The internet has been up in arms about one of the biggest Lego scandals in human history, involving a record-breaking Lego set and accusations of corporate greed, content farming, and police irresponsibility. 
 
Eric Mansell, along with his son Bryan, reportedly <a href="https://bricksandminifigs.com/blog/blog/2026/05/28/bricks-minifigs-salem-oregon-clarity-and-resolution/">collected</a> a Lego Star Wars collection consisting of 780 boxed Lego sets and 1,200 rare figures as an investment for his grandchildren. The collection was reportedly priced between $60,000 to $200,000. 
 
The family gave the collection to Bricks and Minifigs, an after-market Lego reseller, to sell on consignment. But when the store changed hands, the new owner refused Mansell access to the collection and denied even having it. 
 
“All you have to do is let me in back. We can go that route or we can go to court,” Mansell said he told the store owner, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wscQpkcwgNU">adding,</a> “And the guy there just looks at me, crosses his arms and goes, ‘Let me tell you what’s going to happen. If we go to court, we’re going to drag this thing out so long and you’re going to end up spending so much more money than your collection is ever worth or what you ever would have gotten out of it, then it ain’t worth it, man.’”
Bricks and Minifigs denied &#8220;knowingly&#8221; stealing the Lego collection, stating, “The actual origin of this dispute lies in an unauthorized, local consignment arrangement between an independent former franchisee of the Salem store and the Mansell family.” The company stated that the collection was not even in the store when Johnson and Brandon Best took it over, as the collection was moved to an &#8220;offsite secure location.&#8221; 
Bricks and Minifigs stated that it found between $2,000 and $5,000 worth of the sets in the store that could possibly belong to the Mansell family. It stated, “We offered to return these items to the Mansell family though BAM had no legal obligation to do so, but it was refused.”
“Neither corporate nor the incoming owners (Josh Johnson and Best) ever took, sold, or concealed this collection,” the company added, claiming that inventory logs show the collection was already missing at the time of the takeover of the franchise.
Ben Schneider, who is known on YouTube as Reckless Ben, brought the case to the public&#8217;s attention after he sought to help the family get compensation for the massive Lego set. Schneider even went to the Bricks and Minifigs store to look into the case, but the police were called and he was ordered to stay off the property after being <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wscQpkcwgNU">accused</a> of harassment. Schneider was also accused of trespassing after he attempted to go to the office of Ammon McNeff, the CEO of Bricks and Minifigs.
After Schneider reportedly tried all forms of discussion with Best and his business associate Joshua Johnson, he managed to win a default judgement in a small claims court against them for the Legos. However, Best and Johnson closed the Bricks and Minifigs store shortly after the controversy erupted.
Schneider then tried to personally sue Johnson and Best to recover the money, but said he had difficulty having a good faith conversation and serving the court papers required to personally sue. 
Schneider said he waited outside Johnson’s house away from his property so he could talk with him about the lawsuit while not being accused of trespassing. Johnson reportedly <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxZPfj8AlmY">refused</a> to leave his property and called the cops multiple times on Schneider, one time allegedly accusing him of having heroin in his car, which turned out to be false. 
After Schneider was released on bail, the police later raided the house where Schneider and his friends were staying. The police arrested them all, and Schneider accused officers of dislocating his arm in the process.
Schneider and his friends were interrogated, and the police tried to keep Schneider in jail with no bail, but a judge allowed him to go. When Schneider was reportedly notified that there was another bail out for his arrest on the pretext that he was a physical threat to Johnson, he fled to Mexico to wait until things were sorted out.
In response to the ongoing problem with Schneider, Mansell, Johnson, and Best, Bricks and Minifigs filed a lawsuit against Schneider for conducting a harassment and extortion campaign against Bricks and Minifigs in Utah and Oregon. The company also <a href="https://bricksandminifigs.com/blog/blog/2026/05/28/bricks-minifigs-salem-oregon-clarity-and-resolution/">released</a> an official statement defending their side of the story.
The Bricks and Minifigs website has called Schneider and his content creator friends “zealous online profiteers” who have been engaged in “viral mischaracterizations” and &#8220;sensationalization&#8221; of their actions, and the actions of Johnson and Best.
Bricks and Minifigs also denied receiving verifiable copies of the signed contract, receipts of payment to the Mansell family, and a true listing of the inventory. It also said the store was closed “because our staff — including local teenagers — faced severe real-world safety hazards, targeted in-person stalking, and explicit bomb threats driven by viral videos.”
The American Fork Police Department posted a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcVmSQpIPRY">video</a> detailing its perspective on the events, including previous claims about harassment, stalking, forging of signatures, and theft of Legos. The police department also stated it wanted to stop Schneider&#8217;s attempt to contact Johnson about the Legos because Johnson &#8220;reported that he was going to shoot someone as a result of the ongoing harassment.&#8221;
Schneider has also issued a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YEzhDn0jY8">response</a> to the police video, stating that the police raided &#8220;my house for stealing the Legos when there&#8217;s an overwhelming amount of evidence that Josh stole the Legos&#8221; and that the police &#8220;redacted everything&#8221; that supported Schneider in the body cam footage, saying that the reason was &#8220;to protect the victims.&#8221;
Schneider also started a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-bryan-recover-his-lego-collection">GoFundMe</a> to help the Mansell family recover the cost of their collections and to pay for legal fees as he is considering suing Best, Johnson, and the police department.
Most recently, Bricks and Minifigs released a statement <a href="https://bricksandminifigs.com/blog/blog/2026/06/04/bricks-and-minifigs-salem-joshua-johnson-brandon-best-resignation/">declaring</a> that it was permanently closing their Salem location, parting ways with Johnson and Best, and &#8220;personally reached out to Bryan Mansell and family to meet, to review documentation revealed in the investigation, and to come to a mutual and positive resolution.&#8221;

