Judge weighs murder trial for Charlie Kirk suspect after Utah hearing

A Utah judge is weighing whether Tyler Robinson, 23, should stand trial in the killing of Charlie Kirk after prosecutors spent five days laying out their case. The preliminary hearing in Provo ended July 10, with the defense pressing to show that the forensic record remains unfinished and too fragile to send to a jury.

Robinson is charged in the September 10, 2025 shooting at Utah Valley University in Orem, where Kirk was speaking at a Turning Point USA event. The attack came at about 12:20 p.m. MST, when Kirk was struck in the neck by a shot fired from a high-powered bolt-action rifle from a rooftop. He was later pronounced dead at Timpanogos Regional Hospital. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, and Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray filed seven charges against Robinson last September.

Prosecutors presented text messages and interview evidence amounting to a confession and a statement of regret. Robinson’s former romantic partner, Lance Twiggs, told investigators Robinson appeared nervous after the shooting and later confessed in person. The state also presented DNA testing linking Robinson to the suspected murder weapon.

Defense lawyers attacked that forensic picture as preliminary and vulnerable, arguing the DNA and ballistics evidence have not yet been shown to be reliable enough for trial. They also challenged the way prosecutors are tying Robinson to the rifle and to the shooting itself. A preliminary hearing is not a full trial: the judge does not decide guilt, but whether the state has enough evidence to proceed.

Former Utah State Bureau of Investigation agent David Hull testified about surveillance footage and Robinson’s movements before and after the shooting. The judge is expected to decide later whether the case advances to trial.