Authorities have arrested a county public administrator in connection with the stabbing murder of an investigative reporter in Las Vegas last week.
Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo announced during a press conference on Wednesday that authorities had arrested Democrat Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles in connection with the murder of Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German.
VIDEO: US military has a new awesome space toy – here it is
German, 69, had been a career journalist and had worked with the Las Vegas Review-Journal since 2010. German was found outside his Las Vegas home on Sept. 3 with multiple stab wounds.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department spokesperson Cpt. Dori Koren said investigators noticed a suspicious vehicle that had been driving around German’s neighborhood on the morning of the murder. Investigators later determined the stabbing suspect had fled to the vehicle after attacking German, thus connecting the suspect to the vehicle.
After having connected the suspect to a vehicle, police had been able to track it to Telles’ home. A search of Telles’ home uncovered a pair of shoes Koren said had “apparent blood” on them and were evidently cut up “likely in a manner to try to destroy evidence.”
The search of Telles’ home also uncovered a straw hat that the stabbing suspect had been seen wearing. That hat was also cut up, likely to destroy evidence.
Koren said investigators had identified Telles as a potential suspect early on because German had published a series of articles detailing allegations that Telles had been involved in an inappropriate relationship with a staffer and had contributed to a hostile workplace at his office.
“Telles was upset about articles that were being by German as an investigative journalist that exposed potential wrongdoing,” Koren said. “And Telles had publicly expressed his issues with that reporting.”
Koren said “ultimately Telles was also upset from what we found out later that there was additional reporting that was pending.”
The Las Vegas Review-Journal said German had more articles planned and was waiting on a public records request.
Telles lost his re-election bid in a June 14 primary election.
On June 18, Telles had tweeted, “Looking forward to lying smear piece #4 by @JGermanRJ. #onetrickpony I think he’s mad that I haven’t crawled into a hole and died. @LVRJ#LasVegas.”
Telles term is set to end on Jan 2, 2023.
During a Thursday court hearing, Clark County Judge Elana Lee Graham ruled Telles would be held without bail in the Clark County Detention Center, the Washington Post reported. Telles is scheduled to appear in court again on Tuesday.
