A Utah Judge ruled Tuesday that Tyler Robinson will stand trial on all seven charges in the assassination of conservative leader Charlie Kirk, leaving him eligible for the death penalty if convicted of aggravated murder.
After hearing hours of closing arguments from the defense and prosecution, Fourth District Judge Tony Graf found that the state had established probable cause, meaning there was sufficient evidence for the case to proceed to trial.
Robinson, 23, faces one count of aggravated murder, one count of felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, two counts of obstruction of justice, two counts of tampering with a witness, and one count of committing a violent offense in the presence of a child, according to court records.
The judge&#8217;s decision allows the aggravated murder charge to move forward, along with the aggravating circumstance prosecutors say makes the charge eligible for the death penalty.
The defendant&#8217;s attorneys asked during the preliminary hearing that Graf reject the aggravating circumstance that could make the killing eligible for capital punishment. They argued that prosecutors had not shown that the shooter knowingly created a “great risk of death” to anyone other than Kirk. Prosecutors countered, saying others were indeed at risk when the shot was fired. Graf ultimately found there was sufficient evidence for the aggravating circumstance to remain in the case.
Kirk&#8217;s parents and his widow, Erika Kirk, appeared in court Tuesday. A statement from the family called the ruling &#8220;an important step in our family’s pursuit of justice for him.&#8221;
&#8220;Every step in this process carries the weight of all that Charlie’s murder has taken from his family, especially his children who will grow up without their father. We are grateful to all who have continued to pray for us, support us, and stand with us through a year of unimaginable grief,&#8221; the family said.
&#8220;As the next phase of the judicial process begins, our family remains united in our love for Charlie, our commitment to the pursuit of justice, and our prayer for a transparent and timely process,&#8221; the statement added.
Robinson is accused of fatally shooting Kirk in September 2025 at Utah Valley University, where the conservative activist and Turning Point USA co-founder was speaking at an outdoor event.
Following Judge Graf&#8217;s ruling, Robinson&#8217;s attorneys entered not guilty pleas on his behalf to all seven charges.

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Judge Rules On Charlie Kirk Assassination Trial, Death Penalty

Charlie Kirk

charlie kirk assasination

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Tyler Robinson

A Utah judge is expected to decide on Tuesday whether Tyler Robinson will stand trial for the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, and whether prosecutors will be allowed to pursue the death penalty.
Following a five-day preliminary hearing, Judge Tony Graf will hear closing arguments from the state and defense for a maximum of two hours each before ultimately giving his ruling.
Robinson, 23, is charged with aggravated murder and multiple other felonies in the September 2025 fatal shooting of Kirk at Utah Valley University, where he was engaging others with differing political views. Prosecutors have said they intend to seek the death penalty if Robinson is convicted.
Robinson&#8217;s attorneys have asked Graf to reject the aggravating circumstance that could make the killing eligible for capital punishment. They argue that prosecutors have not shown that the shooter knowingly created a &#8220;great risk of death&#8221; to anyone other than Kirk. Prosecutors counter that others were indeed at risk when the shot was fired.
The filing does not dispute for purposes of the preliminary hearing that Robinson was the shooter. Instead, his attorneys argue that the state has not produced sufficient evidence to support the aggravated murder charge and potential death penalty.
Prosecutors have also presented evidence they say ties Robinson to the shooting, including his alleged statements to people close to him. Robinson surrendered to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office about 33 hours after Kirk was shot, arriving with his parents and a family friend.  Robinson&#8217;s father had reportedly confronted him after recognizing images of the suspected shooter released by authorities. According to investigators, Robinson also allegedly told his father that he was the shooter and made statements to his male roommate and romantic partner the day of the shooting that prosecutors say are confessions.
Investigators also recovered the rifle believed to have been used in the shooting, along with four bullet casings, one fired and three unfired, that had messages engraved on them. One unfired casing read, “Hey fascist! Catch!” while others referenced the Italian anti-fascist song “Bella Ciao” and read, “If you read this, you are gay LMAO.” Prosecutors have pointed to the engravings and other evidence as part of their case regarding Robinson’s motive.
Robinson’s defense has also repeatedly fought efforts to allow cameras and microphones in the courtroom, arguing that extensive media coverage could prejudice a future jury and undermine his right to a fair trial. Kirk&#8217;s family has asked the judge to allow full transparency, aiming to stop wild conspiracies being peddled online. Judge Graf ultimately allowed cameras during the preliminary hearing.
The defense has also attempted to remove the Utah County Attorney’s Office from the case, arguing there was a conflict of interest because Chief Deputy County Attorney Chad Grunander’s daughter attended the event where Kirk was killed and communicated with her father shortly after the shooting. The defense argued the connection could affect the office’s impartiality. Judge Graf rejected the motion in February.
A source close to the family told The Daily Wire that Kirk’s parents and his widow, Erika Kirk, will attend the hearing. Beyond a statement following the court’s ruling, the Kirk family will not speak with the media.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tyler-robinsons-own-lawyers-undercut-claims-he-was-framed-in-charlie-kirk-murder">Tyler Robinson’s Own Lawyers Undercut Claims He Was Framed In Charlie Kirk Murder</a>