Legoworlds in the Bomann-Museum Celle

GRAND THEFT LEGO: How One Man’s ‘Star Wars’ Collection Set The Internet Ablaze

Corporate America

Corporations

Corruption

Gen Z

Internet

Lego

Oregon

Star Wars

Utah

A Utah judge on Monday rejected a request from Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, to keep key court proceedings and evidence out of the public eye. 
Judge Tony Graf’s ruling means the media — and the public — will have access to Robinson’s preliminary hearing and evidence exhibits, scheduled for early July. At the hearing, prosecutors are expected to present evidence to establish probable cause for the case to proceed to trial.
In his ruling, Judge Graf said concerns about negative publicity did not outweigh the public’s right to an open judicial process, according to the New York Times. 
It’s the latest setback for Robinson&#8217;s defense team, which has failed to convince the judge to restrict media access and keep critical evidence under wraps. 
In May, Judge Graf also rejected a defense request to bar cameras, microphones, and still photographers from Robinson&#8217;s murder trial. The defense argued that allowing cameras would jeopardize Robinson’s “fair trial rights,” telling the judge that restrictions were necessary “to ensure Mr. Robinson’s rights to due process, to a fair and impartial jury, to counsel, to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures, and to be free from cruel and unusual punishment.”
The prosecution pushed back, arguing that transparency builds public trust in the judicial process.
“Mischief lurks in the dark or in secret,” Deputy Utah County Attorney Chad Grunander said. “Conspiracy theories abound, and the antidote is the actual, real proceedings… Let’s shine a light on these proceedings, a bright light, so the public can have confidence in what happens in this courtroom.”
New court documents filed in April shed light on Robinson’s state of mind before he allegedly killed Kirk at Utah Valley University.
Robinson allegedly sent his boyfriend, whom he referred to as “Luna,” a message on the day of the shooting that read, “drop what you are doing, look under my keyboard,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-the-twisted-confession-tyler-robinson-is-accused-of-making-to-his-boyfriend">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported. 
“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,” the letter states, according to KSL.
“I don’t know if I will/have succeeded, but I had hoped to make it home to you. I wish we could have lived in a world where this did not feel necessary. I wish I could have stayed for you and lived our lives together. I lack the words to express how much I love you, and how very much you mean to me. Please try to find joy in this life. I love you, always, -Tyler,” <a href="https://www.ksl.com/article/51481672/tyler-killed-charlie-search-warrants-detail-messages-allegedly-sent-after-kirk-killing">the letter reviewed by KSL said</a>.
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 over the past year, adopting pro-gay and pro-transgender views.
It remains unclear when the trial against Robinson will begin. If convicted, he faces the death penalty.

