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A former Nevada politician has been found guilty of first degree murder for the death of a journalist who wrote critical stories about his time in office.
Robert Telles, 47, has been jailed since 2022 for the stabbing of Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative journalist Jeff German. He has now been sentenced to 20 years to life.
DNA evidence on German's fingernails was linked back to Telles - who had pleaded not guilty.
Testimony in court came from dozens of witnesses, including detectives, forensic experts, those who knew the ex-politician, and Telles himself.
He alleged that he had been framed.
“This thing has been kind of a nightmare,” he said about a week into the trial. “I want to say unequivocally - I’m innocent. I didn’t kill Mr German."
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At one point during the trial, prosecutor Christopher Hamner asked the defendant to read a message showing that Telles’ wife wondered where he was about the time reporter Jeff German was ambushed and killed outside his home nearly two years ago.
“It says, ‘Where are you?’” Telles responded.
Telles testified earlier that he ignored several text, email and voice messages while he was at home, went for a walk and then to a gym the day German was killed.
A jury deliberated for two days before returning the verdict on Wednesday following two weeks of testimony.
"The jury unanimously finds the murder willful, deliberate and premeditated," juror number two told the court as Telles bowed his head.
In a press conference after the verdict was announced, Clark County District Attorney Steven Wolfson thanked the jury for their work on the case.
"Today's verdict should send a message, and that message is a clear message that any attempts to silence the media, or to silence or intimidate a journalist, will not be tolerated," Wolfson said.
A Brutal Murder
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police officers found German, 69, dead with stab wounds back in 2022 after authorities received a 911 call.
German died of “multiple sharp force injuries” in a homicide, the Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner said at the time.
Authorities theorized German was in an altercation with another person that led to the stabbing.
“We believe the altercation took place outside of the home,” Capt. Dori Koren, a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department spokesman, said at a news conference after German was found dead. “We do have some leads. We are pursuing a suspect but the suspect is outstanding.”
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