The Murder Of Jeff German (10/17/25)

Investigative journalist Jeff German—known for exposing corruption and political misconduct in Las Vegas—was brutally murdered outside his home on September 2, 2022. The 69-year-old Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter had spent decades covering organized crime and public corruption and was working on stories about the Clark County Public Administrator’s Office at the time of his death. His final investigations focused on Robert Telles, the elected county official accused of workplace bullying, favoritism, and having an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate. Within days of the murder, police matched DNA found under German’s fingernails to Telles and recovered surveillance footage showing a man in a straw hat and bright clothing approaching German’s property just before the attack. The evidence painted a picture of premeditation — an attempt to silence a journalist who had exposed his misconduct and cost him re-election.

In August 2024, Robert Telles was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years, plus an additional eight years for use of a deadly weapon and for the victim’s age, bringing his minimum sentence to 28 years. The case shocked the nation, symbolizing one of the rare but chilling instances of an American journalist being killed for his reporting. The Review-Journal fought to protect German’s journalistic materials after police seized his devices during the investigation, arguing it violated press protections. Civil liberties groups and news organizations have since cited the murder as a grim reminder of the growing hostility toward journalists exposing political corruption—and the dangers of unchecked power at the local level.


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