MixCollage-15-Sep-2025-04-51-PM-6957

Judge Rules On Tyler Robinson’s Fight To Shield Key Evidence From Public

Charlie Kirk

News

Tyler Robinson

A disturbing police video released this week shows a transgender-identifying man admitting to the murder of his parents because his mom wanted to stop him from having gender surgery. 
Video <a href="https://kutv.com/news/local/mia-bailey-details-how-she-killed-her-parents-in-interrogation-video">obtained</a> by KUTV shows a 28-year-old Collin Troy Bailey confessing to murdering his parents, Joseph and Gail, in Washington County, Utah, after police arrested him back in June 2024. Bailey, who claims to be a woman and goes by “Mia,” was convicted in November 2025 and sentenced to two 25-year life sentences for the murders. 
&#8220;I told them I was going to kill myself so many times,&#8221; Bailey told police. &#8220;Mental health declining, that’s why I needed that surgery.&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Mia Bailey details how she killed her parents in interrogation video" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MMFUfRsMirE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
He told investigators his mom attempted to stop him from having transgender surgery. 
“She was trying to sabotage it. She always had boundary issues,&#8221; Bailey said. &#8220;I had one thing going on, and she took that away from me. [&#8230;] She can&#8217;t say sorry to save her life, apparently. And I gave her so many chances throughout my life.&#8221;
The footage shows Bailey flippantly referring to blindly shooting through a door, not caring if he injured his brother, saying, “If I did, so what?” 
Bailey said he had no regrets about murdering his parents. 
&#8220;So much for family,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I spent years trying to fix that broken ass family. Eventually, I had to get out, either going to kill myself or kill.&#8221;
Bailey told police that the public should be more supportive of people who want to become transgender. 
Police <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/police-catch-transgender-suspect-accused-of-double-murder-hiding-in-weeds">tracked</a> Bailey down and found him in the woods after he carried out the murders with a gun he bought from a pawn shop. Bailey had planned to kill himself, but was detained by police without incident after a manhunt. 
&#8220;I went to my parents to do the deed. Kill them,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It was spur-of-the-moment. I don’t regret it. I hate them. That was the last straw.&#8221;
Bailey <a href="https://corrections.utah.gov/inmate-services/offender-search/">appears</a> to currently be <a href="https://corrections.utah.gov/about-us/correctional-facilties/utah-state-correctional-facility">housed</a> in Utah State Correctional Facility’s Antelope unit, a maximum security male facility. 
There have been growing concerns about violence motivated by transgender ideology after the last several years have seen multiple deadly school shootings targeting Christian schools carried out by gender-confused assailants. 
The White House released a new Counter Terrorism Strategy earlier this month, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-counterterrorism-plan-vows-to-identify-and-neutralize-trans-terrorists?author=Mary+Margaret+Olohan&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=White+House+Vows+To+Identify+And+Neutralize+Trans+Terrorists">promising</a> “rapid identification and neutralization of violent secular political groups,” including those subscribing to transgender ideology.

MixCollage-14-May-2026-09-29-AM-4267

WATCH: Trans-Identifying Man Confesses Gender Surgery Drove Him To Execute Parents

WATCH: Trans-Identifying Man Shrugs Off Murder Of Parents

Crime

Murder

Transgender

transgender surgery

Kouri Richins, the Utah woman who wrote a children&#8217;s book on processing grief after her husband&#8217;s death, went on a 40-minute rant as she was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for killing him with fentanyl. 
In March, a jury found the 35-year-old guilty of aggravated murder for lacing her husband Eric Richins’ drink with five times the lethal dose of fentanyl, poisoning him with what&#8217;s known as a Moscow Mule cocktail,<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kouri-richins-murder-trial-sentencing-fa8c4b159827eef080cfa104a316454c"> according to the Associated Press.</a> Jurors also convicted the mother of three on four additional felonies, including insurance fraud, forgery, and attempted murder for giving her husband a fentanyl-laced sandwich on Valentine&#8217;s Day. 
Judge Richard Mrazik imposed the maximum sentence, rejecting the possibility of parole.
“A person convicted of those things is simply too dangerous to ever be free,” Mrazik said. 
Eric Richins, 39, was found dead in bed on March 4, 2022, at the couple&#8217;s Park City home. An <a href="https://abcnews.com/US/utah-mom-kouri-richins-set-sentenced-fatally-poisoning/story?id=132889104&amp;cid=social_twitter_abcn">autopsy report</a> determined he died from fentanyl intoxication. The sentencing coincided with what would have been his 44th birthday.
According to the Associated Press, Kouri Richins, a real estate agent who operated a house-flipping business, was millions of dollars in debt and romantically involved with another man. She had taken out multiple life insurance policies on her husband without his knowledge, believing she would inherit more than $4 million after his death.
The victim&#8217;s father, Eugene Richins, urged the court to impose the maximum penalty to protect his grandchildren from their mother. 
“This sentence is important so Eric’s three sons never have to live with the fear that the person responsible for taking their father could ever harm them again,” he said during the sentencing hearing,<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kouri-richins-murder-trial-sentencing-fa8c4b159827eef080cfa104a316454c"> according to the Associated Press. </a>
Speaking to her young children at the sentencing, Richins broke into a 40-minute rant where she insisted she was innocent while admitting that she is &#8220;not perfect.&#8221; 
&#8220;I know that today you don&#8217;t want to speak to me, have a relationship with me,&#8221;<a href="https://abcnews.com/US/utah-mom-kouri-richins-set-sentenced-fatally-poisoning/story?id=132889104&amp;cid=social_twitter_abcn"> she said, according to ABC.</a> &#8220;You may think you hate me, and that&#8217;s okay. I will never be angry at you for your feelings. When the day comes that you&#8217;re ready, I will be here for you, waiting for you, and loving you.&#8221;
&#8220;I have succeeded and I have failed as a person, as a wife, as a parent &#8212; we all do,&#8221; she added.
Richins&#8217; arrest drew national attention, in part due to the children&#8217;s book she published. Released a year after her husband’s death, “Are You With Me?” aimed to help her boys process the loss of their father. The book, which has fewer than two stars in reviews, drew a wave of outraged responses.
&#8220;This is horrifying, writing a book about grief to then be the one who murdered your husband? How can you do that to someone?&#8221; one social media user said.
&#8220;What an absolute psychopath!&#8221; another person said.