Charlie Kirk Murder Suspect Tyler Robinson Attends Court Hearing

Charlie Kirk Assassination Case Faces Make-Or-Break Court Moment

TPUSA

An HHS-commissioned study found an association between support for &#8220;radical gender ideology&#8221; and a greater willingness to justify political violence. 
The <a href="https://opa.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/2026-08/gender-ideology-report.pdf">report</a>, released Wednesday by the Department of Health and Human Services, was written by researchers affiliated with Rutgers University, the Manhattan Institute, and the Network Contagion Research Institute.
The preregistered survey asked more than 1,200 U.S. adults to rate their agreement with five transgender-affirming positions and whether six politically motivated acts of violence could be justified.
Those scenarios involved killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, killing President Donald Trump, killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, setting fire to ICE buildings, damaging wealthy people&#8217;s property, and attacking police officers.
Strong support for the transgender-affirming positions was positively correlated with greater justification for all six acts. The strongest association involved killing Trump, which had a correlation of 0.35, followed by setting fire to ICE buildings at 0.34 and killing Kirk at 0.31. 
The correlations were weaker for damaging wealthy people’s property at 0.28, killing Thompson at 0.27, and attacking police at 0.23. 
The researchers measured left-wing authoritarianism separately, which the report describes as a psychological disposition characterized by aggression toward perceived oppressors, support for censorship and institutional enforcement, and hostility toward conventional institutions.
Left-wing authoritarianism showed a stronger association with justification of political violence, with correlations ranging from 0.47 to 0.54 across the six scenarios.
Both transgender-affirming beliefs and left-wing authoritarianism remained significantly associated with greater justification of all six acts after researchers controlled for respondents&#8217; political identities.
“Together, these findings support the paper’s core claim: gender ideology may function as an ideological accelerant, telling left-wing authoritarian psychology who the enemy is, why the situation is urgent, and — in those already disposed toward force — that violence is legitimate,” the researchers wrote.
Both the researchers and HHS <a href="https://health.gov/hhs-releases-study-finding-individuals-who-associate-left-wing-authoritarian-beliefs-and-radical">acknowledged</a> that the study found an association but could not establish causation.
The report comes as the political views and transgender associations of several people accused or convicted of targeting prominent conservatives face ongoing scrutiny.
Tyler Robinson, the man charged with Kirk&#8217;s September 2025 murder, was living with a male roommate and romantic partner who identified as transgender, according to court documents.
Prosecutors say Robinson sent his roommate messages confessing to the shooting and saying he &#8220;had enough of [Kirk&#8217;s] hatred.&#8221; Robinson’s mother <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/read-the-disturbing-texts-between-tyler-robinson-and-his-trans-love-after-charlie-kirk-assassination">previously told investigators</a> that her son became more political and left-leaning in the year before Kirk&#8217;s killing and had grown more supportive of pro-transgender views.
Ryan Michael English, 26, also known as Raleigh Jane English, was sentenced last week to 73 months in prison for bringing a knife and two improvised incendiary devices to the U.S. Capitol as part of a plot to kill then-Treasury secretary nominee Scott Bessent.
English, a man who identifies as a transgender woman, approached a U.S. Capitol Police officer in January 2025 and turned himself in. English later pleaded guilty to two federal weapons charges.
A second study is currently being designed to further investigate the correlation between left-wing ideology, trans-ideology, and political violence.

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HHS Study Links Transgender Ideology To Justification Of Political Violence

Luigi Mangione

Political Violence

Research Study

Transgender

The prosecution is making a final push for the death penalty, asking a Utah judge to send Tyler Robinson to trial on all seven charges in the assassination of Charlie Kirk, while accusing Robinson’s attorneys of misrepresenting evidence and violating their ethical duty of candor to the court.
In a 19-page <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/prosecutors-hammer-tyler-robinson-bid-derail-death-penalty-charlie-kirk-murder-case">filing</a> Tuesday, prosecutors sharply rejected the defense’s arguments that the evidence is insufficient to support the charges or the aggravating circumstance that could make Robinson eligible for the death penalty. 
The state specifically accused Robinson’s lawyers of relying on a Utah Court of Appeals decision that the Utah Supreme Court later rejected, while failing to inform the judge of the subsequent ruling. “Defendant’s counsel ignore this controlling caselaw and have therefore violated their ethical duty of candor to the court,” prosecutors wrote.
The dispute centers in part on the legal standard governing Robinson’s preliminary hearing. His attorneys argued that prosecutors were asking the judge to speculate when choosing between competing interpretations of the evidence. Prosecutors countered that the Utah Supreme Court has explicitly rejected that reasoning, holding that choosing between reasonable inferences is a normal part of determining guilt.
Prosecutors also argued that the evidence overwhelmingly supports the charges, saying Robinson does not dispute the substance of evidence showing that he allegedly crawled to the Losee Building rooftop, fired the fatal shot, hid the rifle, discarded clothing, and instructed his roommate to delete incriminating text messages.
The state’s filing also added to its argument that Robinson knowingly placed other people in danger when he allegedly shot at Kirk from the rooftop. Prosecutors allege Robinson had previously taken practice shots with the suspected murder weapon and “seldom hit the bullseye and sometimes missed the target completely.” The state argues that his poor accuracy demonstrated he knew firing toward Kirk from a rooftop, with thousands of people gathered below and around him, created a substantial risk that someone other than Kirk could be killed.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🔎Accused Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson allegedly &#8220;seldom hit the bullseye and sometimes missed the target completely&#8221; when taking practice shots with the suspected murder weapon, according to Utah prosecutors, who are trying to show that Robinson allegedly knew shooting… <a href="https://t.co/S3D3NbwT92">https://t.co/S3D3NbwT92</a> <a href="https://t.co/2ENUhKyRB5">pic.twitter.com/2ENUhKyRB5</a>
— Michael Ruiz (@mikerreports) <a href="https://x.com/mikerreports/status/2090073665647816895?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
That allegation is particularly significant because prosecutors must establish the aggravating circumstance that Robinson knowingly created a great risk of death to others for him to potentially face the death penalty upon conviction.
Robinson, 23, is accused of killing Kirk, 31, at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025. He has not entered a plea. Judge Tony Graf is expected to decide at a September 1 hearing whether prosecutors have established sufficient probable cause to send Robinson to trial.

