Roommate of Suspect in Charlie Kirk Shooting Says Suspect Expressed Regret After Killing Kirk
Dramatic new details emerged in a Utah courtroom on Thursday as prosecutors unveiled text messages, written notes, and a recorded investigative interview detailing how the man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk allegedly confessed to his roommate before breaking down in tears.
Tyler Robinson, a 23-year-old apprentice electrician, is facing aggravated murder and six other criminal charges in connection with the September 10th, 2025, death of the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Robinson, who has not yet entered a plea. The ongoing preliminary hearings are being held to determine if the state has sufficient evidence to move forward to a full capital trial.
A Tragic Admission Behind Closed Doors
The piece of evidence that is central to the state’s case is an interview with Lance Twiggs, Robinson's former roommate and romantic partner, that was taped in April. Twiggs, who was granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for his full cooperation, described the hours following the shooting on the campus of Utah Valley University (UVU), where Kirk was fatally shot once in the neck while addressing a crowd of thousands.
Twiggs testified that Robinson fled the campus in Orem, driving more than 200 miles south to the three-bedroom townhouse the pair shared in St. George, Utah. When Robinson arrived on the morning of September 11th, the reality of the event appeared to set in.
"I just asked him in person if what he said was true the night before and he said it was. He started crying a little bit and said he wishes he hadn't done it and then kept going around and just doing stuff, I think to keep himself busy or distracted or something," Twiggs told prosecutors in the recording.
The courtroom also viewed the digital trail Robinson left behind. Immediately after the shooting, Robinson allegedly texted Twiggs, instructing him to "drop what you're doing" and "look under your keyboard." Hidden there was a physical note addressing Twiggs by the nickname "Luna."
"I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I took it. I wish we could have lived in a world where this was not necessary," the note read. The note ended with: "Please try and find joy in this life. I love you always, Tyler."
When a panicked Twiggs text-messaged back asking, "You weren't the one who did it, right?" Robinson directly replied, "I am. I'm sorry." Asked for his motive, Robinson texted that he had "had enough of his hatred. Some hate can't be negotiated out."
Taunting Messages Engraved on Bullets
For the first time, the prosecution also publicly displayed images of the suspected murder weapon, a bolt-action rifle, alongside ammunition found at the scene and inside the St. George residence. Twiggs revealed that months prior, Robinson had requested an engraving tool under the guise of marking ammunition for a family hunting trip.
Instead, investigators discovered malicious messages etched into the brass cartridges. Shell casings recovered from the UVU crime scene bore the inscriptions "If you read this, you are gay" and "Fascist! Catch!" A separate test casing found inside the suspect's home was marked "Test Shot."
The state argued these messages prove Robinson explicitly targeted Kirk over his conservative political ideology and past anti-LGBTQ+ commentary. However, Twiggs clarified that Robinson rarely discussed politics at home and had never mentioned Kirk's name prior to the assassination. Robinson's defense team has fiercely fought to suppress this evidence, arguing that prosecutors are inflating a political motive to secure a death penalty conviction.
High Tension and Heavy Redactions
The high-profile hearing has drawn widespread attention, bringing prominent figures into the gallery. Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, sat alongside his parents throughout the week. Donald Trump Jr. and his wife were also in attendance to support the family of the slain Trump ally.
The proceedings have been marred by intense legal sparring over public transparency. District Judge Tony Graf heavily redacted portions of Twiggs' video interview and repeatedly cut the audio on the public courtroom livestream to protect the integrity of a future jury pool. This drew sharp criticism from the Kirk family's legal counsel, Jeffrey Neiman.
"The Kirk family has waited 10 months for this hearing ... they have a right to hear the evidence," Neiman told the court, demanding a full display of all exhibits.
Meanwhile, Robinson's defense spent hours aggressively cross-examining forensic experts. They pointed out that an ATF firearms examiner deemed ballistics testing on a bullet fragment from Kirk's body as "inconclusive" and suggested that authorities failed to thoroughly investigate alternative suspects.
Judge Graf is not expected to issue an immediate decision on whether the case will head to a jury. Following the conclusion of the preliminary phase, both legal teams will submit comprehensive written briefs, with final oral arguments scheduled for September 1st.
