Las Vegas Dem accused of killing journalist said in 2020 arrest wife acted like he was going to ‘kill’ her

Clark County, Nevada, Public Administrator Robert Telles, who was charged last week in connection with the Aug. 3 murder of an investigative journalist, can be heard saying his wife acted like he was “going to kill her” during a 2020 arrest caught on police body camera footage.

Las Vegas police arrested Telles, 45, after they released photos of the suspect in journalist Robert German’s killing and the suspect’s vehicle, which matched a description of the vehicle Telles was seen driving before German’s death.

In the video captured during his March 1, 2020, arrest over a domestic incident in which he allegedly choked his wife, a drunken Telles repeatedly says he loves his wife and family and would never hurt them, according to FOX5 Las Vegas. 

At one point, however, he says his wife was “acting like” he was “going to f—ing kill her.”

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The public administrator repeatedly tells police in the video that he is a “public official.”

“Why are you taking me down? I haven’t touched anybody. I haven’t hurt anybody. This is a civil rights violation,” Telles can be heard saying to police in 2020 body camera footage obtained by FOX5.

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He says later on: “I am so not, like, somebody who’s embarrassing. I’m a public official. …I’m not trying to, like, be an a–hole or a jerk.”

At one point, he tells an officer to contact an official with the Clark County Detention Center (CCDC) to “vouch” for him.

Police in the video can be heard saying Telles was accused of choking his wife near the Bellagio hotel. When an officer suggests that his wife might have been upset with Telles’ drunken state, he tells the cop: “Honestly, I’ve been drunker. I’ve been drunker than this, chief.”

The case was closed on March 30, 2020, and Telles was ordered to complete a class, according to FOX5.

Two years later, Telles was accused of killing German, a journalist with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, who had uncovered potential wrongdoing in Telles’ office. The public administrator was “upset” about additional pending reports, police said after Telles’ arrest.

The 45-year-old Democratic city official is charged with open murder and is currently detained in the Clark County Detention Center.

Police on Tuesday released a photo of the suspect in German’s killing wearing a bright orange jacket, a large straw hat, black pants and gray sneakers. After Telles’ arrest, authorities revealed that they recovered a cut-up straw hat and cut-up gray sneakers with blood stains from Telles’ home during their investigation into German’s murder. Police said they also found Telles’ DNA at the scene of the crime.

LVMPD is still processing other evidence in the case. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section by phone at 702-828-7777, or email at homicide@lvmpd.com. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 702-385-5555, or on the internet at www.crimestoppersofnv.com.