Husband Killer And Children’s Grief Author Breaks Into 40-Minute Monologue

Courts

Fentanyl

U.S.

Elizabeth Smart, 38, has moved on to the next phase of her life with a strong new hobby: bodybuilding.
The former kidnapping victim who became an advocate for child safety and an ABC News correspondent said she never expected this would happen.
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“When I posted the pictures in my story of me standing on stage in a bikini it probably shocked many of you, and I understand the shock because had you asked me if I would ever compete in a bodybuilding show a couple of years ago I would have said, ‘absolutely not! Never in 100 years!’” she wrote in the caption of an Instagram post shared Wednesday.
This message was accompanied by a photo of her competing at the Wasatch Warrior competition in Salt Lake City on Saturday. She took home first place in the Fit Model division, a category for entry-level female bodybuilders.
“This is actually the fourth competition I’ve done, but I was too afraid to post it before,” Smart revealed. “Worried that I would be judged, not taken seriously, somehow perceived as less than or now unworthy to continue work as an advocate for all survivors. Then this past weekend it struck me how eerily familiar these feelings and thoughts are for too many survivors.”
As for her reasons, Smart wrote that she didn&#8217;t want to “reach the end of my life and look back and feel regret for only living a half-life, not going after all the things I want to do and try.”
“This was a big change for me, it was hard, it pushed me, challenged me not to give up. I am so proud of myself for doing this. I am so proud of my body, and I want to celebrate it,” she wrote. “My body has carried me through every worst day, every hellish grueling experience, it’s created and nurtured three beautiful children, my body has risen to every single challenge life has presented it with, and carried me through so I refuse to be ashamed of it.”
Smart was taken from her Salt Lake home in 2002 when she was 14 years old. She was discovered by police 9 months later. Smart <a href="https://www.foxla.com/news/elizabeth-smart-wins-top-honors-at-utah-bodybuilding-show">had been kidnapped</a> from her bedroom at knifepoint by Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee. Smart was raped daily by Mitchell as he hid her at campsites around Utah.
Mitchell was convicted and is serving a life sentence while Barzee was released in 2018. She was arrested again in 2025, however, after violating conditions of her sex offender status.
In the aftermath of the crime, Smart became an advocate for other victims of sexual assault by creating the Elizabeth Smart Foundation. She has been married since 2012 and has three children.
There is a Netflix documentary about her ordeal called, “Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart.”

Elizabeth Smart

Recognize Her? The Girl Whose Kidnapping Gripped America Just Made A Shocking Pivot

