A jury found former Las Vegas-area Democratic politician Robert Telles guilty of murdering investigative journalist Jeff German on Wednesday. Telles, 47, was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years.

Side by side of how Robert Telles was walking & how he was walking on the day of the murder of the late Jeff German on 9/2/2022. + Today is the late Jeff German’s heavenly birthday. He would have been 71. pic.twitter.com/jaoWs1FR3W

— .•.LittleLeigh.•. (@LittleLeighXoxo) August 23, 2024

Jurors began deliberating Monday, weighing whether Telles had fatally stabbed veteran journalist German in September 2022. German had published critical stories about Telles, including allegations of inappropriate workplace conduct and a romantic relationship with a female coworker, which contributed to Telles losing his Democratic primary bid for a second term as Clark County Public Administrator, reports the Review Journal.

BREAKING: Robert Telles, the former elected Clark County Public Administrator, was found guilty Wednesday of murdering Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German.
UPDATES: https://t.co/Mp5kCzdZka pic.twitter.com/36Fopw9w5p

— Las Vegas Review-Journal (@reviewjournal) August 28, 2024

The jury of seven women and five men deliberated for about four hours on Monday and another six hours on Tuesday after a two-week trial. During closing arguments, prosecutor Christopher Hamner emphasized that German was not finished investigating Telles, suggesting that the continued scrutiny drove Telles to murder the journalist.

Hamner argued that Telles blamed German for destroying his career, reputation, and possibly his marriage. “He murdered him because Jeff’s writing destroyed his career. It destroyed his reputation. It threatened probably his marriage. Exposed things that even he admitted he did not want the public to know,” Hamner said.

Defense attorney Robert Draskovich countered that the prosecution had not met the legal standard required for a conviction and reiterated Telles’ claim that he was being framed. Telles maintained his innocence throughout the trial, asserting he was targeted for fighting corruption. “Proof beyond a reasonable doubt is the highest standard in this country,” Draskovich said according to Fox News Digital. “It’s not presumption. Preponderance of the evidence. It’s not clear and convincing. It’s proof beyond reasonable doubt.”

🚨🇺🇸FORMER NEVADA PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR GETS LIFE FOR MURDER OF REPORTER

A Las Vegas jury sentenced Robert Telles, ex-Clark County public administrator, to life with parole eligibility after 20 years for the 2022 murder of journalist Jeff German.

German had reported on Telles'… pic.twitter.com/ZJvZ2JIjA3

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) August 29, 2024

German was killed just a day after Telles learned that Clark County officials were about to release emails and text messages between him and the female coworker in response to German’s public records request. Telles was accused of “lying in wait” outside German’s home, where he fatally attacked him. He was arrested days later after surveillance footage showed a person matching his description near German’s home on the day of the murder.

Key evidence included DNA believed to be from Telles found under German’s fingernails and items found at Telles’ home, including cut-up pieces of a straw hat and shoes resembling those worn by the person seen in the surveillance video. However, the orange work shirt and knife used in the attack were never recovered.

During the trial, the jury was shown hundreds of photos from Telles’ devices, including images of German’s home, neighborhood, and personal details obtained through internet searches. The prosecution presented a timeline of Telles’ movements on the day of the murder, showing his maroon SUV near German’s home.

Although Telles denied involvement, prosecutors painted a picture of a politician desperate to silence a journalist whose reporting had upended his career. The prosecution opted not to seek the death penalty, and Telles will have the possibility of parole after serving 20 years of his life sentence.