A Nevada Democratic official has been arrested and listed as a suspect in the stabbing death of a journalist.
Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles was taken into custody at his home by a SWAT unit on Wednesday in connection to the death of Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German.
On Wednesday night, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police tweeted, “The suspect in the homicide that occurred on September 2, 2022, has been taken into custody.”
The suspect in the homicide that occurred on September 2, 2022, has been taken into custody.
— LVMPD (@LVMPD) September 8, 2022
The arrest came a day after the police released a picture of a suspect and the suspect’s vehicle — which was a red GMC Yukon Denali.
The suspect was seen wearing an orange reflection shirt with a large straw hat.
After the picture was released on Tuesday, the Journal-Review, where German had worked since 2010, shared a picture of Telles at his home standing next to a vehicle that matched the description of the picture released by the police.
The paper notes that Telles’ home is less than six miles from where German was found dead.
On Wednesday, police interviewed Telles while his home was searched.
When he returned to his home, reporters tried to question him, but he did not answer questions. And a video showed he was wearing what appeared to be a white hazmat suit and sandals.
Robert Telles just arrived at his house. Reporters asked him if he had any comment. I asked why police towed his vehicle. He had no comment. Story: https://t.co/3CSa7B4XeS pic.twitter.com/tgQ7JuI9BX
— Brett Clarkson (@BrettClarkson_) September 7, 2022
Telles lost his June primary, and his term expires in December.
Before the primary, Politico notes German had published several reports “about an office ‘mired in turmoil and internal dissension’ between longtime employees and new hires under Telles’ leadership.”
Telles had posted several tweets in June attacking the journalist for his reports.
“Looking forward to lying smear piece #4 by [German].[one trick pony] I think he’s mad that I haven’t crawled into a hole and died,” he wrote.
https://twitter.com/RobTellesLV/status/1538186529238986752
Police said German was killed Friday and the Clark County coroner found that he died from “multiple sharp force injuries.”