General

Salt Lake City

Sports

The FBI returned a 10-year-old Utah boy to his mother after he was kidnapped and taken to Cuba by his transgender-identifying father and his family feared the child would undergo transgender procedures, the Justice Department announced Tuesday. 
Authorities charged 42-year-old Inessa-Ethington, who goes by &#8220;Rose,&#8221; and 32-year-old &#8220;Blue&#8221; Inessa-Ethington with international parental kidnapping after the gender-confused boy was taken to Cuba. The boy has since been safely returned to his mother.
The child, a boy who identifies as a girl, split time with his divorced parents, who share custody in Cache County, Utah. The boy was supposed to go on a camping trip to Canada with his father — a man who identifies as a woman — and his partner, Blue, but instead ended up in Cuba, according to court documents. 
Family members told authorities they feared the boy&#8217;s father, Rose, intended to force his son to undergo transgender surgery abroad against the mother&#8217;s wishes. They feared the boy &#8220;was transported to Cuba for gender reassignment surgery prior to puberty,” according to a criminal complaint. 
The two kidnappers were <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ut/pr/utah-10-year-old-reunited-biological-mother-after-transgender-parent-and-partner">deported</a> from Cuba on Monday, and the child was returned home safe to Utah. 
FBI Director Kash Patel told The Daily Wire the rescue was another example of the bureau protecting children. 
“Each and every day this FBI is stepping up to protect kids in America at levels never seen before — identifying and rescuing 6200 child victims just last year alone,” he said. “This case is no different. We are proud of our agents, Intel analysts, and partners who acted quickly and saved a young child from what could have been a horrific kidnapping. Let it be a message to any criminal actor who would try the same — this FBI will find you, no matter where you try to hide.”
Court documents say the group left Utah on March 28, 2026, telling the boy&#8217;s mother they were heading to Alberta, Canada.  The child later called and said they had arrived, but the group could not be reached afterward. 
On March 29, the group crossed into British Columbia at the Douglas Port of Entry, then flew to Mexico the same day before arriving in Havana, Cuba, on April 1, 2026, according to investigators. 
A search of the pair’s residence found a to-do list that included “learn Spanish,” along with travel plans, an intent to withdraw $10,000 in cash, and indications they planned to empty a bank account, according to the FBI. 
“Recovered notes include instruction from a mental health therapist located in Washington D.C. including instruction to send the therapist the $10,000.00 and instructions on gender affirming medical care for children,” the criminal complaint says. 
On April 13, a Utah judge granted the boy&#8217;s mother full custody of the boy and ordered him returned to her. Rose and Blue were located by Cuban authorities on April 16, according to the Justice Department. 
Lawyers for the defendants have not been identified. They appeared in court for an arraignment in Virginia and will be transferred to Utah for further proceedings.

Patel_Child_Handcuffs

FBI Spoils Trans Father’s Plan To Transition Son In Cuba

Cuba

kash patel

The university where Charlie Kirk was assassinated will not have a commencement speaker this year after facing backlash for choosing an author who criticized the popular conservative commentator shortly after his death. 
Utah Valley University said Thursday it would proceed without a commencement speaker due to “safety concerns.” The decision follows <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/university-where-charlie-kirk-was-assassinated-taps-speaker-tied-to-sick-posts">criticism</a> over its selection of the so-called “non-partisan” author Sharon McMahon, who had previously called Kirk’s message harmful.
“Due to increased safety concerns related to the speaker and in consultation with public safety professionals and Sharon McMahon, Utah Valley University has decided to proceed without a featured commencement speaker for this year’s ceremony,” the university said in a statement. 
McMahon, who describes herself as “America’s government teacher,” posted a series of out-of-context quotes from Kirk after his death to explain why “there is so much backlash to posts eulogizing his death,” claiming that Kirk “was not a person who simply engaged in good-faith debates on college campuses” if you were black or Muslim.
Local outlets have <a href="https://kutv.com/news/local/backlash-at-uvu-follows-selection-of-speaker-tied-to-posts-about-charlie-kirk">reported</a> on the posts, which have since been deleted from social media. 
“It’s important to remember that the incredible tragedy of a public assassination does not erase the harm many experienced from his words and the ensuing actions his followers took,” McMahon wrote, according to a local CBS affiliate. 
The selection of McMahon as a speaker garnered criticism from Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and the university’s Turning Point USA chapter. 
“Hours immediately after Charlie’s assassination, Sharon McMahon posted a now-deleted series of out-of-context quotes from Charlie in an effort to tarnish his name and minimize the tragedy, rather than offering condolences or condemning political violence,” chapter president Caleb Chilcutt said.
“There are countless better alternatives, and the fact that the university is choosing McMahon is entirely disappointing to all of us still reeling from his loss. I couldn’t be more disappointed in this university for such a hurtful and callous decision,” he added.
Last week, the university <a href="https://www.deseret.com/politics/2026/04/08/uvu-commencement-speaker-sharon-mcmahon-controversy-charlie-kirk-comments/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Deseret News that McMahon’s selection had been “overwhelmingly positive” and “well received.”