Prosecutors Make Final Push For Death Penalty In Tyler Robinson Case

Utah Prosecutors Make Final Push For Death Penalty, Slam Robinson Defense For Ethics Violation

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Taxpayers may end up paying up to $10 million to defend the man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk as the case drags out for months, according to a new report. 
Multiple lawyers told <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/07/14/us-news/taxpayers-could-end-up-shelling-out-more-than-10m-for-lawyers-to-defend-accused-charler-kirk-killer-tyler-robinson/">The New York Post</a> that 23-year-old Tyler Robinson’s defense team is challenging every aspect of the case with the goal of pressuring state prosecutors into offering a plea deal. Prosecutors have said they intend to seek the death penalty for Robinson, who is charged with gunning Kirk down during an event at Utah Valley University in September 2025. 
Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, told the Post that Robinson’s lawyers “are litigating anything and everything to try to bring the prosecution to the table to offer a life-without-the-possibility-of-parole deal.”
Robinson’s defense is being paid for by the county and the lawyers defending him have to be specially trained because it involves the death penalty. 
“So yeah, it is costing taxpayers,” Rahmani said. “But what do you expect the defense to do? They’re playing the hand that they’re dealt, right? And it’s not a good hand.”
Rahmani said if the case is prolonged enough then prosecutors may choose to secure life in prison through a plea deal and avoid the many appeals that come with the death penalty. 
“If the state offered a plea deal and a life sentence, the taxpayers would save millions and millions of dollars,” he said. 
Last week, Judge Tony Graf Jr. oversaw the preliminary hearing in the case where prosecutors presented the evidence they planned to use during the trial. Graf will rule in September whether there is enough evidence against Robinson to schedule a trial. 
“I think all the attention on the case, he doesn’t want to make a mistake or be overturned on appeal,” Rahmani said. “He’s very slow, he’s very thorough, and very deliberate.”
Rahmani said the longer the process takes, the more pressure there is on the prosecution. He pointed to the high-profile case of Bryan Kohberger, who avoided the death penalty by pleading guilty to murdering four University of Idaho students. 
“They’re trying to put pressure on the prosecution to offer a life deal. Like they did in Kohberger,” he said. 
Nathan Evershed, a former deputy district attorney for Salt Lake County, agreed the longer the case took the more likely a plea deal would be. 
“Usually what happens is that the longer a case can get delayed, the more of a chance there can be an off-ramp or a plea deal,” he told the Post. “And an off-ramp is harder to find when it’s raw and very, very fraught with emotions. Whereas it’s easier to find when it’s less raw and you’re able to come to the table.”
Evershed added that it would be quite expensive before the whole ordeal closed. 
“It’s going to cost quite a bit of money to get to that point,” he said. “And the only people that will be paying for that are the taxpayers.”

