Ex-Local Politician in Nevada Found Guilty of Murdering Investigative Journalist Jeff German

 

A jury in Nevada has found Robert Telles, a former Democratic politician in the Las Vegas area, guilty of murdering Jeff German, an investigative journalist with the Las Vegas Review-Journal. German had reported critically on Telles's behavior while in office, which ultimately led to a fatal encounter.

Following the guilty verdict, Telles, 47, was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years. Prosecutors chose not to pursue the death penalty, and the other possible sentences ranged from life without parole to 20 to 50 years in prison.

As the jury's decision was read in Clark County District Court, Telles hung his head, appearing visibly shaken. The verdict came after nearly 12 hours of deliberations, following an eight-day trial that began on August 12.

Glenn Cook, executive editor of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, commented on the outcome: “Robert Telles could have joined the long line of publicly shamed Nevada politicians who’ve gone on with their lives, out of the spotlight or back in it. Instead, he carried out a premeditated revenge killing with terrifying savagery.” Cook added that the verdict represented a measure of justice for journalists worldwide, noting that many killers of journalists go unpunished in other countries, but "not so in Las Vegas."

Telles had been in custody without bail since his arrest, which took place days after German was discovered stabbed to death in the side yard of his home during Labor Day weekend in 2022. Known for his rigorous investigative work, German had spent over four decades uncovering misconduct by public officials. Despite receiving threatening messages from Telles, who was upset by his reporting, German was reportedly not overly concerned.

Prosecutors argued that Telles became enraged by German's articles, which portrayed him as a difficult boss who harassed his staff and had an improper relationship with a subordinate. Telles allegedly went to German's home on September 2, 2022, and stabbed him to death after learning that his private communications with the subordinate were about to be exposed.

German's stories, which were published in May and June 2022, contributed to Telles losing his bid for re-election. “Jeff was killed for doing the kind of work in which he took great pride: his reporting held an elected official accountable for bad behavior and empowered voters to choose someone else for the job,” Cook said.

As the verdict was streamed live, staff members at the Las Vegas Review-Journal watched from their newsroom, some tearing up when the guilty verdict was delivered. “Let’s also remember that this community has lost much more than a trusted journalist. Jeff was a good man who left behind a family who loved him and friends who cherished him. His murder remains an outrage. He is missed,” Cook added.

The trial revealed further allegations against Telles. Four women who were interviewed by German in his reporting later filed a lawsuit against Telles and the county, describing a toxic workplace where employees were forbidden to talk to each other, faced sexual advances, and were subjected to punitive actions if they resisted. One plaintiff, Jessica Coleman, alleged that Telles had told her “she would die alone, and no one would find her for a long time,” causing her to fear for her safety. Coleman, who attended the trial, broke down in tears after the verdict, saying, “Finally. Finally. Finally, the system is working.”

Throughout the trial, Telles maintained his innocence, claiming he was being targeted by a political and social "old guard" for exposing corruption. "I am not the kind of person who would stab someone. I didn’t kill Mr. German," Telles testified. He accused a local real estate company and officials of framing him, a theory dismissed as “unconscionable and irresponsible” by those implicated.

The prosecution presented compelling evidence, including Telles's DNA found under German’s fingernails, and a connection to a maroon SUV seen near German’s home around the time of the murder. Police also discovered hundreds of photographs of German's residence and documents containing German's personal information on Telles’s devices, with timestamps indicating they were collected just weeks before the crime.

Video footage played in court showed an individual wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat and an orange oversized shirt sneaking into the side yard of German’s home. During a search of Telles's home, police found cut-up pieces of a similar hat and shoes matching those seen in the footage.

German was the only journalist killed in the U.S. in 2022, according to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists. Since 1992, the organization has recorded 17 journalists killed in the U.S., highlighting the risks faced by those who hold powerful figures accountable.