TV network A&E aired an hour-long video about the case titled Who Wants to Kill a Millionaire, which is part of its "American Justice" series, and includes interviews and film clips of the characters surrounding Binion's death and aftermath.
The second edition of Death in the Desert, released in 2012, covers the re-trial and acquittals. An Early Grave's re-release in 2005 includes appendices about the re-trial and acquittals. Coverage can also be found at trutv.com under "Ted Binion", and in the
The TV show On the Case covered the case in its episode #12 which aired in 2009. It includes interviews with Sandra Murphy and footage of her lawyer Tony Serra during the second trial.
The seventh episode of the CBS legal comedy-drama The Defenders, titled "Las Vegas v. Johnson" is a loosely depicted version of the trial.
References
- ISBN 9780143127581
- ^ Booth, William (April 1, 2000). "Sex, Money, Murder and Old Las Vegas". The Washington Post. p. A01.
- ^ a b c d e f Crime Library profile Archived May 27, 2006, at the Wayback Machine of the Binion case
- ^ "Tearful ex-wife details Murphy affair". Las Vegas Sun. April 3, 2000. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
- ^ a b "Regulators revoke Binion's license". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
- ^ "Binion has license revoked". Las Vegas Sun. March 24, 1998. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
- ^ a b Macy, Robert (April 22, 2000). "Witness tells of helping move Binion's silver". Missoulian. Associated Press. Archived from the original on September 5, 2023. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ a b c d "48 Hours: Buried Secrets of Las Vegas". CBS News. January 2010.
- ^ "Ted Binion Kidnapping Plot". 8 News NOW. October 26, 2004. Archived from the original on April 6, 2012. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
- ISBN 9780143127581
- ^ "Kidnapping a Gangster's Son". Mayhem in the Desert. 2019.
- ^ "LAS VEGAS RJ:NEWS: Police probe Ted Binion's buried silver". Reviewjournal.com. September 22, 1998. Retrieved October 21, 2012.
- ^ "The Binion Collection - Silver Dollars from the Hoard of Ted Binion". Retrieved September 4, 2018.
- ^ "To Die For". The Guardian. June 4, 2000.
- ^ "Officer Describes Silver Theft". Las Vegas Sun. November 2, 2004.
- ^ "To Die For". The Guardian. June 4, 2000.
- ^ Booth, William (April 2000). "Sex, Money, Murder and Old Las Vegas". Washington Post.
- ^ Pordum, Matt (October 2004). "Binion's last days described". Las Vegas Sun.
- ^ Cartwright, Gary (October 1991). "Benny and the Boys: Sure, they were gangsters, but they were our gangsters". Texas Monthly. Texas Monthly. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
- ^ "Sister of late Ted Binion counting on justice system". Las Vegas Sun. February 17, 1999. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
- ^ "Forensic Pathologist Testifies for Binion Prosecution". October 27, 2004. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
- ^ Pordum, Matt (October 27, 2004). "Medical Examiner Defends His Suffocation Conclusion". Las Vegas Sun.
- ^ Miller, Steve (September 6, 2000). "Tabish and Murphy Tell All". Las Vegas Tribune.
- ^ Madigan, Nick (May 20, 2000). "2 Woman, Boyfriend Convicted in Slaying of Vegas Casino Heir". The Los Angeles Times.
- ^ German, Jeff (October 31, 2011). "Sources: David Roger to step down Jan. 3". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
- ^ Madigan, Nick (November 24, 2004). "2 Are Acquitted in Death of Wealthy Casino Owner". The New York Times. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
- ^ Rosenblatt, Susannah (November 24, 2004). "Pair Not Guilty of Binion Murder". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Heller, Matthew (May 11, 2010). "Sandy Murphy's Complicated Life". Orange Coast Magazine.
- ^ Geer, Carri (January 28, 2010). "Binion figure Tabish granted parole". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
- ^ "Rick Tabish released from Nevada prison to live with parents in Missoula". Missoulian.com. Associated Press. May 18, 2010. Retrieved October 21, 2012.
- ISBN 1588205320)
- ISBN 0374236488)
- ISBN 0312979266)
- ISBN 0929712285)
External links
- Documentary series from Court TV (now TruTV) "Mugshots: Sandy Murphy - Death of a Casino King" episode (2009) at the FilmRise Youtube channel.