Tyler Robinson Arrested In Utah For Shooting of Charlie Kirk

Tyler Robinson’s Defense Strategy That Could Cost Taxpayers Millions

WASHINGTON — Vice President JD Vance says there is &#8220;clear evidence&#8221; that 23-year-old accused assassin Tyler Robinson killed Charlie Kirk, he shared in an interview with The Daily Wire, but that he is &#8220;always going to wonder&#8221; who radicalized his friend&#8217;s killer.
The vice president shared that he managed to follow parts of the Utah hearing for Robinson, though not all of it, and he told The Daily Wire that &#8220;the evidence against Robinson is just really, really compelling.&#8221; In a wide ranging interview as the hearing concluded on Friday, Vance put a rest to the notion that he believes the viral conspiracy theories about Kirk&#8217;s death, stating firmly that Robinson killed his friend.
&#8220;Do I think Tyler Robinson pulled the trigger and killed Charlie Kirk? Absolutely,&#8221; Vance said. &#8220;I think the evidence is clear on that.“
Throughout the past week, prosecutors spent days revealing surveillance footage, forensic evidence, an alleged confession note, and testimony from Robinson&#8217;s ex-roommate and transgender lover Lance Twiggs, as well as Robinson&#8217;s parents. Vance and Kirk were close friends, and Vance has spoken openly about the role Kirk played in convincing President Donald Trump to choose him as his vice president.
Vance addressed claims in an upcoming book from New York Times journalists Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman, who report that Vance&#8217;s “instincts told him that there was a larger plot behind&#8221; Kirk&#8217;s murder in the days following Kirk&#8217;s death. Swan and Haberman wrote that Vance &#8220;went down countless online rabbit holes, becoming so consumed by the videos and the theories that his wife, Usha, told him she was worried about him.”
The vice president emphasized that the aspect of Kirk&#8217;s death that will always haunt him is the possibility that other individuals were involved in radicalizing Robinson.
<div id="attachment_1133065" style="width: 875px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-jd-vance-says-evidence-against-tyler-robinson-is-really-really-compelling/vp-vance-transports-charlie-kirks-body-back-to-phoenix-via-air-force-two" rel="attachment wp-att-1133065"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1133065" class="wp-image-1133065 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2234227591-865x576.jpg" alt="" width="865" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2234227591-865x576.jpg 865w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2234227591-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2234227591-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2234227591.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 865px) 100vw, 865px" /></a>Vice President JD Vance, Usha Vance, and Erika Kirk escort the body of Charlie Kirk on September 11, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Eric Thayer/Getty Images)</div>
“Do I think that Tyler Robinson is part of a broader network of left wing radicals who have fomented and encouraged violence? Absolutely. Do I know that they communicated with Tyler Robinson before the shooting? No, I don&#8217;t have evidence for that.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;m always going to wonder,&#8221; Vance said. &#8220;I&#8217;m always going to wonder what was said and how many contacts he had beforehand. By the way, it doesn&#8217;t mean that [Robinson&#8217;s] any less guilty. But do I wonder if there are other people who are more directly involved in Charlie&#8217;s murder? Absolutely, because I don&#8217;t think that it&#8217;s possible for a young man to get radicalized like that without somebody encouraging him, whether informally or formally.&#8221;
&#8220;I think there are a lot of people with blood on their hands in the case of Charlie Kirk, but of course, the person most directly who has blood on their hands is Tyler Robinson,&#8221; he concluded.
&#8220;The truth is that Charlie is dead because a bunch of left-wing radicals have preached a message that it&#8217;s okay to kill people you disagree with, and unfortunately, for my friend and and importantly for his family, there&#8217;s at least one guy in Utah who took that message to heart and and and murdered a young innocent father,&#8221; Vance said. &#8220;The worst part about all of this is not my my personal grief, as much as that&#8217;s very real, and the country&#8217;s loss, but the fact that I know that Erika and two little kids are going to grow up without their husband and father.&#8221;
Vance says his hope is that what transpired last September causes leftists to reconsider the violent rhetoric that they too often unleash against political opponents.
&#8220;If I was on the left, whatever the ideas that I had about politics and policy, if I saw that the result of some of the violence that I pushed is the death of Charlie Kirk, I would think twice about what I said and what beliefs led me to advocate for violence against people,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Because way too many leftists have advocated for violence for too long in our country, and it&#8217;s had real consequences.&#8221; 
<div id="attachment_1133049" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-jd-vance-says-evidence-against-tyler-robinson-is-really-really-compelling/turning-point-inaugural-eve-ball-held-in-washington-d-c-7" rel="attachment wp-att-1133049"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1133049" class="wp-image-1133049 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2194278697-864x576.jpg" alt="Donald Trump Jr., then Vice President-elect JD Vance, and Charlie Kirk during the Turning Point USA Inaugural-Eve Ball.  (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2194278697-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2194278697-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2194278697-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2194278697.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>Donald Trump Jr., then Vice President-elect JD Vance, and Charlie Kirk during the Turning Point USA Inaugural-Eve Ball.  (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)</div>
During the court proceedings this week, the prosecution played an interview with Robinson&#8217;s ex-roommate and lover Lance Twiggs, showing some of their text exchanges about the murder. Twiggs revealed to the court that Robinson cried at their apartment after he shot and killed Kirk and said he wished &#8220;he hadn&#8217;t done it.&#8221;
Vance said he had seen this report, calling it &#8220;very compelling evidence for a court of law.&#8221;
He sighed as he added: &#8220;In all Christians, if we&#8217;re being honest for us, there is a thirst for justice and a thirst for vengeance. And you know what God encourages to do is to care about justice and not vengeance. And so, if I&#8217;m being honest, my mind wishes for justice and hopes that Tyler Robinson is able to find forgiveness and find mercy. But I don&#8217;t feel that, and I don&#8217;t particularly care about that person or what happens to him.&#8221;
Reflecting on his own grief after the death of his friend, Vance said he remains as &#8220;heartbroken.&#8221;
&#8220;I think selfishly, I was thinking about what it would mean for for us, for the movement, and then you know, non-selfishly, I was thinking about what it would mean for Erika and the kids,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And you know, Charlie was one of those guys who was not just a friend, he was sort of a confidant. He was a guy that I could rely on. He was a guy that I could confide in. And there aren&#8217;t that many people when you&#8217;re the vice president of the United States.&#8221;
&#8220;It was a very, very big loss to me,&#8221; he shared. 
Vance also repeatedly returned to the impact that Kirk&#8217;s death has on his family, his wife Erika, and his two children. 
&#8220;I think about this a lot as a young father, and this is probably the thought that I&#8217;ve had the most consistently since Charlie&#8217;s death: thank God, my kids are at an age where, if God forbid, something happened to me, they would they would have memories of me, and Charlie&#8217;s kids are at that age where, especially for his youngest child, but even for his oldest child, you just worry that a young father who poured his heart and soul into that family, you worry that those kids won&#8217;t have any memory of them, and I think that is the greatest tragedy of all of this.&#8221; 
&#8220;And I know it&#8217;s something Erika cares a lot about,&#8221; added Vance. &#8220;It&#8217;s certainly something I&#8217;ve thought a lot about over the last year, but I think we have to take some some, as Lincoln would say, some measure of devotion to that, that his kids should know at the very least who he was, that that they were beloved, and that their dad gave his life fighting for the very best principles of the country that he loved.&#8221;

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EXCLUSIVE: JD Vance Says Evidence Against Tyler Robinson Is ‘Really, Really Compelling’

JD Vance

The note investigators say reveals that 23-year-old Tyler Robinson confessed to the assassination of Charlie Kirk was inadvertently broadcast live in court on Thursday. 
Lance Twiggs, the trans-identifying former boyfriend of Robinson, told investigators that he received a text after Kirk was shot at Utah Valley University telling him to look under his keyboard. Under the keyboard was a handwritten confession note, Twiggs said. 
“If you are reading this per my text, then I am so sorry. I left the house this morning on a mission and sent an auto-text. I’m likely dead or facing a lengthy prison sentence,” Robinson allegedly wrote in the note. “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I took it. I don’t know if I will/have succeeded, but I had hoped to make it home to you.&#8221;
“I wish we could have lived in a world where this was not necessary,” the note added. “Please try and find joy in this life. I love you always, Tyler.”
&nbsp;
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1132295" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-10-at-8.34.17-AM.png" alt="" width="2092" height="1412" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-10-at-8.34.17-AM.png 2092w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-10-at-8.34.17-AM-300x202.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-10-at-8.34.17-AM-853x576.png 853w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-10-at-8.34.17-AM-768x518.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-10-at-8.34.17-AM-1536x1037.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-10-at-8.34.17-AM-2048x1382.png 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 2092px) 100vw, 2092px" /></div>
Images of the note had been prohibited from being broadcast before the trial officially began, Judge Tony Graf previously said. On Thursday during the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/thats-so-criminal-ep-23?elementPosition=1&amp;row=2&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">preliminary hearing</a>, Graf stepped in and asked Utah County Attorney&#8217;s Office prosecutor Ryan McBride if the note was being broadcast after it appeared on the camera feed from the courtroom, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/07/09/us-news/redacted-heartfelt-letter-from-tyler-robinson-to-trans-lover-accidentally-shown-in-court/">reported</a>. 
“Let me stop you, Mr. McBride. I’m not sure, is this being broadcast?” Graf said.
“Let’s take that down,” McBride answered back.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/thats-so-criminal-ep-23?elementPosition=1&amp;row=2&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH: Tyler Robinson Preliminary Hearing</a>
Other evidence prosecutors revealed Thursday included a recorded interview with Twiggs where he said that Robinson confessed to the killing. 
“[He] didn’t go into detail. I just asked him in person if what he said was true the night before and he said it was, starting crying a little bit, and he says he wishes he hadn’t done it,” Twiggs said. 
Robinson also confessed to the killing in text messages to Twiggs, according to investigators. 
“Shouldn’t be long until I can come home, but I gotta grab my rifle still. to be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you,” Robinson allegedly wrote.
“You werent the one who did it right????” Twiggs asked.
“I am, I’m sorry,” Robinson allegedly replied. 
On Friday, lawyers for Robinson are expected to present one more witness from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) before the case wraps for the day. After that, Graf told lawyers on both sides to craft legal briefs on whether enough evidence has been produced to bring Robinson to trial. Oral arguments on those briefs will be on September 1.

