State rests case in Robert Telles’ murder trial

Robert Telles’ phone had more than 100 downloaded images of Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German’s home before the journalist was killed, a witness testified Monday in the second week of Telles’ murder trial.

Telles, 47, is accused of stabbing and killing German, 69, over articles the reporter had written about Telles’ conduct as the Clark County public administrator, and accusations he created a toxic work environment and engaged in an “inappropriate” relationship with a staffer.

The state rested its case on Monday afternoon, after calling 28 witnesses over four days of testimony during the trial.

Prosecutors have accused Telles of “lying in wait” for German outside the reporters home on Sept. 2, 2022, while wearing a large straw hat and an orange reflective vest. Neighborhood video surveillance captured a distant image of the assailant confronting German on the side of the journalist’s house.

Testimony in the trial resumed on Monday morning with more police witnesses. Prosecutors called on Matthew Hovanec, a supervisor at the Metropolitan Police Department’s digital forensics laboratory, who told jurors about information taken from Telles’ phone and work computer.

Hovenac testified that on Aug. 12, 2022, there were about 132 images downloaded onto Telles’ phone from Google maps, showing the front of German’s home and the street he lived on. Telles’ work computer also showed downloaded information on German’s vehicle registration and address.

Ten days before German was killed, on Aug. 23, 2022, Telles’ work computer showed a search for German’s address, Hovenac testified.

Hovenac also testified that over 100 images taken off of Telles’ phone, from Aug. 15, 2022, showed vehicles driving down a street.

Metro detective Justine Gatus, who testified Monday afternoon, characterized the images as “surveillance” Telles conducted.

Gatus said she determined the images on Telles’ phone were taken over about two hours in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant, about a mile and a half from German’s home. The street being photographed was Vegas Drive, which leads directly into German’s neighborhood.

Prosecutors also entered into evidence several articles German wrote about Telles, in May and June 2022. Gatus read for the jury long text messages that Telles sent German, in which Telles expressed he was frustrated with the articles, and she read posts on social media from when Telles lashed out at German in June 2022. Prosecutors showed the jury a statement Telles posted to his campaign website in June 2022, in which he attacked the Review-Journal and its reporting.

Telles’ phone also contained screenshots of social media posts about German’s articles, and a search history for how to “bury” a news story, Gatus said.

Gatus testified about the timeline surrounding the investigation and Telles’ arrest. She said she started receiving multiple tips about Telles after the first surveillance footage images of the assailant were released to the public. She said that detective Derek Jappe, who was investigating an alleged housing kickback scheme involving Telles, had told her to look at Telles as a “person of interest.”

Gatus pushed back when Telles’ defense attorney, Robert Draskovich, asked her if Jappe was implicating Telles in a crime.

“I would say that there’s a lot of people that have motives, and I am just receiving the information,” she said.

Draskovich again played for the jury two voicemails found on German’s phone, from angry callers who made threatening statements. Gatus testified that she could not determine who made the calls, which were from seven months before German was killed.

“It’s fair to say you didn’t speak with either of these gentlemen?” Draskovich asked.

“No sir, I did not,” Gatus testified.

Attorneys have said they expect the trial to conclude this week.

Witnesses have included Metropolitan Police Department detectives, county employees, real estate agents and Roberta Lee-Kennett, the employee with whom Telles was accused of having an “inappropriate” relationship.

She testified on Friday about messaging Telles in the days after German was killed, and telling him that the assailant’s vehicle captured in surveillance footage looked like his car.

“F —… your car is identical,” she texted Telles, according to copies of the messages prosecutors showed the jury.

Telles has maintained he was framed for German’s killing. Draskovich, has focused on portraying Telles as a public official who was trying to expose corruption within the public administrator’s office.

Draskovich has said he expects Telles to take the witness stand this week.

Meanwhile, prosecutors have pointed to what they have called “overwhelming” evidence against Telles, including Telles’ DNA found underneath German’s fingernails.

The trial is set to resume Tuesday at 10:30 a.m., with the defense’s first witness.

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