Vegas politician gets life in prison for murdering reporter
Monique Merrill
(CN) — Robert Telles, the former Las Vegas politician found guilty of fatally stabbing an investigative reporter outside of his home, will face at least 28 years in prison before the possibility of parole, a Clark County judge ruled Wednesday.
Judge Michelle Leavitt added eight years of enhancements to Telles’ sentence, which the jury set at life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years.
After deliberating for 12 hours over three days in August, the jury found Telles guilty of first-degree murder with use of a deadly weapon on a victim aged 60 or older: Jeff German, a longtime reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Before sentencing, Leavitt heard from the defense, prosecution, Telles and a family member of German.
“We lost a brother, we lost an uncle, a friend, a leader,” Jay German, Jeff German’s brother, said. “We’re still in shock.”
The brother told the judge the family is nervous about their safety should Telles be released in just 20 years.
Addressing the court and German’s family, Telles expressed sympathy and continued to deny killing the investigative reporter.
“I did not kill Mr. German,” Telles said. “My deepest sympathies to the family — I wish them well as they navigate the rest of this tragedy.”
Telles’ trial spanned nearly two weeks in August as the jury heard from a litany of police, experts and even Telles himself.
German was 69 when he was found stabbed to death outside his home over Labor Day weekend in 2022. The reporter had published a series of critical articles about Telles and his leadership as Clark County Public Administrator.
In the months leading to his murder, German had requested internal communications between Telles and a staff member with whom he was accused of having an inappropriate relationship. During his three days of testimony, Telles admitted to having an affair with the employee — and to lying to German about the affair in a May 2022 interview.
Telles was notified the day before German was stabbed to death that his communications with the staff member were going to be released to the reporter.
For his defense, Telles attempted to convince the jury he was the target of a vast conspiracy orchestrated by a local real estate company and involving coordinated efforts from law enforcement, forensic investigators and embittered colleagues.
Prosecutors argued that the evidence unequivocally placed Telles at the scene of the crime and that he was motivated by a deep resentment and desire for revenge against German.
“Who’s the one that wouldn’t want another article written about him engaging in an affair?” Prosecutor Chris Hammer asked during closing statements in August. “He’s the only one that would have a stake in making sure that article never got written.”
The jury agreed and set Telles’ sentence at life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years hearing from family members of both German and Telles directly following the verdict in late August.
German’s siblings told the jury about the dedicated family man their older brother was when he was alive and shared family photos from over the years.
“Jeff loved his family. He loves spending time with his nieces and nephews,” Julie Smith, German’s sister told the court.
German grew up in Wisconsin and came out to Las Vegas when he was offered a job, his family said. The rest of the siblings ended up following him to be together.
“He just seemed to be the core of our family ever since my parents were gone,” Smith said.
The siblings said German was a shrewd investigative reporter who had no interest in retiring despite his age. His brother had hoped they could spend their later years golfing together, but that dream was cut short.
“It’s been very stressful over the past couple of years. I wouldn’t want anybody to go through this,” Jay German told the court. “It was devastating to the family.”
Telles’ family urged the jury to think not only of German’s family, but also of Telles’ children.
“I would love, at some point, to give my children the chance to have their father back,” Maryann Isamel, Telles’s wife, said.
His mother, addressing the jury directly, implored them not to choose the harshest penalty, which is life without parole.
“I ask you to please, I accept the verdict, and if you could please give my son a chance at parole,” Rosalinda Anaya said. “His family is still very young and I would like for him someday to be back with them again.”