Political Activist Charlie Kirk Shot Dead At Utah Valley University

University Where Charlie Kirk Was Assassinated Axes Speaker After Posts Ignite Backlash

Turning Point USA

The speaker chosen to deliver the commencement address at the university where Charlie Kirk was assassinated posted about the “harm” of his words shortly after he was killed. 
Backlash is building after Utah Valley University <a href="https://www.uvu.edu/news/2025/sharon-mcmahon-2026-commencement-speaker.html">announced</a> last month that the supposedly “non-partisan” author Sharon McMahon would be speaking at graduation this year, drawing criticism from conservative students over her social media posts after Kirk’s death. Kirk was gunned down on September 10, 2025, while holding one of his popular campus events at the university in Orem, Utah. 
McMahon, who dubs herself “America’s Government Teacher,” is an educator who frequently focuses her criticism on the Trump administration and conservatives. Shortly after Kirk&#8217;s assassination, McMahon posted a series of out-of-context quotes from Kirk to explain why “there is so much backlash to posts eulogizing his death,” claiming that Kirk “was not a person who simply engaged in good-faith debates on college campuses” if you were black or Muslim. 
Local outlets have <a href="https://kutv.com/news/local/backlash-at-uvu-follows-selection-of-speaker-tied-to-posts-about-charlie-kirk">reported</a> on the posts, which have since been deleted from social media. 
“It’s important to remember that the incredible tragedy of a public assassination does not erase the harm many experienced from his words and the ensuing actions his followers took,” McMahon wrote, according to a local CBS affiliate. 
After the university announced that McMahon would be speaking, the Turning Point USA chapter at Utah Valley University <a href="https://x.com/TPUSAatUVU/status/2042340596761997695">released</a> a statement calling the move disappointing. 
“Hours immediately after Charlie’s assassination, Sharon McMahon posted a now deleted series of out-of-context quotes from Charlie in an effort to tarnish his name and minimize the tragedy, rather than offering condolences or condemning political violence,” chapter president Caleb Chilcutt said.
“There are countless better alternatives, and the fact that the university is choosing McMahon is entirely disappointing to all of us still reeling from his loss. I couldn’t be more disappointed in this university for such a hurtful and callous decision,” he added. 
Utah Senator Mike Lee weighed in on the issue, <a href="https://x.com/BasedMikeLee/status/2042774342396973415">writing</a> on X, “Who else thinks UVU should find another commencement speaker?”
The university did not respond to a request for comment from The Daily Wire, but previously <a href="https://www.deseret.com/politics/2026/04/08/uvu-commencement-speaker-sharon-mcmahon-controversy-charlie-kirk-comments/">told</a> Deseret News that McMahon’s selection was “overwhelmingly positive” and “well received.”

University Where Charlie Kirk Was Assassinated Taps Speaker Tied To Sick Posts

Mike Lee

More than 50 years after 17-year-old Laura Ann Aime first disappeared, DNA evidence confirmed that she died at the hands of notorious serial killer Ted Bundy.
&#8220;This case is now officially closed,&#8221; Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith announced on Wednesday, detailing during a news conference the process by which his department had been able to connect Bundy to the case.
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eT9GeOM67OY?si=8pfmniJYYKIWcAnq" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Aime <a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/2026/04/01/ted-bundy-killed-utah-teen-laura/">disappeared</a> on Halloween night in 1974, and her body was discovered in American Fork Canyon, near the Timpanogos Cave Visitor Center, about one month later — and police initially thought they were looking at the body of a different missing teen. Debra Kent, also 17, had gone missing in Bountiful on November 8. The body of 17-year-old Melissa Smith, whose father was the Midvale police chief, was discovered just weeks earlier.
The attempted kidnapping of a 19-year-old woman eventually led to Bundy&#8217;s arrest in 1975, but he could not be directly tied to Aime&#8217;s murder. While DNA evidence was recovered at the scene, the technology was not yet available that would have allowed investigators to separate mixed profiles in order to make an identification.
Bundy was never charged with Aime&#8217;s murder, but her family — and local authorities — believed that he was the most likely suspect. The notorious serial killer himself named Aime, and Kent, as well as his victims, in a confession prior to his 1989 execution in Florida — but no one was able to tie him directly to the physical evidence until recently.
Sheriff Smith cited &#8220;new forensic techniques&#8221; that allowed commingled DNA samples to be separated into individual profiles — techniques that Utah&#8217;s state crime lab was not able to make use of until 2023.
Once a male DNA profile was extracted from the sample in Aime&#8217;s case, it was entered into a database that included samples from all around the country. A hit on the profile in Florida led investigators to collaborate with the crime lab there, and together they connected the profile to Bundy.
In the state of Utah alone, Bundy is believed to have murdered at least five women — and as many as eight. He moved to Salt Lake City in 1974 to attend University of Utah&#8217;s law school, but prior to his arrival there, he had already killed at least nine women in the Pacific Northwest.

