Ex-Politician Faces Life Sentence for Murder of Las Vegas Reporter

Former Las Vegas politician Robert Telles is set to learn his prison sentence in Nevada on Wednesday for the murder of journalist Jeff German.

Telles, a Democrat and former Clark County administrator, was found guilty in August of killing German, a Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter, in September 2022.

German had published several investigative articles criticizing Telles’ conduct in office and exposing a romantic relationship with a colleague.

The jury recommended a sentence of 20 years to life, though Clark County District Court Judge Michelle Leavitt could extend the minimum to 28 years by invoking sentencing enhancements.

These enhancements could be applied for using a deadly weapon, killing a person over 60, and laying in wait before the attack. Telles, 47, will be eligible for parole only after serving the full minimum sentence.

Jeff German, 69, was a veteran reporter who spent over four decades covering crime, courts, and corruption in Las Vegas.

At the time of his murder, Telles was serving as the elected Clark County Public Administrator, a role managing unclaimed estate and probate property cases.

German’s articles, published in May and June 2022, described chaos and bullying at Telles’ workplace and his extramarital relationship with an employee. These revelations contributed to Telles’ loss in his reelection bid.

After German’s death, Telles’ law license was suspended, and an extensive police investigation led to his arrest. Surveillance footage from the neighborhood showed a man, later identified as Telles, dressed in a large straw hat and an oversize orange shirt, sneaking into German’s yard, where the journalist was stabbed and left to die.

At Telles’ home, police discovered key evidence, including a maroon SUV matching the one seen in the video, as well as fragments of a straw hat and athletic shoes similar to those worn by the suspect. However, the orange shirt and the murder weapon were never found.

Throughout the trial, Telles denied his involvement in German’s killing. He testified for hours, admitting the office affair but claiming he was framed as part of a conspiracy involving real estate companies, police, and former coworkers.

“I am not the kind of person who would stab someone. I didn’t kill Mr. German,” Telles told the jury.

Despite his assertions, DNA evidence linking Telles to the crime scene—found beneath German’s fingernails—proved damning.

Prosecutor Christopher Hamner argued that Telles murdered German in revenge for exposing his misconduct, which destroyed his career and personal life. Despite Telles’ alibi that he was out walking and at the gym during the murder, evidence showed that his wife sent him a message at the time asking, “Where are you?” Prosecutors also noted that Telles deliberately left his phone at home to avoid being tracked.

Telles’ attorney, Robert Draskovich, has said Telles plans to appeal his conviction.

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press