A Utah man has been charged with aggravated murder in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, prosecutors announced this week. Tyler Robinson appeared in court virtually as investigators pursue the case, and prosecutors have filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty. Robinson turned himself in at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office after a 33-hour manhunt, accompanied by his parents and a family friend. Two people were briefly arrested and released during the search for suspects.
A relative of Lance Twiggs, who was living with Robinson at the time of the shooting, provided new context about Twiggs in interviews with Fox News. The relative said Twiggs had been living with family upheaval, struggling with gender-identity issues, substance abuse, and a heavy reliance on video games. The relative said Twiggs’s father kicked him out of the family home for disruptive behavior, and Twiggs later lived with his grandparents until he was 18 before graduating from high school. The relative described Twiggs as battling drug and alcohol problems and suggested gaming addiction played a part in his behavior. Twiggs has not been charged with any crimes, and authorities said he was cooperating with the investigation.
Authorities say Robinson was living in a Utah townhome with Twiggs at the time of the shooting. After the other roommates moved out, Twiggs and Robinson remained in the home, and the relatives said the two were in a romantic relationship. In separate interviews, anonymous relatives told Fox News that Twiggs developed a pronounced hatred for Christians and conservatives and that he had become detached and radicalized over the years. The relatives suggested Twiggs’s influence may have aligned with Robinson’s political views while they lived together, though they stressed they could not verify motives.
Prosecutors said investigators recovered messages between Robinson and Twiggs during the probe. One exchange reportedly included Twiggs texting Robinson: