5 key details about Jeff German’s murder

Jeff German, a veteran journalist with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, was found dead on September 3, 2022. At the time of his reported assassination, he was investigating the accusations of workplace harassment by Robert Telles, an elected Clark County public administrator.

The CBS show 48 Hours, aired an episode, The Assassination of Jeff German, which revisited the brutal murder. This episode first aired on February 17, 2024. It was re-broadcast on August 18, 2024, on Investigation Discovery.

Almost two years after his death, Jeff German's murder trial is underway.

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DNA evidence, CCTV footage, and more: 5 details about Jeff German’s murder

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Knife (Image sourced from Unsplash)

1) The method of the attack

On September 2, 2022, German was reportedly ambushed and fatally stabbed in broad daylight. The 69-year-old, who lived alone, was found dead the next day by his neighbors who went to check on him after they failed to reach him and noticed that the garage door remained open all day.

Back in September 2022, CNN reported that Robert Telles, an elected Clark County public administrator, emerged as a person of interest early into the investigation. The 47-year-old politician had previously written threatening messages against Jeff German on social media. He was eventually charged with the murder of Jeff German.

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2) DNA match and evidence collected

The forensic analysis matched Telles' DNA with the tissue found under German's fingernails. Telles also had a nasty cut on one of his fingers, suggesting that he may have used a sharp weapon recently.

As per the Guardian, other important evidence collected from Telles' house included a wide-brimmed straw hat that was cut into pieces and stuffed into a shopping bag. Police also found a pair of shoes that were hidden under a sofa. The shoes and the hat matched the suspect's attire who was recorded walking to and from German’s house at the time of the murder.

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3) Surveillance footage revelation

Surveillance footage allegedly captured Robert Telles in the vicinity of Jeff German’s home shortly before the murder occurred. The video showed Telles walking in the neighborhood dressed in a wide-brimmed straw hat and a reflective orange jacket.

Security video footage also captured a maroon GMC Yukon Denali in the area. The Guardian reported that a day after the murder, Telles was seen washing an identical Yukon Denali in his driveway.

As per the British daily, this security footage is being used by the prosecution to seemingly determine Telles' presence in the area and establish a precise timeline of his movements immediately before and after the murder took place.

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4) What German's reporting revealed about Telles

Knife (Image sourced from Unsplash)

German's articles accused Robert Telles of creating a toxic work environment which included bullying, harassment, and having an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate.

The Guardian reported that four of the women that German interviewed during his reporting went on to file a lawsuit against Telles and the county. In the lawsuit, they claimed that Telles forbade employees from talking to each other, made s*xual advances to several women, and punished those who resisted the alleged mistreatment.

These reports were detrimental to Telles' career and reputation and created a clear motive for wanting to silence German.

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5) Telles maintains innocence

Robert Telles has pleaded not guilty to the murder charges. As per WFMJ-TV, the former Clark County public official claims that he is being framed by a compromised police investigation. Defense attorney Robert Draskovich told the jury that he intends to prove that the DNA evidence against his client is tainted and that key evidence such as the straw hat may have been planted in Telles's home.

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Robert Telles is currently under trial for the murder of Jeff German. WFMJ-TV, reported that if convicted, he could face lifetime imprisonment