Who were the two suspects arrested and charged with Ted Binion's murder? Details explored ahead of NBC Dateline

Nearly a year after Ted Binion's death from an apparent drug overdose in September 1998, his then-girlfriend Sandy Murphy and her lover Rick Tabish were arrested and charged with first-degree murder. Investigators believe Sandy and Rick had been plotting to murder Ted, a casino tycoon and millionaire, for his wealth and estate.

Circumstantial but incriminating evidence found during an investigation after Ted's death revealed that Sandy was completely living off his money and had persuaded him to add her as a beneficiary to the millionaire's will alongside his only daughter.

Sandy was also accused of removing a wine glass from the crime scene that was allegedly used to deliver the fatal cocktail that killed the 55-year-old. Moreover, Rick's friends admitted that he had discussed murdering a former Las Vegas casino owner.

Rick Tabish and Sandy Murphy were found guilty of murder. While the former was sentenced to 25 years to life, Sandy received 20 years to life in prison. However, their convictions were overturned, leading to a re-trial when they were found not guilty and released.

NBC Dateline's brand-new Friday mystery will revisit Ted Binion's alleged poisoning death in an episode titled What Happened in Vegas. The official synopsis reads:

"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."

The upcoming episode is scheduled to air on August 11, 2023, at 9 pm ET.

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Sandy Murphy's involvement in Ted Binion's death became more obvious after police uncovered her affair

Oxygen reported that Ted Binion's murder initially seemed like a drug overdose party because first responders found a bottle of Xanax near his body and foam coming out of his mouth on September 17, 1998, when Sandy Murphy made the distressing 911 call. Secondly, he had a history of drug abuse and heroin addiction for nearly two decades.

In fact, Ted lived in depression ever since the Nevada Gaming Board revoked his license and right to run Binion's Horseshoe Casino in 1996 following rumors of excessive drug use. The 55-year-old was worth $55 million at the time of his death and had managed to amass $8 million worth of silver bars. This treasure was buried in a secret vault in the desert land of Pahrump, Nevada.

But the events that followed Ted's tragic death suggested the involvement of Sandy, especially after investigators learned that she had persuaded the millionaire to add her as a beneficiary in his will. The victim's lawyer, James Brown, also informed police of a strange call he received the night before the incident.

According to Oxygen, Brown disclosed key details about the call:

"He [Ted Binion] said, 'Take Sandy out of the will… If she doesn’t kill me, if I’m dead, you’ll know what happened.' It kind of sent chills in my spine."

The outlet reported that as per the will, Sandy was to receive Ted's Palomino Lane home in addition to $300,000. The remaining estate was to go to his daughter, Bonnie Binion.

Sandy Murphy and Ted Binion first met at a strip club in 1994. They had been dating for a couple of years when the latter died. Sandy was reportedly living off of Ted, and dating him was a real prize for her. He reportedly gave her a Mercedes, a credit card, and $10,000 every month.

While investigating, detectives also uncovered Sandy's affair with a construction worker named Rick Tabish. He was caught digging up Ted's secret vault in the desert only two days after his death. Rick told police he had helped construct the vault and promised to deliver the treasure to Bonnie Binion.

Postmortem examination findings indicated fatal amounts of morphine/heroin, Alprazolam (Xanax), and Diazepam (Valium) in Ted's system. The drugs that caused his death were concentrated in his stomach and likely ingested and not smoked.

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Were Sandy Murphy and Rick Tabish convicted of casino tycoon Ted Binion's murder?

Considering all evidence, circumstantial at its best, Sandy Murphy and Rick Tabish were arrested and charged with Ted Binion's first-degree murder in June 1999. The motive, prosecutors alleged, was financial when Ted removed Sandy from his will after learning of the affair.

Moreover, in testimony at their March 2000 trial, Rick's friend from Montana, former Army Ranger Steven Kurt Gratzer, revealed that he once discussed murder.

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

Rick's vicious murder plot was extensively discussed, especially his call to a pharmacist friend when they talked about the amount of Xanax required to kill someone. This also established premeditation.

Prosecutors "with respect to the theory of how the murder went down" further alleged that "Sandy had mixed up a cocktail of Xanax, Valium, and heroin" before the lovers "forced Ted to consume the cocktail."

Sandy Murphy was also captured removing a wine glass that was allegedly used to deliver the deadly cocktail from the crime scene. This particular glass was never found.

Both defendants were found guilty of the murder charge on May 19, 2000. Sandy was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison, while Rick received 25 years to life in prison. But their convictions were overturned three years later, leading to a re-trial.

Then, on November 23, 2004, they were both found not guilty of Ted Binion's murder and released from prison that same day. His death remains controversial, with some arguing that he overdosed and others alleging that he was poisoned.

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Ted Binion's murder case will be explored on NBC Dateline this Friday.