Note_Tyler_Robinson_Hearing

SEE IT: Court Accidentally Shows Tyler Robinson’s Confession Note To Trans Lover

The attorney representing Erika Kirk and the parents of assassinated Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk asked the judge on Thursday to require that all of the evidence admitted in court be visible to everyone in the courtroom.
During the preliminary hearing that began earlier this week, multiple pieces of evidence have not been shown to the entire courtroom as the judge determines whether the case against Tyler Robinson will proceed to trial. Judge Tony Graf Jr. has allowed some videos to be played on a large screen in the courtroom, but <a href="https://www.newsnationnow.com/crime/charlie-kirk-murder-suspect-dna-hearing/">other pieces of evidence</a>, including an alternate angle of the shooting, have been viewed only by the judge and attorneys on their computer monitors. Audio from the redacted videos played aloud for those in attendance.
&#8220;The Victim&#8217;s Family&#8217;s position is simple. At a minimum, every exhibit entered into evidence during the preliminary hearing must be visible to every person lawfully present in the courtroom,&#8221; Attorney Jeffrey Neiman, who represents Erika Kirk and Charlie Kirk&#8217;s parents, <a href="https://x.com/MattFinnFNC/status/2075195265464856977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">argued</a> in a court filing read.
&#8220;To receive evidence in a manner shielded from those seated in the courtroom – as happened today – is not transparency,&#8221; the filing continued. &#8220;And in the absence of transparency, speculation and conspiracy theories related to the tragic assassination of Mr. Kirk will continue to proliferate in the public domain, breeding doubt and distrust in the judicial system. This is not what anyone should want.&#8221;
Robinson’s attorneys argue certain videos could obstruct Robinson’s right to a fair trial. 
“We think this video is going to play a big role in the trial, and to allow the public to see it now would seriously impact our ability to get a fair trial,” said Robinson&#8217;s defense attorney Kathryn Nester. 
Parts of an interview with Lance Twiggs, Robinson&#8217;s transgender partner, were also withheld from public view after defense attorneys argued prosecutors intended to use the clips as evidence of a confession. 
&#8220;We are very concerned that the publication of what the state will call confessions at trial violates Mr Robinson&#8217;s due process rights,&#8221; Robinson’s lawyer argued. The Kirk Family’s lawyer countered, &#8220;To not be transparent here, to not be open, to not let the world see what happened will create doubt ​and distrust in the judicial system.” 
Judge Graf said he would reconsider showing the recording in its entirety if the case proceeds to trial. The partially redacted video will be shown in court on Thursday marking the first time the entire courtroom will hear the audio from Twiggs. According to prosecutors, Robinson was living with Twiggs at the time of the shooting and sent Twiggs a text message that appeared to be a confession to murdering Kirk, writing that he had &#8220;had enough of his hatred.&#8221;
According to court testimony, Robinson programmed an automated text message to be sent from his phone, instructing Twiggs to &#8220;Drop what you are doing, look under my keyboard.&#8221; Prosecutors also say Robinson <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-rules-on-tyler-robinsons-fight-to-shield-key-evidence-from-public?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Judge+Rules+On+Tyler+Robinson%E2%80%99s+Fight+To+Shield+Key+Evidence+From+Public">wrote</a> a letter to Twiggs, whom he referred to as &#8220;Luna.&#8221; The letter allegedly stated, “Luna, if you are reading this per my text, then I am so sorry. I left the house this morning on a mission, and sent an auto text. I am likely dead or facing a lengthy prison sentence. I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I took it.” 
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Robinson.

