3 takeaways from Day 4 of Robert Telles trial

Eight witnesses, including detectives, a medical examiner and former associates of the defendant, testified during the fourth day of the murder trial for a man accused of killing Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German.

Former Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles, 47, faces one count of murder with a deadly weapon against a victim 60 or older. Telles is accused of killing German over articles the journalist had written about Telles’ conduct as an elected official and about allegations of turmoil within the county office.

Here are three key takeaways from the day’s testimony:

Cross-examination of detective

Former Metropolitan Police Department homicide detective Cliff Mogg faced cross-examination from Telles’ defense attorney, Robert Draskovich.

Mogg said that as he analyzed surveillance video that captured the suspect’s maroon Yukon Denali in German’s neighborhood, he zeroed in on the rear lift gate, where a license plate should have been. When the vehicle was spotted near German’s home, that area of the SUV appeared dark. In footage showing the vehicle drive away, Mogg noticed a white spot on the back of the SUV, matching what appeared to be a specialty plate on the same Denali parked in Telles’ driveway when investigators arrived at his home.

“You’re drawing that conclusion based on this image?” Draskovich asked.

“Oh no,” the detective said. “I was present for the execution of a search warrant at Mr. Telles’ residence where several items of evidence were recovered. That absolutely confirmed my belief that Mr. Telles’ vehicle was the one used in the commission of Jeffrey German’s murder.”

A distinct gait and a familiar vehicle

Real estate agent Zackary Schilling, who helped sell homes through the public administrator’s office, testified that he first met Telles in 2020.

After German’s killing, police publicized images of the suspect walking on a sidewalk near the reporter’s home and the Denali driving away.

Schilling recognized the suspect’s walk, his shoes and the vehicle.

“Boy that really looks like somebody I know,” Schilling remembered thinking.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Christopher Hamner asked: “Who was the person you were thinking of?”

“I was thinking of Mr. Telles,” Schilling said.

The prosecutor asked about the suspect’s shoes.

“They’re the cheap Nikes he always wore,” Schilling testified.

He said he called a colleague, Kristen Riffle, who also testified Thursday.

“Holy crap. Both of us agreed that that really looked like Rob Telles,” Schilling testified. “But to jump to a conclusion like that about somebody you have to be pretty sure of yourself.”

Schilling said he was familiar with stories German had written about Telles and saw images of the Denali published in the Reno Gazette-Journal.

“It just came down my spine,” Schilling testified. “I was like holy crap. I didn’t want to believe it, but the facts are the facts. That was Rob Telles’ car.”

Multiple stab wounds

Stephanie Yagi, a medical examiner with the Clark County coroner’s office, detailed the 13 injuries German suffered, including six stab wounds and seven incise wounds and a slash on his throat.

Telles appeared to grimace at autopsy photos on a screen in front of him.

Yagi told jurors that German also had injuries to his hand, consistent with someone who may have been defending himself against an attack.

Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240.