Ted Binion
Motives For Murder
Meanwhile, Buczek recalled that Sandy Murphy had been asking questions shortly after Binions death regarding how to file a claim for a $1 million life insurance policy that she believed had been issued to Binion through the Horseshoe naming her as beneficiary. However, Buczek found that Ted Binions policy had listed his nieces and nephews as beneficiaries.
Buczek reflected on how Sandy had called one of Binions attorneys the morning after Binions death, in which she had expressed concern about possibly not getting the house, and how she had also phoned another of his attorneys that same morning announcing that she was the beneficiary of Binions $1 million life insurance policy and wanting to know how she could file the claim. Murphy, it seemed, was beginning to seem more like a gold digger than a bereaved partner who had just lost her lover and companion. He decided to delve deeper into Rick Tabishs background.
As he prepared to probe deeper into Rick Tabishs background and his activities, Detective Buczek refreshed his memory about what he already knew about Tabish; his business known as MRT Transport, Incorporated, in which his wife, Mary Jo, was listed as the corporations secretary/treasurer; his failed business ventures and need to quickly raise capital; his criminal history in the state of Montana, and how he had come to know Ted Binion. Buczek knew that lust for another mans woman, as well as greed and a desperate need to obtain money could be deadly ingredients. People had been killed for far lesser reasons.
Buczek subsequently learned that Tabish had formed a Nevada corporation under the name of MRT Transportation of Nevada, Incorporated, on October 6, 1997. Soon afterward, Tabish obtained checking accounts for the company at Bank West of Nevada, and by December 19, 1997, he had obtained a loan of $200,000.00 on a revolving line of credit that was secured by the assets of all of Tabishs businesses as well as by signed personal guarantees of both Tabish and his wife, Mary Jo. The loans date of maturity was June 19, 1998.
As he delved into Tabishs finances, Buczek learned that Tabish had been unable to meet the loans maturity date and it teetered on the brink of defaulting. However, Tabish managed to convince the bank to extend the loans maturity date to September 19, 1998, which was two days after Ted Binions death and the same day that Tabish, David Mattsen, and Michael Milot were arrested in Pahrump after removing Binions silver. It now seemed more obvious than ever that Tabishs financial situation had been dire for some time, both before and leading up to the time of Ted Binions demise.
Despite the fact that Rick Tabish had denied stealing Binions silver in Pahrump less than two days following Binions death after essentially being caught red-handed with it, not to mention all of the other facets of the case that had been covered so far, Buczek was still reluctant to call Ted Binions death a homicide.