Close Up Portrait of Ted Bundy Waving

Five Decades After Her Murder, Evidence Now Points To Notorious Serial Killer

Five Decades After Her Murder, DNA Links Slain Teen To Notorious Serial Killer

Serial Killers

Violent Crime

Attorneys for Tyler Robinson, the man accused of killing Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, have revealed several witnesses expected to testify for the prosecution ahead of his upcoming trial.
According to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/alleged-charlie-kirk-assassins-defense-team-reveals-who-will-called-testify-court-docs">Fox News</a>, Robinson&#8217;s parents and his romantic transgender-identifying partner, Lance Twiggs, who was seen in a widely circulated <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/09/25/us-news/alleged-charlie-kirk-shooter-tyler-robinsons-trans-lover-lance-twiggs-was-gifted-straight-a-student/">image</a> wearing an outfit common in the furry subculture, are among those listed as potential witnesses.
The case stems from the September 10, 2025, shooting of Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem.
According to the court documents filed Friday, Robinson&#8217;s defense team said federal investigators have not definitively linked the bullet recovered during Kirk&#8217;s autopsy to the rifle allegedly used in the fatal shooting. The defense said the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) was unable to make a match, and additional analysis by the FBI is ongoing.
Forensic experts noted that bullet fragmentation — which the ATF report, cited by the defense, suggests occurred in this case — frequently makes it difficult or impossible to definitively match a bullet to a specific weapon. The defense is seeking to delay the preliminary hearing by at least six months, arguing it has not had sufficient time to review the evidence.
&#8220;Until the defense receives the case files and protocols relating to these analyses, and has them independently evaluated by its expert, they will not be in a position to assess the reliability of this evidence if either the State or the defense decides to proffer it,&#8221; the document stated.
Defense lawyers also said they have received more than 600,000 files from prosecutors, including a hard drive containing 31 hours of audio and roughly 700 hours of video.
&#8220;Discovery in this case is incomplete, voluminous, and the processing of it is complex,&#8221; the document stated.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Robinson, 22, who has not yet entered a plea.
The next hearing is scheduled for April 17 for a defense motion to ban cameras from the courtroom. Kirk&#8217;s widow, Erika, has opposed that request.
&#8220;There have been cameras all over my friends and family mourning,&#8221; Erika said during an interview with Fox News. &#8220;There have been cameras all over me, analyzing my every move. Analyzing my every smile. My every tear.&#8221;
According to Fox News, the defense plans to argue at the hearing that media coverage has compromised the case.

Credit: Trent Nelson-Pool/Getty Images

Tyler Robinson’s Family, ‘Furry Trans’ Lover To Testify For Prosecution In Charlie Kirk Murder Trial

The founder of the popular bathroom product “Squatty Potty” has been arrested and charged with allegedly buying child pornography.
Robert Edwards, 50, was charged with receipt of child pornography and pleaded not guilty in his initial appearance on February 12. 
The U.S. Attorney’s Office alleged that Edwards &#8220;knowingly received multiple images of child sexual abuse material&#8221; on multiple occasions between March 2021 and November 2025. An undercover FBI agent alleged that Edwards was a user in a group chat and &#8220;was viewing a collection of child sexual abuse material videos&#8221; in March 2021, per <a href="https://ew.com/squatty-potty-creator-featured-on-shark-tank-arrested-on-child-porn-charge-11914641">Entertainment Weekly</a>.
&#8220;Edwards was suspected of purchasing additional child sexual abuse material via his PayPal account&#8221; in May 2025, the filings state, and noted that officers allegedly discovered &#8220;multiple videos and images&#8221; of child pornography on a cell phone found in his car and on other personal devices in his home.
His detention hearing is scheduled for March 2
Edwards began selling his invention, Squatty Potty, a footstool that helps users with bowel movements, in 2011. He went viral with his invention after appearing alongside his mother on “Shark Tank” in 2014. The entrepreneur received an investment from Lori Greiner.
Barbara Corcoran, meanwhile, told Edwards, “There’s something about you that I’m not believing. I trust your mom … but you’re hopping and weaving a lot. And it&#8217;s making me more nervous as I listen. I’m definitely out.” 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: ‘Squatty Potty’ creator Robert Edwards, who was on Shark Tank, arrested in Utah for child p*rn.
Edwards is &#8220;partnered&#8221; to a man and is a &#8220;co-parent&#8221; to four children, according to his profile on Southern Utah Cares.
During his appearance on Shark Tank, Barbara Corcoran… <a href="https://t.co/gfEfazYmWx">pic.twitter.com/gfEfazYmWx</a>
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) <a href="https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/2026713571145736679?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The bathroom aid became a massive hit. Edwards and his mother returned to “Shark Tank” in 2020 and said they had made $175 million from the product since they first appeared on the show. They sold Squatty Potty to consumer product company Aterian in 2021, the outlet noted.
The company released a statement in the wake of the scandal.
&#8220;Aterian has no affiliation, partnership, or ongoing relationship with Mr. Robert Edwards. Edwards was part of a group, including private equity firms, that sold specific assets to Aterian in a one-time transaction in 2021,&#8221; it said. &#8220;Following the completion of that acquisition, all associations with Edwards and his family ceased. He is not an employee, a partner, or a stakeholder in our company.  Any claims to the contrary are categorically false.&#8221;
&#8220;We are deeply disturbed by the indictment against Edwards. The nature of these allegations is abhorrent and wholly inconsistent with our company’s values. While the family was previously referenced on our website in a historical context, we have removed those references. They have no role in our brand’s present or future,&#8221; the statement concluded.

