LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — After Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles made his initial appearance in court, District Attorney Steve Wolfson spoke to reporters about the evidence and the arrest.
Wolfson called Wednesday's search of Telles' home and person a "very fluid, dynamic few hours..." when they had Telles detained but had to make a decision whether to arrest or release him.
"This is a very, very tragic case on a number of grounds. Number one, a respected journalist lost his life in a very brutal, meaningless way. And now we've charged Mr. Robert Telles with the crime of open murder," said Wolfson.
When and how the elected county official was arrested is raising questions among our law enforcement sources. Telles was released Wednesday afternoon after police interviewed him and collected evidence for testing.
"I am very, very familiar with the evidence in this case. The evidence is compelling," Wolfson said.
Our camera was there when Telles arrived at his Peccole Ranch home Wednesday afternoon wearing what looked like a hazmat suit. We learned Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigators had taken his clothing.
Police had been searching Telles' house and cars all day. Those watching the scene unfold say it seemed odd Telles was allowed to come home, especially because that led to a barricade situation just a few hours later when police tried to arrest him.
"At that time," Wolfson explained, "we felt that there was not sufficient evidence to continue to detain him, so we allowed for his release knowing the evidence was literally being developed minute by minute."
The evidence he's talking about is DNA. "The DNA from Mr. Telles was found on the hands and perhaps under the fingernails of Mr. German."
With that, authorities decided they had enough to arrest Telles.
Police records say when officers went to do that, he refused to come out of the house and threatened suicide. SWAT had to be called and when they eventually got Telles in custody, they found superficial wounds on his arms. Police records say he also may have swallowed some pills.
He was taken to the hospital and booked into jail in absentia.
There are still unanswered questions about how Telles tracked down journalist Jeff German's home address and whether he used his position as a county official to get that information.
As for his county office, it's been temporarily closed and the county doesn't yet know when it will re-open. They say employees are currently working from home.
The county did make its first statement today, explaining that because the public administrator is an elected position, the county is reviewing its legal options regarding Robert Telles' current status. They've suspended his access to county offices and property. The county also said that when management was made aware of the personnel issues at the public administrator's office a couple of months ago, they decided that staff would no longer report to Telles.
That will remain the case until a new public administrator is elected in November.
CONTINUING COVERAGE: Las Vegas reporter, Jeff German, found dead at his home