Erika Kirk/Tyler Robinson

Erika Kirk Demands Access To Evidence In New Court Filing

Court

During Wednesday&#8217;s hearing, the family of slain conservative Charlie Kirk pushed for greater transparency, urging the court to publicly release interviews in-full with the transgender romantic partner of Kirk&#8217;s accused killer.
Jeffrey Neiman, attorney for Kirk&#8217;s widow, Erika Kirk, asked Judge Tony Graf Jr. to allow the full audio of Lance Twiggs&#8217; interviews to be played in open court rather than a heavily redacted version. Twiggs, who was granted &#8220;use immunity,&#8221; is cooperating with prosecutors and is expected to be an important witness in the case. Prosecutors say Robinson admitted to murdering Kirk in text messages to Twiggs after the shooting and left behind a handwritten note expressing his intent to kill Kirk before the attack.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/thats-so-criminal-ep-21?contentProgram=That%27s%20So%20Criminal&amp;contentType=ShowEpisode&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;location=Home%20Tab&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Home%20Featured%20Carousel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LISTEN: The Trial of Tyler Robinson</a> &#8220;The Kirk family believes strongly that if the evidence is being admitted in this preliminary hearing, it should be made public for the world to see,&#8221; Neiman said to Judge Graf. &#8220;No redactions.&#8221;
&#8220;This court has tools at its disposal to make sure the defendant receives a fair trial,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;You&#8217;ll use them if you find that you need to.&#8221;
&#8220;To not be transparent here, to not be open, to not let the world see what happened, will create doubt and distrust in the judicial system, and that&#8217;s not what anybody wants,&#8221; Neiman added. &#8220;That&#8217;s not what any of us believe should happen here. And we&#8217;d ask the court to consider the position of the family in making its ultimate decision.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Full Statement from Kirk Family Representative, Jeffrey Neiman, regarding transparency around the Lance Twiggs interview recording:
&#8220;The Kirk family believes strongly that if the evidence is being admitted in this preliminary hearing, it should be made public for the world to… <a href="https://t.co/OkbHz0HJLz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://t.co/OkbHz0HJLz</a> <a href="https://t.co/y5C03suSFh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/y5C03suSFh</a>
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) <a href="https://x.com/AndrewKolvet/status/2074983325731799456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">July 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
Graf ultimately ruled that portions of Twiggs&#8217; interviews would be redacted before being presented during the preliminary hearing, meaning the public will hear only portions of the interviews. The judge also said that he would personally review the complete, unredacted interviews when determining whether prosecutors have established probable cause to send Tyler Robinson to trial for Kirk&#8217;s murder.
Notably, the ruling currently applies only to the preliminary hearing and does not determine what evidence a jury may ultimately see or hear at trial. Twiggs could also testify in person at Robinson&#8217;s trial.
As highlighted by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/key-piece-of-evidence-contained-dna-from-accused-kirk-assassin-and-his-trans-lover-fbi?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Key+Piece+Of+Evidence+Contained+DNA+From+Accused+Kirk+Assassin+And+His+Trans+Lover%3A+FBI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a>, the weapon believed to have been used to murder Kirk was wrapped in a towel that contained DNA from Robinson and Twiggs, according to the FBI. A screwdriver recovered from the rooftop where Robinson allegedly fired also contained DNA from both males, the state said at the hearing. Robinson was living with Twiggs at the time of Kirk’s assassination.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
DNA breakdown on towel and screwdriver where Lance Twiggs&#8217; and Tyler Robinson&#8217;s DNA was found from Amanda Bakker, DNA analyst:
Towel: Twiggs 5% Robinson 95%
Screwdriver: Twiggs 11% Robinson 89%
— Lynden Blake (@LyndenBlake) <a href="https://x.com/LyndenBlake/status/2074630147827773861?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">July 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-never-before-seen-tyler-robinson-footage-haunting-his-defense?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=The+Never-Before-Seen+Tyler+Robinson+Footage+Haunting+His+Defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Never-Before-Seen Tyler Robinson Footage Haunting His Defense</a>

Kirk Family Pushes For Public Release Of Full Lance Twiggs Interviews

More never-before-seen footage of Tyler Robinson was shown in a Provo, Utah, courtroom on Wednesday, showing the accused killer two days after the Charlie Kirk assassination.
Robinson, who is charged with murdering Kirk, turned himself in to authorities 33 hours after Kirk was fatally shot. The video footage presented Wednesday shows Robinson being held at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in Hurricane, Utah, on September 12, 2025.
Notably, Robinson appears to be wearing the same clothing he wore arriving on campus that morning.. Robinson is wearing a maroon-colored t-shirt with no graphics or lettering and Converse sneakers, according to the video and testimony.
&#8220;Never before seen footage of Tyler Robinson being held at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in Hurricane, Utah before his transfer. Sept 12, 2025,&#8221; Gina Milan reported.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Never before seen footage of Tyler Robinson being held at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in Hurricane, Utah before his transfer. <a href="https://t.co/wyK4cEGTA3">pic.twitter.com/wyK4cEGTA3</a>
— Gina Milan (@ginamilan_) <a href="https://x.com/ginamilan_/status/2074944138512883941?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
Footage taken on the Utah Valley University campus from September 10, 2025, the day Kirk was killed, shows a man believed to be Robinson wearing a maroon shirt, light-colored shorts, and Converse shoes, according to video and testimony.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Bad day for the &#8220;Tyler Robinson was not on campus that day&#8221; retards <a href="https://t.co/dMyqO0cuMM">pic.twitter.com/dMyqO0cuMM</a>
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) <a href="https://x.com/EndWokeness/status/2074560947587268637?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
During the hearing on Tuesday, security footage played in court appeared to show Robinson walking with what authorities described as a “limp” just minutes before the shooting.
“UVU prosecutors just presented this footage of Tyler Robinson arriving on campus for the third time, just minutes before the shooting,” Blake Neff, a producer of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” posted online. “Look at how he is walking, as if something is hindering his right leg.” (See footage above.)
Reports have previously indicated that Robinson appeared to walk with a stiff right leg before the shooting, or with an unusual gait, which some have suggested could indicate he was concealing a rifle under his clothing. Robinson is facing the death penalty for the fatal shooting of Turning Point USA founder and conservative leader Charlie Kirk.
Reporters inside the courtroom said the prosecution used surveillance footage to establish that Robinson was on campus four separate times on September 10, 2025, the day Kirk was killed.
“The timeline prosecutors are building is strong. Surveillance placing Robinson on campus before, during, and after the shot. Roof access, sniper position in the gravel, that screwdriver left behind, every piece fits,” Jack Posobiec reported on Monday. “Defense is already grasping at procedural straws.”
In another video played for the court, a person believed to be Robinson was seen “‘rolling’ over the railing of the Losee Student Center and moving into a prone position just seconds before Kirk was shot,” Neff posted.
Security footage also appeared to show a person believed to be Robinson seconds after Kirk was fatally shot. The person was seen running along the top of a campus building “before dropping down onto the grass and heading away from campus on foot, carrying something,” The New York Times reported.
The hearing will determine whether prosecutors have presented enough evidence to establish probable cause for Robinson to stand trial for Kirk’s assassination.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/don-jr-wife-condemn-lies-about-kirk-assassination?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Don+Jr.%2C+Wife+Condemn+‘Lies’+About+Kirk+Assassination">Don Jr., Wife Condemn ‘Lies’ About Kirk Assassination</a>

