Nevada Politician’s DNA Found At Murder Site Of Reporter Who Exposed Scandals

Topline

Las Vegas police found the DNA of embattled Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles at the murder scene of Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German, who covered turmoil in Telles’ office, police said Thursday, one day after the politician was arrested and charged with murder.

Key Facts

Crucial Quote

“Every murder is tragic, but the killing of a journalist is particularly troublesome,” Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo said at a news conference Thursday.

Key Background

German’s body was discovered outside of his home Saturday morning, after police said he was stabbed to death in an altercation the day before. Telles was arrested Wednesday night and booked on a murder charge following a raid at his home, and was wheeled out of his house on a stretcher and placed into an ambulance due to an apparent self-inflicted injury, according to the Los Angeles Times. He did not speak to reporters gathered at his home Wednesday who spotted him wearing a hazmat suit for unknown reasons. A major breakthrough in the investigation came when an SUV was spotted in Telles’ driveway matching the description of a vehicle believed to be tied to the murder. German, 69, spent 40 years as a reporter and was working an investigative beat prior to his death. In May, he published a story documenting several scandals in Telles’ office, including bullying and an “inappropriate relationship” Telles had with a staffer. Telles’ top deputy defeated him in June’s Democratic primary for county public administrator, just weeks after the story broke.

Further Reading

Nevada Official’s Home Raided After Reporter Who Exposed Scandals Was Killed, Report Says (Forbes)

Embattled county official concedes race, remains combative (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

County office in turmoil with secret video and claims of bullying, hostility (Las Vegas Review-Journal)