Police release details of vehicle tied to RJ reporter’s killing
Las Vegas police released new information Tuesday in the killing of Review-Journal reporter Jeff German, including a description and photo of a vehicle tied to the suspect.
“We do need the public’s help,” Capt. Dori Koren told reporters during a news conference at the Metropolitan Police Department’s headquarters.
Koren also said the case remains “a top priority” for the department.
The photo released Tuesday shows what Koren described as a 2007 to 2014 red or maroon GMC Yukon Denali with chrome handles, a sunroof and a luggage rack.
German, 69, was found fatally stabbed around 10:30 a.m. Saturday on the side of his home, on the 7200 block of Bronze Circle, near North Tenaya Way.
Koren said police believe the stabbing occurred during an altercation late Friday morning between German and another person.
Metro released images Monday of the suspect, who was wearing a wide straw hat, a bright orange long-sleeved shirt with silver reflective strips, bluejeans and gray shoes. He also was carrying a black or dark blue shoulder bag.
On Tuesday, police released video of the suspect walking down a sidewalk.
“We ask our viewers, your viewers, to really just pay attention and just look at the clip,” Koren said. “Pay attention to the unique clothing description. Pay attention to the gait of the individual walking.”
He said detectives have not determined whether the person in the video is a man or woman. He urged anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555 or Metro at 702-828-7777.
“We also need your help in trying to advance the case as quickly as possible,” he said.
Koren said that while police have been investigating a burglary series involving a suspect wearing “construction attire,” investigators are not prepared to link it to German’s killing. He said detectives are scouring police reports to see if German’s slaying has any connections to other burglaries reported in the same neighborhood.
“We are at a point now where we are still very early into the investigation,” Koren said.
When asked if police are investigating links to articles German was working on, Koren said detectives are “addressing every single question that comes up.”
“For our homicide unit, we’re very particular about turning over every stone, looking at every single aspect of the investigation,” he said. “In fact, in order to have a strong prosecution, we can’t leave any unanswered questions, so we are looking at every aspect of this case.”
Koren reiterated that investigators believe German’s killing was an “isolated incident.” He said the killer does not appear to be “someone committing random murders or on a kind of spree right now.”
Review-Journal Executive Editor Glenn Cook has said German had not communicated any concerns about his personal safety or any threats made against him to anyone in the newspaper’s leadership.
Koren said police suspect the killer was casing the neighborhood to commit other crimes before German was stabbed. Police are seeking footage taken between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Friday near Vegas and Rock Springs drives.
German, whose reporting career spanned 40 years, died from multiple sharp force injuries, the Clark County coroner’s office has ruled. He was a member of the Review-Journal’s investigative team.
A previous version of this story incorrectly identified Dori Koren’s title.
Contact Glenn Puit at gpuit@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0390. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter. Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter. Review-Journal staff writer Sabrina Schnur contributed to this report.
