Robert Telles trial verdict: former politician found GUILTY of fatally stabbing Las Vegas journalist Jeff German

Robert Telles, the Las Vegas politician accused of fatally stabbing a journalist who wrote unflattering articles about him, has been found guilt of first-degree murder at his blockbuster trial. 

Telles, 47, looked somber in court as he donned a gray suit, white button down and yellow tie Wednesday as a jury of seven women and five men found him guilty of fatally stabbing Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German, 69. 

German was found dead in September 2022, after writing a series of stories about Telles, a former Clark County Public Administrator, including reporting on an alleged affair between him and a staffer. 

Telles was arrested when his DNA was found under German's fingernails. He has maintained his innocence throughout his two years in custody and has reiterated he was framed. 

During the eight day trial, jurors listed to testimonies from dozen of witnesses, detectives, forensic experts, and Telles himself. His attorney, Robert Draskovich told the Review-Journal that the multi-day deliberation was 'clearly to benefit the defense.'

German had published a series of articles accusing Telles, a father-of-three, of having an affair with staffer Roberta Lee-Kennett, 45, and for facilitating a toxic workplace. 

According to prosecutors, Telles allegedly walked into German's side yard at 11.18am on September 3 and waited five minutes before the reporter emerged from his home. 

When German walked out, he was immediately attacked and stabbed to death. 

Police say they discovered Telles' DNA in German's fingernails, spotted his car near the victim's home and collected clothing that matched the description of the killer inside Telles' home. 

Those clothes - namely tennis shoes and a straw hat - had been cut up by the time they were recovered from Telles' home.

Telles pled not guilty, but Lee-Kennett told police that Telles was 'very upset and angry' with German over his reporting, with his re-election campaign nearing its end, which officials believe as his motive. 

Telles maintained that he was framed in a 90-minute plea to the jury last week, adding that the ordeal had 'been a nightmare, frankly.'

Unequivocally, I am innocent,' he said. 'I did not kill Mr. German.'

'I'm a little nervous. This is a day I've been waiting for for nearly two years,' Telles told the jury last Wednesday. 

Telles had to be by the judge to stick to his 'personal knowledge and the facts' rather than express theories and opinion.

He argued that German's injuries, based on what he saw in the photos, must have been the result of someone 'with some kind of training'.' 

'I'm not personally combat trained,' Telles said.

Telles argued he has been 'set up,' and that he 'started to get really scared' when the thought of being framed first occurred to him.

One of the first similarities he said he noticed was the cars. Telles' car - a red GMC - matched the vehicle seen on surveillance near the victim's home.

After the incident, Telles was seen outside of his home washing his car.

Speaking to the jury last week, he said his decision to wash his cars was 'just to take his mind off things.'

He said the surveillance image police released of the car in question had different rims than his, meaning it was 'clearly not my vehicle.'