LAS VEGAS — A Las Vegas bail bondsman told jurors Tuesday how an upset Sandra Murphy arranged to post $200,000 bail for Richard Tabish and Michael Milot hours after the men were arrested for plundering millions in silver from the desert vault of her dead lover, Lonnie "Ted" Binion.

Dario Costantino testified that Murphy came into his office early on Sept. 19, 1998 — two days after Binion died — and offered as bail the $100,000 Mercedes convertible and jewelry the casino tycoon had given her.

Murphy did not have the means, however, to post bail for David Matteson. A worker at Binion's ranch, Matteson was also arrested with Tabish and Milot when police caught them with a belly-dump tractor trailer full of Binion's estimated $7 million worth of silver coins, bars and gaming chips in downtown Pahrump.

Tabish, Murphy and Milot returned to Costantino's office the next day to fill out paperwork and also arrange the release of Matteson, whom they seemed determined to free, according to Costantino.

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The bail bondsman told jurors he overheard Tabish talking about the importance of securing Matteson's release, a new detail not heard in earlier testimony.

"We've got to get David out, because we don't want him to be talking in there," Tabish said, according to Costantino.

Prosecutors allege that co-defendants Murphy and Tabish killed Binion on Sept. 17, tried to make it look like a drug overdose, and then made a greedy grab for cash and valuables in the millionaire's home.

Detectives found an empty bottle of Xanax and heroin paraphernalia near Binion at the scene of his death. The longtime heroin addict's cause of death was initially deemed a drug overdose. Six months later, after an investigation by the Binion family, it was ruled a homicide.

Murphy, 32, and Tabish, 39, are charged with six counts including murder, burglary and grand larceny. A jury found the couple guilty of all charges in 2000, but an appeals court overturned the convictions and paved the way for the retrial, now in its fourth week.

Tale of silver

Michael Cristalli and Tony Serra, the lead attorneys for Murphy and Tabish respectively, moved to have Costantino's new testimony struck from the record.

Judge Joseph Bonaventure refused their motion. However, he restricted the prosecution from introducing a line of questioning about Murphy and Tabish arranging for three-way calls through Costantino's office, as well as an instance where Murphy came in and asked the bail bondsman to hold several valuable paintings and a statue for her.

Jurors also heard from several Nye County Sheriff's deputies Tuesday about the circumstances surrounding the arrest of the three men for stealing Ted Binion's buried treasure.

Steve Huggins, a detective sergeant for Nye County at the time of the incident, told jurors about conversations he had with Tabish after his arrest.

Tabish said the reburied vault in the empty lot in downtown Pahrump was empty save for one thing, according to Huggins.

"[Tabish] advised that there was one silver dollar on the floor," of the vault, Huggins testified.

The reason for the lone dollar, Tabish allegedly told Huggins, was "to signify something to the family. Exactly what, I don't know."

Prosecutors hope to convince jurors that the single silver dollar in the vault and the single dime found in the otherwise empty safe at Binion's house after his death will link Tabish and Murphy to the lootings.

Bonaventure concluded Tuesday's session at lunch so jurors could vote. Prosecutors are expected to wrap up their case on Thursday.

Murphy and Tabish each face 20 years to life if convicted. Court TV Extra is streaming the trial live on the Web.