Tyler Robinson, 23, is scheduled for a week-long preliminary hearing in Utah that will determine if prosecutors have sufficient evidence to proceed with a trial for the alleged assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. The hearing began Monday in Fourth District Court in Provo.
Unlike cases typically advanced by a grand jury indictment, Robinson was charged by information, requiring prosecutors to publicly establish probable cause. Defense attorneys will have the opportunity to cross-examine witnesses, though the standard of proof is lower than at trial, focusing on probable cause rather than guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Kirk, 31, a father of two, was fatally shot in the neck during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. His widow and parents are expected to attend the proceedings.
Prosecutors allege that investigators found Robinson's DNA on the trigger of the suspected murder weapon, a Mauser rifle belonging to his grandfather. DNA was also reportedly found on a towel wrapped around the rifle, three of the four bullets recovered from the scene, and a screwdriver discovered near the suspected sniper's position. Digital evidence is expected to include alleged confessions made via text messages and the Discord communication app.
Investigators recovered the rifle in a wooded area near the Utah Valley University campus, along Robinson's alleged escape route. Court documents indicate Robinson sent text messages to an individual identified as his lover, Lance Twiggs, expressing a need to retrieve the rifle hours after the murder. Law enforcement sources suggest Robinson may have encountered an officer while leaving the scene.
Twiggs, who reportedly received a handwritten note from Robinson confessing to the crime, is cooperating with investigators and has not been charged. Prosecutors are expected to present a video of Twiggs' interview with police during the hearing, though he is not anticipated to testify in person.
The defense has highlighted that the ATF could not conclusively match the fatal bullet to the Mauser rifle, although analysts did not rule it out, noting a consistent caliber and a matching spent casing. Witnesses are also expected to testify, placing Robinson at the scene despite living several hours away in Washington, Utah, at the time of the incident.
In addition to the aggravated murder charge, Robinson faces accusations of witness tampering, committing a violent offense in the presence of a child, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, and obstruction of justice. Prosecutors contend that Robinson targeted Kirk due to his political views, attempted to conceal the murder weapon and clothing, and urged Twiggs to destroy evidence and remain silent.
Robinson has not yet entered a plea. If prosecutors successfully demonstrate probable cause at the preliminary hearing, the case will advance, and he will be required to enter a plea. The aggravated murder charge carries the potential for the death penalty.