Las Vegas police had surveillance video of journalist’s killing, report says

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Las Vegas Metropolitan Police had surveillance video of a journalist’s murder, according to a newly obtained arrest report.

Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles, 45, faces a murder charge after the stabbing death of Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German, 69. German was found deceased outside his home on Sept. 3.

According to an arrest report, German was found with seven stab wounds, including at least one to his neck. Police quickly identified German as an investigative reporter at the RJ.

Police collected surveillance video from a neighboring home. According to an arrest report, a suspect in a straw hat and reflective orange shirt is seen walking east and arriving at German’s property around 11:18 a.m. Sept. 2. The suspect walked directly to west side of property and appeared to breach a pedestrian gate, the report said.

Within several minutes, the garage door opens and German walks out to the west of the home, the report said.

“[German] approached the pedestrian gate and was immediately attacked,” police said. German reportedly fell to ground “and never got back up,” the report said.

“The suspect stood up and calmly walked east, away from [German’s] residence,” police said in the report.

About six minutes later, a maroon GMC Denali parked directly in front of the home. The suspect exited the vehicle and reapproached the area where German was, looking for something, police said in the report.

The suspect then got back in driver’s seat and drove away, police said. The Denali didn’t have a license plate.

On Sept. 4, LVMPD collected unknown DNA from German’s fingernails during his autopsy. The next day, LVMPD received anonymous tips that Telles was mad about German’s recent reporting. German reported on a hostile workplace environment under Telles at the Clark County Public Administrator’s Office, an elected position. LVMPD said German was also working on forthcoming reporting on Telles.

On Sept. 6, police released pictures of the suspect vehicle during a news conference. Additional callers told LVMPD that Telles and his wife owned the same make and model vehicle as seen in the photos. Then, LVMPD received pics of Telles’ vehicle in the driveway.

LVMPD responded to Telles’ home, the arrest report said. Telles was seen looking at his vehicle, then he went inside and his phone “[stopped] receiving signal,” the report said. Then police observed Telles exiting his home and start washing his car, the report said. Police said Telles’ phone turned on a short time later.

Detectives found more video that showed Telles left his neighborhood in the Denali around 9:12 a.m the day of the killing and was seen coming back around 11:51 a.m. Telles’ wife told police that she couldn’t get ahold of Telles at that time. Police said this corroborated that Telles left his cell phone at home when he left to kill German, the report said.

On Sept. 7, LVMPD obtained a search warrant for Telles’ car and home. Police conducted a vehicle stop on Telles near Charleston and Hualapai around 6:20 a.m. and Telles was detained. Police then got a saliva sample from Telles for DNA. The DNA was later confirmed to be a match for the DNA found under German’s nails, LVMPD said in the report.

Police collected shoes and a hat from Telles’ home. Police said they believe Telles wore these items “to conceal his identity and avoid implication in the murder,” the report said.

Telles was at his home when LVMPD went to take him into custody, the report said.

“After contact with Telles, he refused to exit the house and made suicidal statements,” the arrest report said. LVMPD ultimately took Telles into custody.

When Telles was arrested, he had superficial wounds to his arms and police said there was “possible ingestion of narcotics,” the report said. Telles was taken to University Medical Center for treatment.

Telles’ next court appearance was set for Tuesday morning.

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