A former official from Las Vegas was found guilty on Wednesday of murdering a journalist who published damaging reports about him.

Robert Telles, who previously served as a public administrator in Clark County, Nevada, was convicted of first-degree murder for fatally stabbing Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German over Labor Day weekend in 2022.

The prosecution has stated they will not seek the death penalty; however, it is anticipated that Telles will receive a life sentence. The jury determined that Telles’ actions were “willful, deliberate and premeditated.”

This case received nationwide media coverage as it was highlighted as the sole incident of a journalist’s murder in the U.S. that year, part of a global total of 69 killings, as reported by the Committee to Protect Journalists. The jury began deliberating on Monday, two weeks after the trial commenced.

German, 69, had dedicated over 40 years to journalism, covering topics such as government and organized crime for Las Vegas’s two major newspapers. He was found dead outside his home on September 3, 2022, having been stabbed multiple times. Authorities believe he was ambushed but fought back before ultimately succumbing to his injuries.

In the months leading up to his death, German had reported on issues within Telles’ office, including detailing the atmosphere of “turmoil and internal dissension” stemming from Telles’ inappropriate relationship with a staff member.

Telles, a Democrat, had lost his reelection bid and had just been informed before the murder that more stories about him were forthcoming, according to police.

Investigators were quick to associate him with the crime through security footage showing German’s attacker, dressed in a reflective orange jacket and a wide-brimmed straw hat, driving a maroon Yukon Denali that resembled Telles’ SUV. The defense argued that someone else might have been behind the wheel.

DNA found beneath German’s fingernails matched Telles’, leading to Telles’ arrest at his Las Vegas residence following an extended standoff with police. He was also hospitalized due to what authorities described as self-inflicted injuries. Telles, 47, has remained in jail since.

During four days of testimony featuring 28 witnesses, the jury learned that Telles’ electronic devices held over 100 pictures of German’s residence and street, as well as details of his address and vehicle registration.

Police found a straw hat and a sneaker, both matching those worn by the assailant, at Telles’ home, which appeared to have been tampered with to discard evidence. The murder weapon and the orange jacket were not found, and the sneaker’s blood source remained unidentified.

Telles denied the murder accusations and claimed he was set up by law enforcement.

“The manner in which Mr. German was killed suggests someone with expertise,” Telles commented during over two hours of often disjointed testimony, as reported by the Associated Press. “The fact that Mr. German had his throat slashed and heart stabbed is revealing.”

“I’m not someone who would stab anyone,” Telles insisted. “I did not kill Mr. German, and that summarizes my statement.”

On the same Thursday, the prosecution presented a text message from Telles’ wife, inquiring about his whereabouts around the time of German’s murder, which occurred in the side yard of his home on September 2, 2022. Telles claimed he was too preoccupied with his morning activities, including walking and exercising, to notice the texts.

Telles was elected in 2018 as a probate and estate attorney, managing cases for unclaimed estates of deceased individuals. He had frequently expressed frustration over German’s critical articles on social media, alleging that the reporter was “obsessed” with him and angry that he had not “vanished.”

Contributions from: Reuters