A Nevada politician has been found guilty of murdering journalist Jeff German

A former Nevada politician has been found guilty of manslaughter in the death of a journalist who covered critical stories about his time in office.

Robert Telles, 47, has been jailed since 2022 for stabbing Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German.

During the trial, prosecutors presented the judge with DNA evidence found under Mr German’s fingernails which they said belonged to Telles – who pleaded not guilty.

A jury of 12 returned the guilty verdict on Wednesday, after deliberating for two days.

Telles, who was elected as Clark County’s public administrator in 2018, was silent in court Wednesday when the judge called the jury.

He bowed his head when the verdict was read.

Telles is now awaiting sentencing and could face up to life in prison.

The seven women and five men who made up the jury deliberated for about 12 hours, starting Monday, before the panel reached its conclusion.

The case had dragged on for two weeks.

The testimony in court came from many witnesses, including detectives, intelligence experts, those who knew the former politician and Telles himself.

He stated that he was framed.

“This thing was a nightmare,” he said a week into the trial. “I want to say frankly – I am innocent. I did not kill Mr. German.”

In September 2022, Mr German, 69, was found after being stabbed seven times in the neck and stomach outside his home in Nevada.

Prosecutors accused Telles of killing Mr. German because of unsavory articles the reporter had written about his conduct as an elected official.

One alleges that Telles had an “inappropriate” relationship with a member of his staff, and many others allege misconduct in his Las Vegas office.

Telles lost his second term as mayor in 2022 after German news was published in the Las Vegas Review-Journal before the election.

Security footage obtained by the police was shown in court showing Mr German’s attacker wearing a big hat and sneakers outside the journalist’s home.

Authorities later found remains of similar objects in Telles’ home, although they had been cut up.

The prosecutor revealed that it was Telles who appeared in the surveillance video saying that he was hiding in the woods outside Mr. German’s house and tried to suppress the evidence.

Telles’ lawyers argued that different evidence was planted at the former politician’s home as part of an effort to frame their client. They argued that Mr German’s writings were “motivation for murder”.

But prosecutors shared DNA evidence, a timeline and video of Telles’ SUV driving through streets near Mr. German’s home shortly before he was killed. The driver of the car is wearing the same clothes as the person seen in the security footage.

Speaking to reporters outside court Wednesday, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson was pleased with the judge’s decision.

“The judge hit the ball out of the park this time,” he said. “Drive them home for getting the right decision.”

A veteran journalist, Mr. German has spent more than four decades covering the city and corruption.

He had one article to publish about Telles when he died.

Glenn Cook, editor-in-chief of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, issued a statement saying “the judge delivered some measure of justice” to Mr. German with his decision.

“Jeff (German) was killed for doing the kind of work he was most proud of: His reporting held an elected official accountable for misconduct and empowered voters to elect someone else to the job.”