Robert Telles, the former elected Clark County public administrator, was found guilty on Wednesday of murdering Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German.
Telles, a Democrat, killed German after losing his primary election. German, who was discovered dead outside his home with multiple stab wounds on a scorching September day in 2022, had exposed turmoil within the Clark County public administrator’s office and criticized Telles.
Just a few months before his death, German published an article in the Review-Journal detailing employees’ complaints about Telles, accusing him of creating a toxic work environment, showing favoritism and engaging in an improper relationship with a staff member. Telles denied these allegations but lost his reelection bid a month after the article was published.
Prosecutors argued that following his defeat, Telles went to German’s home, hid in the bushes and waited to violently attack his unsuspecting victim.
The jury agreed, unanimously finding Telles guilty of first-degree murder after approximately 12 hours of deliberation.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal further reports:
Jurors weighed eight days of testimony from dozens of witnesses, including detectives, forensic experts, and those who knew Telles, along with three days of testimony from Telles himself. Telles gave a narrative testimony to the jury, without being interrupted by his attorney, before facing cross examination by prosecutors.
The panel of seven women and five men deliberated for four hours on Monday, about six hours on Tuesday, and two hours Wednesday, before reaching a decision. Telles’ trial stretched over two weeks before attorneys gave closing arguments on Monday morning.
A camera captured Telles looking down and shaking his head as the foreperson announced the verdict.
In the Review-Journal newsroom, where journalists had gathered around an editor’s desk to watch live video of the trial, Executive Editor Glenn Cook stood and hugged staff, some wiping tears from their eyes.
In response to the verdict, Cook wrote, “Telles could have joined the long line of publicly shamed Nevada politicians who’ve gone on with their lives… Instead, he carried out a premeditated revenge killing with terrifying savagery.”
“Today also brought a measure of justice for slain journalists all over the world. Our jobs are increasingly risky and sometimes dangerous. In many countries, the killers of journalists go unpunished. Not so in Las Vegas. Our thanks to police and prosecutors, whose diligent work won this conviction.”
The state’s evidence against Telles included his own DNA found underneath German’s fingernails, plus surveillance footage and items found at his home matching the assailant’s clothing. Former Metropolitan Police Department detective Cliff Mogg testified about surveillance footage police believe shows Telles’ Yukon Denali leaving his neighborhood the morning German was killed, driving around German’s neighborhood, and then driving back toward Telles’ home.
The highly unusual and disturbing crime has sparked serious concerns about the dangers local journalists face.
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I have always said that the Democrats are very violent animals.Sorry animals!
When will the American public realize that Democrats(now Communists) are very violent ,they will commit murder
Maybe that is part of why legit journalists don’t investigate corruption. Courage.