Vegas politician taken aback by unexpected three-word text message during murder trial.

The location of a former Las Vegas Democratic politician at the time of a veteran investigative journalist's brutal murder remains a crucial issue in the ex-official's trial, and a recently discovered text message casts doubt on the defendant's alibi as he continues to maintain his innocence and challenge DNA evidence linking him to the crime.

On Thursday, during cross-examination, Robert Telles, 47, faced tough questioning for killing journalist Jeff German, who had written critical stories about the official. The prosecutor presented him with a surprise text message sent from his wife that had disappeared from his phone.

Telles, a former Democratic Clark County administrator of estates, revealed a text message from his wife that indicated she had questioned his whereabouts during the time of German's ambush and murder outside their home approximately two years ago.

Telles responded to prosecutor Christopher Hamner by saying, "Where are you?"

Earlier, Telles admitted to ignoring various messages while at home and then going for a walk and to the gym the day German was killed. Prosecutors have suggested that he left his phone at home while carrying out a meticulously planned fatal attack on the journalist.

On Wednesday, cellphone records presented by a defense witness showed no mention of the text from Telles' wife. The prosecutor stated that the message was found on her Apple Watch device and had been deleted from Telles' phone.

Telles claimed he had the phone all day and the ability to save and delete messages, but he did not confess to deleting the message.

The security video presented to the jury at 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 2, 2022, showed a maroon SUV that Telles had agreed looked just like his, was in German's neighborhood. The person driving the SUV was wearing an orange outfit and a big straw hat. Telles referred to this person as German's killer several times on Thursday.

A professional assassin killed German, according to Telles, who claimed a real estate firm was behind the murder in order to frame him for corruption he saw in his office.

In a side yard outside his home, German was discovered with multiple stab wounds and slashes, and Telles is accused of waiting for him in a criminal complaint.

German's home was targeted by a person wearing an orange work shirt, a wide-brimmed straw hat, carrying a shoulder bag, and walking towards it, as seen in a video circulated by police days later, resulting in Telles' arrest.

According to prosecutors, they possess substantial evidence, including DNA believed to belong to Telles, which was discovered beneath German's fingernails, as well as cut-up pieces of a straw hat and shoes found at Telles' residence that resembled those worn by the individual seen on video outside German's home.

Telles did not dispute that his DNA was found on German's fingernails but suggested that it may have been planted there. Autopsy photos show knife or slash marks on German's arms that police said stemmed from German's fight for his life. Telles said he did not know how the cut-up pieces of a straw hat and shoes had turned up in his home.

"Do you also keep the DNA labs in the loop?" Hamner asked.

Telles replied, "I am uncertain about the specific time and purpose of the sample collection."

Hamner replied, "Sir, please explain how Mr. German's fingernails contain your DNA."

Telles stated that he did not know the answer because he did not commit the murder of Mr. German.

Telles' defense attorney, Hamner, pointed out that two crucial pieces of evidence were missing from the case: the orange work shirt and the knife used to attack German. He questioned why those who were attempting to frame Telles would have neglected to include these items in the evidence inventory.

""What sense does it make for them to place the murder weapon in your home?" Hamner inquired."

"I don’t know," Telles responded.

On Monday, the jury learned that Telles had numerous images of German's residence and surroundings on his mobile device and computer.

An image of a single gray athletic shoe with a distinctive black pattern and a shot of Telles' work computer at the Clark County Public Administrator and Guardian office were among other photos taken from Telles' devices that included results of internet searches through a password-protected site that retrieved German's name, home address, vehicle registration, and date of birth.

Previously, jurors were informed by Hamner that the photo was taken on Aug. 23, 2022, which was just under two weeks before his death in a pool of blood.

The police released images of a distinctive maroon SUV that a Review-Journal photographer had seen Telles washing outside his home several days after the killing. The person driving the SUV was wearing an orange outfit and a big straw hat.

The jury selection process has been ongoing for two weeks, and both sides anticipate that closing arguments will be presented on Monday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.