There’s a sense that this could be an upcoming episode of Law and Order, which does glean storyline material from current events. In this case, we must go to Las Vegas, Nevada, where an investigative reporter who has covered the city for four decades was found dead from stab wounds last Saturday morning. The victim was Jeff German, who worked for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He also had a podcast, Mobbed Up, and was considered the “gold standard” of journalism by his boss, executive editor Glenn Cook. Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak even tweeted his condolences to the German family, noting that Jeff was a tough but fair reporter.
The events surrounding German’s death involve a series of stories he wrote about local politician Robert Telles, the public administrator for Clark County. German wrote how Telles, an attorney by trade, had a toxic work environment, an inappropriate relationship with a staffer, and exhibited gross mismanagement. Telles had vociferously denied the allegations, chalking up the “bullying” allegations to disgruntled ex-employees. He had engaged German on social media about his pieces. Telles lost his primary in June and must look for a new job at the end of his term, which expires in January.
Las Vegas Metro Police confirm they are executing a search warrant at the home of Clark County Administrator Robert Telles in connection with the murder of Review-Journal reporter Jeff German, who had written several pieces on him, leading to a primary loss in June.
— David Charns (@davidcharns) September 7, 2022
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
The Guardian reported that law enforcement believes an altercation occurred outside German’s home before his death. Police released a description of a vehicle of interest seen in the neighborhood on the day German was killed. It matched the one driven by Mr. Telles. Police searched his home Wednesday and later arrested him on suspicion of murder (via The Guardian):
NEW: @LVMPD arrested Clark County Administrator Robert Telles on suspicion of murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of our colleague @reviewjournal investigative reporter Jeff German. https://t.co/qcCh1ZM5qw
— Lorraine Longhi ?? (@lolonghi) September 8, 2022
Four days after the investigative journalist Jeff German was found dead outside his Las Vegas home, police have arrested a local official who had been the focus of German’s reporting, on suspicion of murder, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
Robert Telles, an elected official who serves as the Clark county public administrator, was was wheeled out of his home on a stretcher and put into an ambulance about 6pm, just hours after officials had searched Telles’s home, according to the Review Journal.
[…]
Hours after Las Vegas police released an image of a vehicle linked to the suspect in German’s stabbing, Las Vegas Review-Journal journalists “spotted Telles in the driveway of his home with a vehicle matching that description”, the newspaper reported. They observed the vehicle outside Telles’s house again on Wednesday morning.
The Las Vegas police department confirmed in a statement early on Wednesday that it “is currently serving search warrants” related to a homicide investigation, but said that it would not provide any further information “at this time”. The department released a photo of a suspect in the case, a person wearing a large hat and clothing covering their entire body.
Authorities did not immediately respond to messages and emails seeking comment on Telles’s arrest.
There’s that saying that ‘whatever happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.’ I’m confident that doesn’t involve allegedly stabbing people to death. When that happens, everyone in Vegas and the nation will know.
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