Tabler tried to convince police that Granby man pulled trigger in strip club murders

The Temple Telegram reports the courtroom was silent as a prosecutor read the chilling confession made by Richard Tabler, who is being tried for the 2004 murders of two men and two women connected to a Killeen strip club. At first, testimony revealed, Tabler tried to convince police the murders had been committed by his partner, Timothy Doan Payne, a 2004 graduate of East Newton High School. Payne allegedly videotaped the murders.

Bell County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Tim Steglich testified to obtaining different confessions from Tabler during a questioning process that began late on Nov. 28, 2004, and continued through early morning hours of Nov. 29, 2004. In the first, Tabler said, he knew a man who committed the murders - a soldier named Tim. Timothy Doan Payne also has been indicted in the deaths of the two men and is awaiting trial in the Bell County Jail.

Tabler said he had been working for Rahmouni, who managed TeaZers, a Killeen strip club. He told investigators he did under-the-table work for Rahmouni of setting up illegal drug deals or moving stolen equipment, until the club’s head of security told him to leave the club.

Shortly after, Tabler told investigators Payne confessed he had killed Rahmouni and another man, and that he had a list of people who he said had messed him over on a drug deal. Payne planned to work through a list of dancers, bouncers and others associated with the club killing each one execution-style, Tabler told Steglich

Testimony indicated that Tabler later changed his tune and admitted to committing the murders.