Robert Telles charged with murder in stabbing death of journalist Jeff German

In a shocking turn of events, the murder of investigative reporter Jeff German in Las Vegas took a stunning twist when police arrested a sitting public official who had previously been the subject of German's reports on alleged misconduct.

At the Las Vegas Review-Journal, where German was employed, the staff faced the daunting task of covering the monumental story while grappling with the loss of their colleague.

The news of German's death came as a devastating blow. "Sheriff tells me, 'Jeff's dead.' And it's just a punch in the face," shared executive editor Glenn Cook. He admitted that the possibility of German being murdered hadn't crossed his mind amidst his grief.

However, Rhonda Prast, the head of the paper's investigative unit, grew apprehensive when homicide detectives announced a briefing in German's neighborhood.

German's lifeless body was found outside his house, bearing seven stab wounds, including four to the neck.

Cook disclosed that there was a lengthy list of individuals who could have been associated with German's killing. "It's a line of people from here to Los Angeles," he remarked. "He covered a ton of bad people who did a lot of bad things."

For over four decades, German fearlessly pursued gangsters, exposed public corruption, and shed light on the dark underbelly concealed beneath the neon facade of Sin City.

Prast harbored suspicions about the potential perpetrator of German's murder—Clark County public administrator Robert Telles. Though the position itself was a low-profile role responsible for managing wills and estates, German's investigations revealed alleged bullying of employees and an inappropriate relationship involving Telles. Last May, Telles denied the allegations of impropriety and mistreatment made against him in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Nevertheless, he subsequently lost in his primary bid for reelection.

Law enforcement authorities released a video capturing the suspect, dressed in orange attire, donning a wide-brimmed sun hat and gloves, walking in German's neighborhood on the morning of his death.

In a striking revelation, individuals within the newsroom noted a remarkable similarity in the suspect's gait compared to footage the paper possessed of Telles walking down a hallway. "It's an 'Oh my God' moment for people in the newsroom," Cook recounted.

The investigation intensified when the police appealed to the public for assistance in locating a maroon GMC Yukon, believed to be the suspect's vehicle. A tipster shared a social media post with Review-Journal staff, suggesting that the Yukon could belong to Telles.

Reporters turned to an unexpected tool—Google Maps—to search for Telles' home address. To their astonishment, they discovered a maroon GMC Yukon parked in the driveway.

Amidst their collective shock, reporters and photographers from the Review-Journal embarked on a stakeout in Telles' neighborhood. Multimedia journalist James Schaeffer described the situation as absurd—an investigation into the death of their own colleague unfolding before their eyes.

Following a search of Telles' residence, the authorities claimed to have found a mutilated sun hat and bloodstained sneakers. They further asserted that DNA evidence recovered from the crime scene matched that of Telles.

"It's a hell of a story," Cook admitted. "A sitting elected official being a person of interest in the murder of an investigative reporter in the United States—it's unbelievable."

Five days after German's tragic killing, Telles was arrested. The Las Vegas Review-Journal's front-page headline captured the stunning arrest in the "murder of a journalist."

"We will have a hole in our newsroom," lamented crime reporter Sabrina Schnur. "I don't think our city will ever grasp how much he did. But our newsroom will."

Telles now faces murder charges and is yet to enter a plea in court.