LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — As the guilty verdict was read, former politician Robert Telles shook his head gently from side to side as if he was in disbelief as he listened to each juror say guilty when polled by the court.
“Finally, today’s verdict should send a message and that message is to silence or intimidate a journalist will not be tolerated. That’s what occurred in this case and that’s why today justice was served,” District Attorney Steve Wolfson said.
Telles, 47, was found guilty of first-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon on a person 60 or older. Jurors found Telles guilty of killing Review-Journal investigative journalist Jeff German on Sept. 2, 2022. Telles was enraged over articles written by German about turmoil in his Clark County Public Administrator’s Office. Telles believed those news articles led to him losing his seat in the 2022 election.
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File photo of Jeff German an investigative reporter at Las Vegas Review Journal. German, 69, was found stabbed to death outside his home on Sept. 3, 2022.
Photo courtesy: Las Vegas Review Journal -
Murder suspect Robert Telles talks with defense attorney Michael Horvath during the trial. -
The prosecution contends Robert Telles was angry over the articles that German had written about turmoil in the Clark County Public Administrators Office. -
Prosecutors present a map of the crime scene. -
Robert Telles watches as defense attorneys Robert Draskovich and Michael Horvath present their case. -
Jeff German’s home on the day his body was discovered (Sept. 3, 2022) and police began the murder investigation. -
Deputy District Attorney Pam Weckerly listens to defense attorney Robert Draskovich during opening statements. -
LVMPD Detective Clifford Mogg, who is now retired, testified he was in charge of collecting all the surveillance videos that captured images of the vehicle and suspected killer in and around Jeff German’s neighborhood. -
Cliff Mogg, a retired Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department detective, said a team of 25 detectives tracked down business and home surveillance videos of Robert Telles’ dark red SUV in an around journalist Jeff German’s home on the day of the murder. -
Clark County District Court Judge Michelle Leavitt presides over the Robert Telles murder trial. Prior to the trial, Telles told Judge Leavitt that he planned to represent himself. She strongly advised he should have an attorney. -
Clark County spokesman Dan Kulin’s email to Robert Telles about the request made by journalist Jeff German for emails between Telles and other county employees, specifically Roberta Lee-Kennett. She was the woman later identified as being involved in an affair with Telles. The request was also made for emails between Telles and employee Rita Reed who beat Telles in the 2022 election and would take over Telles’ seat. -
An email from journalist Jeff German to Clark County requesting all emails between Robert Telles and his employee, Roberta Lee Kennett. Telles admitted in court he was having an affair with her. (KLAS) -
An email from Robert Telles to murder victim Jeff German. -
Deputy District Attorney Pam Weckerly presents a calendar she says shows significant dates from when Robert Telles received notification that Jeff German made a public records request for emails between Telles and and a female employee. She said it also shows the date Telles began searches on Google Maps, took screenshots of German’s car and conducted searches regarding German on his work computer. -
Police served a search warrant at Robert Telles home on Sept. 7, 2022, five days after Jeff German was killed. These photos were taken inside the Telles home after the police searched for evidence. -
Police also photographed Telles’ body. The only injury found on Telles body was a cut finger.
Defense Attorney Robert Draskovich argued if his client had killed someone in a struggle, there should be bruising or more injuries.
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Las Vegas Metropolitan police took this photo of Robert Telles’ left hand with what appeared to be a cut on one finger. Shortly after the photo, police took a DNA sample from Telles fingernails that police say matched murder victim’s Jeff German’s DNA. Telles told the jury he cut his finger while cooking fried rice for one of his children. -
Robert Telles talks to his attorneys Michael Horvath, left, and Robert Draskovich in the courtroom during a break in proceedings on the fourth day of his murder trial at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas Thursday, August 15, 2024. Telles, a former Clark County public administrator, is charged in the murder of Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative journalist Jeff German and has pleaded not guilty. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP, Pool) -
Shoes that matched the ones worn by the suspect in the surveillance videos were recovered following a search of the house of Robert Telles before he was arrested in connection with the death of Jeff German. (LVMPD) -
Prosecutors show a report of extracted information from Robert Telles’ phone showing that Telles had taken a photo of his shoes months earlier and those shoes matched the shoes found under Telles couch. -
During a narrative given by Robert Telles, he explains to the jury that he wears lifts in his shoes to appear taller and no lifts were found in the tennis shoes taken as evidence. -
A police photo used as evidence to show Telles’ shoes were found hidden under a couch in Telles’ home. The shoes match ones worn by the killer. Telles maintains the shoes were part of the planted evidence. -
A hat matching the one wore by the suspect was recovered following a search of Robert Telles’ house before he was arrested in connection with the death of Jeff German. -
Robert Telles tears up as he talks about the police searching his home. -
Prosecutor Chris Hamner challenges Robert Telles’ theory that the killing of Jeff German involved a conspiracy of several people, including a real estate company that the Clark County Public Administrators Officer used to sell the homes of deceased people. -
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Defense attorney Robert Draskovich represents Robert Telles. -
FILE – Jeff German poses on the Strip in Las Vegas, on June 2, 2021. A Nevada judge decided not to punish Las Vegas police for taking an initial look at a slain investigative journalist’s cellphone after he was killed in September. Judge Michelle Leavitt said Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023, it will be up to the state Supreme Court to decide whether a thorough police review of slain Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German’s phone and computers would improperly expose confidential notes and sources. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP, File) -
Robert Telles is found guilty of murder in the death of Las Vegas Review-Journal journalist Jeff German on Aug. 28, 2024. (KLAS)
The Review-Journal released the following statement, in part.
Today a Clark County jury delivered a measure of justice for Jeff German, and we hope it brings some solace to his family, friends and colleagues. 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.
Glenn Cook, Las Vegas Review-Journal executive editor
Wolfson said jurors gave Telles the benefit of the doubt and listened to him but the evidence was overwhelming. He said there were around 400 exhibits entered into evidence.
Wolfson said there are three possible sentences the jury can decide on:
- Life without the possibility of parole
- Life with the possibility of parole after serving a minimum of 20 years
- A sentence of 50 years with minimum parole eligibility after serving 20 years
