Robert Telles is the elected public administrator for Clark County, Nevada, which includes Las Vegas. (screenshot from KLAS-TV in Las Vegas)
Las Vegas police investigating the alleged murder of a prominent investigative journalist raided the home today of a top-ranked public official who’d been the subject of several articles before losing a primary election in June.
Police confirmed they were serving search warrants Wednesday morning, including in the area where Jeff German, a veteran reporter with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, was found dead of stab wounds Saturday.
Police released surveillance video and still images on Tuesday showing a person wearing a large straw hat and bright orange reflector jacket while carrying a large bag, as well as vehicle they believe is linked to the suspect, a 2007 to 2014 red or maroon GMC Yukon Denali with a sunroof and chrome handles.
This person is a possible suspect in the alleged murder of investigative journalist Jeff German, according to Las Vegas police. (screenshot from Vegas police video)
Police said that the suspect appeared to have been “potentially casing the area to commit other crimes before the homicide occurred,” but Wednesday’s searches included the home of Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles, who German had reported on extensively for the Review-Journal.
Telles, an attorney licensed to practice in Nevada, mentioned German in a tweet on June 22, saying he was “Looking forward to lying smear piece #4” by German and adding, “I think he’s mad that I haven’t crawled into a hole and died.”
The tweet was sent the day Telles, a Democrat, conceded his loss in the primary election. German’s reporting on the problems in Telles’ office continued after the primary, with the Review-Journal reporting he’d “recently filed public records requests for emails and text messages between Telles and three other county officials,” one of whom had been identified as having an inappropriate relationship with Telles.
Telles had tweeted about German several times previously, including a June 17 tweet asking if the Review-Journal knows he “may be doing double duty on their dime?” and asking, “Do they know he basically made a veiled threat to make me take down my site with the truth after I already lost the election?”
Telles included a screenshot of a text exchange with German in which German told him he was putting together “another story on your office” regarding a letter Telles posted on his campaign website about hostile work allegations.
“Employees view that as a threat of retaliation and have reported it to Human Resources. I would like to get your comments on that, as well as your take on the election results so far. I would need something from you this afternoon,” German wrote.
Telles is set to leave office in January.
(Image: screenshot from KLAS-TV in Las Vegas)