ST. GEORGE, Utah — An exclusive account from a relative describes Lance Twiggs, the transgender roommate of Tyler Robinson, the man charged in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, as “problematic” before his family kicked him out. The relative provided details to Fox News Digital about Twiggs’s history with substance use, gender-identity struggles and an ongoing video game habit, drawing a picture of the environment surrounding the incident.
Twiggs, who has not been charged with a crime, moved into a St. George townhome years after leaving his parents’ home. According to the relative, Twiggs had been living with his grandparents until he turned 18, when he was displaced from his family residence. The relative saidTwiggs is in transition from male to female and described a period when Twiggs was grappling with substance abuse, alcohol use and a persistent video game fixation that allegedly contributed to disruptive behavior. The relative added that Twiggs’s family had long been trying to support him, even as he appeared to struggle with the idea that he had changed.
The relative said Twiggs later moved into a Southwestern Utah townhome, paying full rent and sharing space with Robinson, who is 22 and has been charged in the Kirk case. The two were described by the relative as in a romantic relationship and as roommates who remained after other college students moved out. The relative emphasized that Twiggs was functioning as an adult at the time, maintaining a job and meeting financial obligations, even as concerns about his well-being persisted. The relative told Fox News Digital that Twiggs’s former behavior masked underlying issues, and that his family had tried to address them in the past.
The broader case against Robinson involves the fatal shooting of Kirk during a Turning Point USA event at UVU on Sept. 10, 2025. Prosecutors say a single shot from a .30-06 bolt-action rifle struck Kirk in the neck while he answered questions from the audience. After the shot, Robinson fled across a campus rooftop before authorities tracked him down in a 33-hour manhunt that included campus lockdowns and the eventual discovery of the murder weapon, photographed and described in charging documents as wrapped in a towel with inscribed bullets.
Robinson was charged later in September with aggravated murder, two counts of obstruction of justice, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, two counts of witness tampering and a charge of committing violence in the presence of a child. He surrendered to authorities with his parents and a family friend present, according to charging documents released in the days following the shooting. Authorities say the investigation established a timeline in which the suspect planned or carried out the attack amid mounting security concerns at the campus environment.
Authorities and court records show the event occurred as Kirk was speaking at UVU. Video and witness accounts describe the moment the shooter fired a single round; the aftermath prompted a protracted manhunt, the seizure of the weapon from a wooded area near campus and a chain of communications that included messages from Robinson to his roommate. In the hours after the shooting, investigators say Robinson texted Twiggs, taking responsibility for the act and urging him to delete messages while alluding to motives tied to Kirk’s public statements.
Separately, the Utah County Attorney’s Office filed formal charges against Robinson on Sept. 16, outlining the range of alleged offenses tied to the shooting and subsequent conduct, including obstructing justice and witnessing tampering. The charges extend to acts alleged to have occurred in the presence of a child, underscoring the potential impact on bystanders who were at the UVU venue at the time.
The public timeline of events highlights a violent episode that has reverberated through national political discourse. Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was hospitalized in critical condition after the shooting and later died from his injuries. The case has raised questions about security at campus events and the intersections of political activism and violence, prompting ongoing scrutiny of safety protocols for high-profile speakers.
For now, Twiggs remains outside the criminal charges leveled against Robinson, with the relative describing him as someone who had previously shown “an act” of change that may not fully reflect the ongoing personal struggles cited in family accounts. Prosecutors have not indicated any charges against Twiggs, but investigators continue to review all aspects of the living arrangement and the broader environment surrounding the incident. In the wake of the attack, UVU and local authorities have stressed the importance of safety planning and rapid response during large campus gatherings, while continuing to pursue all legal avenues connected to the shooting.