Former Vegas politician Robert Telles found guilty of stabbing murder of reporter

When the verdict was read, Telles stood with his hands folded in front of his chest and his head bowed.

The judge dismissed the jury and announced that the sentencing phase of the trial would begin later Wednesday afternoon.

The jury, consisting of seven women and five men, deliberated for four hours on Monday, about six hours on Tuesday and two hours on Wednesday before reaching its verdict.

Telles is a former Clark County clerk who is accused of stabbing German because Telles was angry about the reporter's articles. Telles lost a primary election after the articles appeared.

Prosecutors presented about two dozen witnesses and used video and physical evidence, including DNA found under German's fingernails, to prove that Telles killed the reporter.

Telles took the stand in his own defense and testified that he believed the DNA evidence had been tampered with.

In court, he said he was not happy with the articles German had written, but stated, “I don't know if I ever hated him.”

Telles claimed that colleagues, real estate agents and business owners framed him for the murder because he allegedly tried to root out corruption while serving as a public administrator.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter was found stabbed to death outside his Las Vegas home on September 3, 2022.

He had published articles detailing allegations of bullying and favoritism by the office headed by Telles.

Among the evidence the jury considered was surveillance video showing someone wearing bright orange clothing and a straw hat entering German's yard and “ambushing” the reporter.

German was attacked as he opened his garage and entered the yard. Another video shows the person dressed in orange getting into a maroon SUV that resembles the one owned by the Telles family.

Glenn Cook, editor of the Review-Journal, said at the time of the arrest: “The arrest of Robert Telles is both a tremendous relief and a scandal for the Review-Journal editorial board. We are relieved that Telles is in custody and outraged that a colleague was apparently killed for covering an elected official.”