German had an altercation with another person on Friday that led to his stabbing, Las Vegas police Capt. Dori Koren said at a press conference Saturday.
For more than three decades, German worked in Las Vegas, first at the Las Vegas Sun and later at the Review-Journal, covering the courts, politics and organized crime. German’s colleagues remembered him as a great reporter who was fiercely committed to his craft.
“He was the gold standard of the news industry,” Review-Journal editor Glenn Cook told the newspaper. “It’s hard to imagine what Las Vegas would look like today without its many years of lighting up dark places.”
Cook said German had not told the newspaper’s management any concerns for his safety. Police said there was no threat to the public after the stabbings, the Review-Journal reported.
During his career, German became known for his extensive investigative work and his coverage of high-profile stories about politics and organized crime. He wrote the 2001 true-crime book “Murder in Sin City: The Death of a Las Vegas Casino Boss,” and he led the newspaper’s investigation into the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting, the deadliest of modern American history.
“He was a fearless reporter and never shied away from telling tough stories no matter who was involved,” Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.) said. tweeted. “Many have exposed the need for reform that has made our city better.”
Cook said in a statement to The Washington Post that Review-Journal staffers had a question: “Why would someone kill Jeff?” He hopes an arrest will provide an answer.
“He will be sadly missed by his family and colleagues, and we are all in shock at his senseless murder,” Cook said in a statement.
Rhonda Prast, Review-Journal Associate Editor for Investigations and Engagement, tweeted On Sunday, German had been proud of his work last year on the newspaper’s “Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas” podcast.
German wrote and hosted the second season of the podcast, an eight-episode deep dive into organized crime in Las Vegas in the 1970s and 80s.
“Hear what you think of Jeff today,” Prast tweeted.
