Robert Telles's Wife and Kids Once Reportedly Barricaded Themselves in a Room to Get Away From Him

When does crime become true crime? The answer to that question is murky at best. Some think this occurs when a story is made into a podcast or documentary, while others might say all crime is true crime. Sometimes, you come across a story that has so many twists and turns, you can't help but wonder which came first: the crime or the true crime. Such is the case of the murder of Jeff German.

The Las Vegas journalist was stabbed to death outside of his home on Sept. 3, 2022, reports Court TV. Clark County public administrator Robert Telles was found guilty of murdering German on Aug. 28, 2024. His motive was the intense rage he felt towards German, who wrote several unfavorable exposés about Telles. Since Telles's arrest, his life has come under scrutiny. This includes a harrowing story about Robert Telles's wife, and an upsetting evening in early 2020. Details to follow.

According to a police report via KTNV, the incident occurred the evening of Feb. 29, 2020, and lasted until the morning of March 1. The couple had gone to the Bellagio that night where Telles apparently drank a bit too much. This resulted in an argument erupting between Telles and his wife, Mary Ann Ramirez Ismael.

Things escalated during the car ride home when Telles reportedly began choking Ismael. Apparently, she could breathe and was able to continue driving, though Telles began knocking things around inside the vehicle. He also hit Ismael in her arm, which caused her to swerve. Luckily for her, they made it home safely; however, Telles allegedly continued his rampage in the house.

Ismael was pleading with Telles to just go to sleep, but he refused. Instead he kept yelling at her. At one point he reportedly screamed, "Kill me!" to his terrified wife. This frightened Ismael, who allegedly took their two children and fled to a bedroom where she locked them all in. Unfortunately, that didn't stop Telles from reportedly breaking down the door and resuming his chase. This is when she finally called the police.

While waiting for the police to arrive, Telles was reportedly able to get Ismael in a bear hug. His squeeze was so tight that one of his scared children apparently tried to come between their parents. The arrival of law enforcement did little to calm the situation as Telles never stopped screaming. He told the cops he had no idea what had happened, and didn't know why he was fighting with his wife.

After they suggested he go into a different room, Telles "got into the officer's face and began yelling at him," said the outlet. When police tried to handcuff Telles, he flexed his arms and wiggled his way out of the cuffs. Perhaps that was the last straw, because this is when an exhausted Telles fell into a chair and asked the cops not to handcuff him in front of his children.

Telles spent the night in Las Vegas City Jail and was released on his own recognizance the following day. He later negotiated a "dismissal of the domestic violence charge," but couldn't escape the resisting arrest charge. For that he was handed a suspended jail sentence which got him out of a behavior modification class called "Corrective Thinking." The resisting arrest charge was later dismissed after Telles paid $418 in bail.

Although Telles avoided criminal charges for an incident involving his wife, he was found guilty by a jury of murdering German. The jury determined the murder was "willful, deliberate, and premeditated" and carried out by "lying in wait," according to CNN. Telles now faces up to life in prison.

Prosecutor Christopher Hamner stated, "He [Telles] murdered him because Jeff’s writing destroyed his career, his reputation, threatened his marriage, and exposed things that he admitted he didn’t want the public to know." He added, "He did it because Jeff wasn’t done writing."