LAS VEGAS (AP) — A Las Vegas jury concluded its second day of deliberations Tuesday in the murder case of a former Democratic elected official accused of killing an investigative journalist two years ago over stories that accused the politician of destroying his career, ruining his reputation and threatening his marriage.

The panel returns Wednesday morning to decide whether Robert Telles, the former county administrator of unclaimed estates, is guilty of robbing and stabbing reporter Jeff German to death outside German’s home two years ago. Jurors have deliberated for more than 10 hours since closing arguments Monday.

District Attorney Christopher Hamner told them that finding Telles guilty based on overwhelming evidence heard during the eight-day trial “would be like connecting the dots.”

But Telles’ attorney, Robert Draskovich, told jurors during his argument that they should ask themselves, “What evidence is missing?” He presented a startling photo of a person whose profile did not resemble Telles’, driving a maroon SUV that the evidence suggested was key to the crime.

Telles lost his Democratic primary for a second elected term after German’s stories appeared in the Las Vegas Review-Journal in May 2022. They described unrest and bullying at the office of the Clark County Public Administrator/Guardian and a romantic relationship between Telles and an employee.

According to Hamner, Telles had learned from county officials several hours before German was killed that the reporter was working on another story about that relationship.

District Attorney Pamela Weckerly presented a timeline and videos of Telles’ maroon SUV as he left the neighborhood near his home just after 9 a.m. on Sept. 2, 2022, and drove through the streets near German’s home a short time later.

Several security camera photos show the driver of the SUV wearing a bright orange outfit similar to the outfit seen in security camera footage of someone walking toward German’s home and slipping into a side yard.

“That person is laying there, lurking,” Weckerly said, showing video from a neighbor’s house showing German walking from his home to the side yard, where he was attacked just after 11:15 a.m.

A little over 2 minutes later, the figure in orange appears and walks across a sidewalk. German does not appear again.

Evidence showed a text message from Telles’ wife around 10:30 a.m. asking, “Where are you?” Hamner and Weckerly told the jury they believe Telles left his cell phone at home so he couldn’t be tracked. Telles said he went for a walk and then went to the gym in the afternoon.

German’s body was found the next day and DNA believed to be Telles’ was found under German’s fingernails. Telles was arrested five days later.

Prosecutors maintained that German fought his attacker to the death. He was 69.

Telles testified that there was a vast conspiracy afoot that accused him of murdering German in retaliation for his efforts to root out the corruption he saw in his office.

“I did not kill Mr. German and I am innocent,” he told the jury Friday.

Draskovich noted Monday that no blood or DNA belonging to German was found on Telles, in his vehicle or in his home.

Originally from Milwaukee, German was a respected journalist who 44 years of experience in crime, courts and corruption in Las Vegas.

Telles, 47, is an attorney who practiced civil law before being elected in 2018. His law license was revoked after his arrest. He faces life in prison if convicted.

Weckerly and Hamner presented 28 witnesses and hundreds of pages of photographs, police reports and videos. Telles and five other individuals testified for the defense. No family members of Telles were called to testify or identified in court.

About a dozen German family members watched the trial. As a group, they declined to comment.

German was the only journalist murdered in the U.S. in 2022, according to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists. The nonprofit group has data from 17 media employees People have died in the US since 1992.