A Las Vegas official has been arrested after the murder of a veteran investigative reporter covering crime in the city.
Jeff German, 69, who worked for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, was found dead outside his home on Saturday morning.
On Wednesday night, Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles, 45, was arrested.
Telles, a Democrat, failed to win reelection after a series of stories written by German exposed the unrest in his office and claimed he was having an affair with an employee. His home was searched by the Las Vegas police just hours before his arrest.
By 6 p.m. Wednesday, the police had returned to Telles’ home in tactical gear and surrounded the house while Telles remained inside.
About 30 minutes later he was wheeled out of the house on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance, Las Vegas Review Journal reported.
Now DailyMail.com can reveal that Telles has been ranting against German for months, including in an angry series of social media posts accusing him of rummaging through his trash and writing “lying defamations” about him.
Robert Telles, right, was arrested Wednesday night after the murder of Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German, left. The couple was pictured together on May 11 in the office of Clark County’s public administrator Telles
Wednesday evening an ambulance is seen leaving Telles’ house
Jeff German, a Las Vegas Review Journal report, was found dead on Saturday. German, a crime reporter, was the author of the 2001 true crime book “Murder in Sin City: The Death of a Las Vegas Casino Boss,” the story of the death of Ted Binion, heir to the Horseshoe Club’s fortune.
Las Vegas Metropolitan police officers found journalist Jeff German (left) dead with stab wounds around 10:30 a.m. Saturday after authorities received a 911 call. They have now searched the home of Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles (right)
Telles’ house to be searched by police on Wednesday
Las Vegas Police Officers To Be Seen Outside Telles’ Home On Wednesday
He also had a section on his campaign website called “Truth,” which referred to German by name and accused him of conspiring with Rita Reid — his Democratic primary for the position of Clark County’s public administrator — to tell false stories about to create him.
Reid, who won the June 16 election, was among those who complained to German about Telles’ behavior at work — and his alleged affair with staffer Roberta Lee-Kennett, 45.
He also accused the pair of conspiring with John Cahill – his predecessor in the role – and claimed the trio was trying to “drag me through the mud” for their own gain.
Las Vegas police were seen outside Telles’ home, five days after the investigative reporter was murdered outside his home
Colleagues of German, from the Review Journal, snapped photos of Telles washing a car resembling one that police say was on the hunt as part of the investigation into the reporters’ deaths the day before they raided his home.
Telles, pictured cleaning another car, has had his house searched by officers investigating reporter’s murder
In an angry post on June 19 – three days after he lost the primaries – Telles wrote: “If Rita doesn’t win, her position won’t be released.
‘Then the employee who wanted her position won’t get it. This person wanted to work in that position for three years to get a much higher monthly payment upon retirement.
“That’s why Jeff German and John Cahill might not be done trying to drag me through the mud.
“In order for the Democrats to rally around Rita, they would have to turn most Democratic voters against me, even if I was irrelevant. Don’t be surprised if the articles keep coming.
“Through all of these articles, I’ve had the support of my family and friends.
“Despite what Jeff German and John Cahill did to me personally, I was sustained by love and support that helped me keep fighting for reelection. Even though I’ve lost, I still have that love and support.”
Telles had also launched a Twitter rant the day before, accusing German of rummaging through his trash, making a “veiled threat” against him and bullying.
One message read: ‘Looking forward to lying smear #4 by @JGermanRJ #onetrickpony. I think he’s mad I didn’t crawl into a hole and die.’
A second added: ‘Typical bully. I can’t take a pound of criticism after throwing 100 pounds of BS. On to article #4 now. You’d think he’d have better things to do.’
Telles also said he expected to be linked to the mafia and Yakuza [street gang] after leaving pizza and sushi boxes in the bin, before adding sarcastically: “*Woman hears a rustle in the bin* Her: “Honey, is there a wild animal in the bin?” Me: ‘No honey. Looks like @JGermanRJ is going through our trash for his fourth story about me.” Oh, Jeff…’
Telles accused reporter of writing several ‘defamation pieces’ against him after losing a re-election bid in June
German accused Telles (pictured with his wife) of having an ‘inappropriate relationship’ with a member of his staff
Police have released surveillance footage of a person wearing a sun hat and orange jacket close to the crime scene
Telles shares a $660,000 four-bedroom home with his wife Mae Ishmael, 45, and their three young children in the upscale Peccole Ranch area of Las Vegas.
The house was raided by police early Wednesday morning.
Police had already released images of a maroon GMC Yukon Denali from 2007 to 2013 that they believe was linked to the case.
A similar vehicle, shown on the floor plan of Telles’ home, was removed from the property by police, along with a gray BMW sedan.
Reportedly, Telles had returned to the property around 2 p.m. and was dressed in a hazmat suit, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.