Robert Edwards

Squatty Potty Inventor Charged With Possession Of Child Pornography

Child pornography

Television

A Utah judge dismissed an attempt by Tyler Robinson&#8217;s defense team to have the prosecution disqualified on Tuesday, dealing yet another blow to the attorneys defending the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk. 
Robinson’s attorneys argued that the prosecutors should be recused after discovering that a daughter of one of the prosecutors was present at Kirk’s event when the Turning Point USA founder was assassinated on September 10, 2025. State District Judge Tony Graf said the prosecutors can remain on the case as the daughter&#8217;s presence at the event “did not materially influence” the prosecutor&#8217;s actions in the case.
Robinson appeared virtually for Tuesday&#8217;s hearing. He has been charged with aggravated murder, which makes him eligible for the death penalty under state law. 
Judge Graf’s decision on Tuesday keeps Robinson’s trial on track as prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty. Robinson has not yet entered a plea. Robinson’s defense team argued that there was a conflict of interest for the prosecution, since the daughter of deputy county attorney Chad Grunander was in attendance at Kirk’s event at Utah Valley University last September. 
The prosecution <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/charlie-kirks-suspected-assassin-fights-death-penalty-says-trump-influenced-prosecutor">pushed back</a> on the defense team’s claim, saying there is no conflict of interest with Grunander’s daughter and that she did not have a direct line of sight to the shooter. Grunander’s daughter also testified in court and said she did not realize Kirk had been shot until after she ran to safety, the Associated Press reported. 
Utah County Attorney Jeffrey S. Gray said in a filing, “Under these circumstances, there is virtually no risk, let alone a significant risk, that it would arouse such emotions in any father-prosecutor as to render him unable to fairly prosecute the case.” 
Graf agreed and said on Tuesday that the daughter had “no unique, relevant information” about the assassination of Kirk that would potentially put her on the witness stand.
Robinson’s attorneys also claimed earlier this month that the prosecution’s quick decision to seek the death penalty was influenced by President Donald Trump, who said shortly after Kirk’s assassination that he hoped the killer would get the death penalty. Gray said that he wanted to decide on pursuing the death penalty quickly to avoid media speculation. 
“The longer you delay that decision … the more delay, then it just creates all this unnecessary speculation and everything else,” Gray said, adding that he did it to prevent “unnecessary angst with the families of victims … so Erika Kirk didn’t have to deal with that uncertainty.”
Judge Graf’s decision comes hours before President Donald Trump gives his State of the Union address to Congress, with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/erika-kirk-to-attend-state-of-the-union-as-president-trumps-guest?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Mary+Margaret+Olohan&amp;category=Exclusive&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=EXCLUSIVE%3A+Erika+Kirk+To+Be+Trump%E2%80%99s+Special+Guest+At+State+Of+The+Union">Erika Kirk in attendance</a> as one of his special guests. Daily Wire White House Correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan reported earlier on Tuesday that Trump will mention both Erika Kirk and her late husband during his speech.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/friendly-fire?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_content=20260224_sotu_aa_desktop&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=banner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Watch the State of the Union with The Daily Wire! Live coverage from the nation’s capital begins at 7:45 ET.</a>
The decision marks yet another loss for Robinson&#8217;s defense team. Late last year, Graf said that cameras would be allowed in the courtroom for the trial, dismissing the defense team&#8217;s claim that the media&#8217;s courtroom access could result in an unfair trial for Robinson.

Judge Rejects Bid To Oust Prosecutors From Charlie Kirk Assassination Case

Judge Dismisses Defense Effort To Remove Prosecutors From Charlie Kirk Assassination Case

assassination

Court

Erika Kirk

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