Security footage presented in a Utah courtroom showed the alleged movements of Tyler Robinson, the man charged with murdering Charlie Kirk, former leader of Turning Point USA (TPUSA). Prosecutors detailed how the campus surveillance footage appeared to show Robinson climbing to the roof of the Losee Center at Utah Valley University, followed by distant security footage of a figure crossing the rooftop. The video, shown to family members of Kirk, depicted a figure crawling and lying in a prone position on the roof just moments before Kirk was shot on September 10, 2025.
Robinson, 22, faces a charge of murder in Kirk's death. His defense team has objected to the public airing of the video, citing it as "altered" and "extremely prejudicial."
Conservative podcaster Candace Owens has recently shared a copy of the rooftop video, stripped of prosecutorial context, suggesting that Robinson may be innocent and could be "wrongly framed." Owens asserted on social media that the figure in the video displayed "military crawl" techniques, indicating training inconsistent with the accused. The video Owens shared appeared to be a recording of a screen, further degrading its quality.
Owens' focus on the case has coincided with a significant increase in her online following, with her YouTube subscriber count growing by approximately one million since she began investigating Kirk's death. This surge in attention has prompted TPUSA officials, who once dismissed Owens' theories as a "distraction," to address the growing online narrative. Digital creators have noted similarities between the current online phenomenon and the fringe QAnon movement, highlighting how these narratives can generate sustained engagement and revenue.
Podcaster Baron Coleman has also gained substantial traction by dedicating his platform to scrutinizing the evidence in Robinson's case. Coleman's YouTube channel has grown from a small following to over 350,000 subscribers with millions of views since Kirk's death. He has also established a members-only tier on YouTube and a subscription service on X, formerly Twitter, generating significant income through "super chats" and subscriptions. Coleman stated his motivation is to hold powerful government interests accountable.
Independent investigators Billie Webb and Brandi Siciliani have also shifted their focus to Kirk's assassination, launching a show dedicated to the case. The duo attended Robinson's preliminary hearing and reported on the proceedings to their followers. Siciliani stated that their investigation began because the "official narrative wasn't adding up" and that their efforts, while time-consuming and personally financed, are driven by a search for answers rather than financial gain.
Concerns have been raised by sources familiar with foreign intelligence operations that independent journalists and creators investigating the case might be targeted by foreign influence operators feeding misleading information. These operatives, the sources suggest, could exploit individuals like Owens as "useful idiots" within a "broader network." A spokesperson for Owens has vehemently denied these claims, calling them "100% false" and "absurd spin."
Online "bots" are reportedly amplifying posts related to Kirk's death to create division within the conservative movement. This heightened conspiracy culture has led to criticism of TPUSA, its CEO Erika Kirk (Charlie Kirk's widow), and those who continue to support the organization. Some observers, like podcast host Tim Pool, suggest that the financial incentives offered by digital platform algorithms for high-viewership content, such as that surrounding Kirk's death, will continue to reward creators for focusing on the case.