Willie R. Tubbs, FISM News
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A local journalist who exposed a toxic work environment in the office of the Clark County (Nevada) Public Administrator might have been killed by the man he sought to hold up to public scrutiny.
As first reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, police arrested Robert Telles, 45, on suspicion of murder in the stabbing death of Review-Journal journalist Jeff German.
Police searched Telles’ home Wednesday morning and, per the Review-Journal’s report, returned later in the day to apprehend the county official, this time outfitted in tactical gear. Police surrounded Telles’ home, eventually placing him into custody, and wheeled Telles from his home on a stretcher.
“The morning search marked a stunning development in the police investigation because it indicated for the first time that the killing might be related to German’s work exposing public wrongdoing,” the Review-Journal report reads. “German’s investigation of Telles this year contributed to the Democrat’s primary election loss, and German was working on a potential follow-up story about Telles before he was killed.”
Telles, whose term in office ends in January, denies all allegations of wrongdoing.
German’s body was found at his residence on Saturday, which is about six miles from Telles’ home, but police say he was likely slain the day prior.
In one of the rare moments when journalists had no choice but to become central figures in a story they were covering, Review-Journal reporters assisted police in identifying Telles.
Police had twice previously released images in connection with their investigation. In one release, police shared the image of a red or maroon GMC Yukon Denali; in another, police showed a pair of still images in which a person clad in a bright-orange reflector jacket and a large straw hat carrying a duffel bag is shown apparently casing German’s home.
While the strangely dressed individual was not immediately identified, Review-Journal reporters noticed that Telles had a car matching the description in his driveway.
https://twitter.com/DavidsonLVRJ/status/1567540494582042626
This revelation sparked a series of events that led police to tow two of Telles’ vehicles, Review-Journal reporters seeking comment from a hazmat-suit-clad Telles to no avail, and Telles eventually being arrested.
Robert Telles just arrived at his house. Reporters asked him if he had any comment. I asked why police towed his vehicle. He had no comment. Story: https://t.co/3CSa7B4XeS pic.twitter.com/tgQ7JuI9BX
— Brett Clarkson (@BrettClarkson_) September 7, 2022
German had spent the better part of the last six months investigating allegations of bullying, mental abuse, and inappropriate workplace relationships in Telles’ office; and German appears to have been working on another installment in his series.
He had recently filed public records requests for emails and text messages between Telles and several other county officials, including the woman to whom Telles lost in the Democratic primary and a second woman with whom he is accused of having engaged in an inappropriate workplace relationship.
German’s reporting included footage an office employee secretly captured that allegedly showed Telles in the backseat of a car with another employee.
Telles had been critical of both German and the Review-Journal, including a letter posted to his campaign website that German reported had been received as a threat by Telles’ employees. Wednesday night, the Review-Journal posted a new article in which employees described being afraid of Telles.
It was lost on no one that German’s death carries a profound significance for the profession of journalism. While acts of violence against journalists are common in other parts of the world, journalism is typically seen as a fairly safe profession in America.
Still, even if isolated, an elected official allegedly attacking and killing a reporter over what was honest and thorough reporting is the type of crime that could, if true and not taken seriously, have immense negative repercussions.
“The arrest of Robert Telles is at once an enormous relief and an outrage for the Review-Journal newsroom,” Review-Journal Executive Editor Glenn Cook stated in an article. “We are relieved Telles is in custody and outraged that a colleague appears to have been killed for reporting on an elected official. Journalists can’t do the important work our communities require if they are afraid a presentation of facts could lead to violent retribution. We thank Las Vegas police for their urgency and hard work and for immediately recognizing the terrible significance of Jeff’s killing. Now, hopefully, the Review-Journal, the German family and Jeff’s many friends can begin the process of mourning and honoring a great man and a brave reporter. Godspeed, Jeff.”