The Never-Before-Seen Tyler Robinson Footage Haunting His Defense

Only two days into a preliminary hearing for the Tyler Robinson murder case and newly presented security footage and testimony are contradicting a conspiracy peddled by Candace Owens.
Owens has accused more than a dozen individuals and shadowy groups or governments of being involved in the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, while saying Robinson is being framed or used as a patsy. The late conservative&#8217;s widow, Erika Kirk, has notably been a routine target of Owens&#8217; unsupported theories.
Just days ago, Owens repeated her belief that Robinson was not on the Utah Valley University campus at all on the day Kirk was murdered.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t think Tyler Robinson was there,&#8221; she <a href="https://podscripts.co/podcasts/shawn-ryan-show/318-candace-owens-the-most-sued-woman-in-american-media?utm_source=chatgpt.com">told</a> podcast host Shawn Ryan. &#8220;I think he&#8217;s a total patsy. I think they get lookalikes. They get everybody to wear the same outfits. I believe he played a role, and what he did was he picked up clothes and he dumped them behind the Dairy Queen.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/thats-so-criminal-ep-21?elementPosition=1&amp;row=2&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">LISTEN: The Trial of Tyler Robinson: Making the Case Day 2</a>
During the interview, Owens again raised questions about whether Israel or other “heavy players” were connected to Kirk’s murder and cast suspicion on Erika. At one point in the same interview, Owens said she felt &#8220;gutted&#8221; because Erika never actually loved her late husband. Owens cited Erika&#8217;s decision to quickly step into a leadership role at TPUSA after the assassination as part of her reasoning.
During Tuesday&#8217;s preliminary hearing, which will determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence for Robinson to stand trial, a number of security videos showed a man on the Utah Valley University campus who authorities testified was Robinson.
One video appeared to show Robinson walking with a &#8220;limp,&#8221; according to David Hull, a former Utah State Bureau of Investigation agent. Notably, reports previously indicated that Robinson appeared to walk with a stiff right leg before the shooting, or with an unusual gait, indicating he was likely concealing a rifle under his clothing.
Another video presented in court shows the man believed to be Robinson climbing over the railing of the Losee Center and moving into a prone position just seconds before Kirk was fatally shot.
Security footage also showed a person believed to be Robinson seconds after Kirk was fatally shot. The person was seen running along the top of a campus building “before dropping down onto the grass and heading away from campus on foot, carrying something,” The New York Times reported.
&#8220;The video compilation (exhibit 12.4) of Tyler Robinson visiting UVU campus four times on 9/10 (the last visit stretching into the early morning hours of 9/11) will be submitted as evidence and broadcast to the media. Here’s the video,&#8221; TPUSA spokesman Andrew Kolvet said. &#8220;When you watch it, you&#8217;ll understand why the defense fought so hard against allowing it to be seen by the public.&#8221;
Robinson&#8217;s parents also recognized him from images released by law enforcement following the shooting, and Robinson apparently made statements that led his parents to believe he killed Kirk. Matt Robinson, the suspect&#8217;s father, drove his son to surrender himself to authorities.
Some independent journalists and conservatives — including those who were close to Kirk — slammed Owens for spreading the apparent lies about the case.
&#8220;Compare the video of Candace Owens claiming last week that Tyler Robinson was never on the UVU campus on the day Charlie Kirk was killed and the extended footage presented in court today of Robinson visiting campus 4 times that day,&#8221; conservative commentator AG Hamilton said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Compare the video of Candace Owens claiming last week that Tyler Robinson was never on the UVU campus on the day Charlie Kirk was killed and the extended footage presented in court today of Robinson visiting campus 4 times that day… <a href="https://t.co/2E7NUcjuS8">pic.twitter.com/2E7NUcjuS8</a>
— AG (@AGHamilton29) <a href="https://x.com/AGHamilton29/status/2074541314339635672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
&#8220;Candace Owens led thousands of people astray and lied, claiming that Tyler never stepped foot on campus that day,&#8221; journalist Sarah Fields said. &#8220;This is embarrassing — for her and for everyone she effectively brainwashed.&#8221;
Without naming Owens, CEO of The Babylon Bee, Seth Dillon, commented on the mounting evidence against Robinson and those spreading falsehoods about the case.
&#8220;[T]here&#8217;s a reason so many people are unwilling to let the evidence speak for itself. The well was poisoned for exactly that purpose,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;The goal of the months-long internet &#8216;investigation&#8217; has been to pre-bunk the real one so that its findings, when they eventually surfaced, would be widely dismissed.&#8221;
&#8220;Shame on anyone who&#8217;s defended this malicious campaign as &#8216;just asking questions&#8217; or &#8216;the actions of a true friend,'&#8221; he added.
Unsurprisingly, Owens is denying the person in the video footage is Robinson. She is now suggesting the man is Lance Twiggs, Robinson&#8217;s trans-identifying lover. &#8220;The person walking in the video they are presenting is very clearly a TALL person. Well above 6 feet,&#8221; she wrote on X. &#8220;No way that is a 5’10 or 5’11 person. How tall is Lance Twiggs?&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This was my exact point. The person walking in the video they are presenting is very clearly a TALL person. Well above 6 feet. 
No way that is a 5’10 or 5’11 person. 
How tall is Lance Twiggs? <a href="https://t.co/IjKSmwoHA7">https://t.co/IjKSmwoHA7</a>
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) <a href="https://x.com/RealCandaceO/status/2074543586264105317?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
&#8220;Has anybody wanted anything as badly as Candace wants Charlie&#8217;s murderer to go free?&#8221; Blake Neff, producer of &#8220;The Charlie Kirk Show,&#8221; reacted.
Manhattan Institute fellow Colin Wright called Owens &#8220;unfathomably idiotic.&#8221;
&#8220;She thinks she has the ability to determine the height of a person to within 1 inch simply from a video,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Tyler Robinson might appear tall at first glance, but that&#8217;s because he&#8217;s skinny and lanky. Candace saying that he &#8216;looks to me to be 6&#8217;2 minimally&#8217; is just stupid.&#8221;
&#8220;&#8216;Looks to me&#8217;? Based on what method that allows for only 1 inch of wiggle room?&#8221; he continued to ridicule Owens. &#8220;She has no method, just vibes. It simply isn&#8217;t possible to determine how tall someone is from a video or photo that lacks a clear reference point.&#8221;
&#8220;I told you Candace would be spinning off endless conspiracies from the trial footage,&#8221; Wright added. &#8220;It has already started, and it&#8217;s only going to get a lot more insane.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/who-tyler-robinson-interacted-with-hours-before-charlie-kirk-assassination?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Who+Tyler+Robinson+Interacted+With+Hours+Before+Charlie+Kirk+Assassination">Who Tyler Robinson Interacted With Hours Before Charlie Kirk Assassination</a>

Candace Owens/Tyler Robinson

Testimony, Security Footage Contradict Candace Owens’ Insane Defense Of Tyler Robinson

Testimony, Security Footage Contradicts Candace Owens Conspiracy Theory

Candace Owens

The weapon believed to have been used in the murder of conservative Charlie Kirk was wrapped in a towel that contained DNA from Tyler Robinson and his trans lover, Lance Twiggs, according to the FBI.
Robinson was living with Twiggs at the time of Kirk&#8217;s assassination, and authorities viewed messages between the two romantic partners on the day of Kirk&#8217;s assassination that appear to implicate Robinson in the killing.
During a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, prosecutors presented a report from the FBI that indicated DNA from Robinson and Twiggs was found on the towel that was used in an attempt to hide a rifle near the scene of Kirk&#8217;s assassination, The New York Times reported. Authorities don&#8217;t believe Twiggs, who is cooperating with police, took part in planning or carrying out the assassination.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
DNA breakdown on towel and screwdriver where Lance Twiggs&#8217; and Tyler Robinson&#8217;s DNA was found from Amanda Bakker, DNA analyst:
Towel: Twiggs 5% Robinson 95% 
Screwdriver: Twiggs 11% Robinson 89%
— Lynden Blake (@LyndenBlake) <a href="https://x.com/LyndenBlake/status/2074630147827773861?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/thats-so-criminal-ep-21?elementPosition=1&amp;row=2&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">LISTEN: The Trial of Tyler Robinson: Making the Case Day 2</a>
Journalist Sarah Fields similarly <a href="https://x.com/LyndenBlake/status/2074630147827773861?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">reported</a> that Utah Department of Public Safety Sgt. Jennifer Faumuina, the state&#8217;s third witness, &#8220;testified that FBI DNA testing identified DNA belonging to both Tyler Robinson and his roommate, Lance Twiggs, on the towel wrapped around the rifle, as well as on the screwdriver recovered from the sniper perch.&#8221;
A video stream of the hearing shows Amanda Bakker, a forensic analyst for the FBI&#8217;s DNA lab, confirming that Robinson was the major DNA contributor for the towel and a screwdriver found after the murder, which also contained a much smaller amount of Twiggs&#8217; DNA.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
To ALL the liars saying the opposite of the truth….you are scum of the earth!
Here is the TRUTH!
ON THE RECORD: Robinson Was 95% DNA Contributor On Evidence! <a href="https://t.co/D2rI2io1wA">pic.twitter.com/D2rI2io1wA</a>
— Graham Allen (@GrahamAllen) <a href="https://x.com/GrahamAllen/status/2074646906559701028?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Last year, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said Robinson&#8217;s DNA was found on the trigger and other parts of a rifle that was found near the crime scene. His DNA was also found on the fired cartridge casing and two of the three unfired cartridges, as well as the towel that the weapon had been wrapped in, CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/live-updates/charlie-kirk-shooting-tyler-robinson-charges-court-hearing-utah/">reported</a>. Messages obtained by authorities reportedly show Robinson saying in a Discord chat that the rifle belonged to his grandfather.
The second day of the hearing also included <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/never-before-seen-footage-reveals-moments-before-and-after-kirk-assassination?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Never-Before-Seen+Footage+Reveals+Moments+Before+And+After+Kirk+Assassination">never-before-seen security footage</a> of who appeared to be Robinson walking on the Utah Valley University campus with what authorities described as a “limp” just minutes before the shooting.
Reports have previously indicated that Robinson appeared to walk with a stiff right leg before the shooting, or with an unusual gait, which some have suggested could indicate he was concealing a rifle under his clothing.
Robinson is facing the death penalty for the murder of Kirk.
<div class="nyp-slideshow-modal-image__wrapper">Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/never-before-seen-footage-reveals-moments-before-and-after-kirk-assassination?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Never-Before-Seen+Footage+Reveals+Moments+Before+And+After+Kirk+Assassination">Never-Before-Seen Footage Reveals Moments Before And After Kirk Assassination</a></div>

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