Lance Twiggs, the 22-year-old roommate and romantic partner of accused Charlie Kirk shooter Tyler Robinson, sat for a recorded interview with prosecutors on April 20 under a grant of limited immunity. Both the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Utah County Attorney's Office agreed that nothing Twiggs said during that session could be used to prosecute him personally. In return, prosecutors got a sworn statement they now plan to deploy at Robinson's upcoming preliminary hearing.
The immunity deal marks a critical turn in a case that has gripped conservative circles since Kirk, the Turning Point USA founder, was gunned down last September. Prosecutors appear to be building their evidentiary case around Twiggs' account and a trove of communications between Twiggs and Robinson, betting that secondhand testimony and text messages can carry the weight at a multi-day hearing set to begin July 6 before Utah District Judge Tony Graf.
The recorded statement, given under oath, came with a blunt warning. Fox News reported that prosecutors outlined the terms in a court filing:
"On April 20, 2026, in preparation for the preliminary hearing, Mr. Twiggs gave a recorded statement under oath and after an admonition that any false statement would be punishable by law and could be charged as obstruction of justice. Mr. Twiggs was also given use-immunity by the United States Attorney's Office and the Utah County Attorney's Office, meaning that his statements at that April 20 meeting could not be used against him."
The substance of what Twiggs disclosed is damning for Robinson, at least as prosecutors frame it. Twiggs confirmed that Robinson admitted to the shooting, told Twiggs he hid the firearm he used, ditched his clothing afterward, and instructed Twiggs not to speak with police. Those details, drawn from Twiggs' account and corroborated by communications between the two, form a central pillar of the prosecution's case heading into July.
Prosecutors have also pointed to a handwritten note Robinson allegedly left for Twiggs. The Washington Examiner reported that in the note, Robinson wrote he "had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk" on September 19, 2025, and indicated he had been planning the shooting for more than a week.
That note, if authenticated and admitted, could undercut any future defense argument that the shooting was impulsive or unplanned. Premeditation over a span of days would bear directly on the most serious charges Robinson faces, including the potential for a death-penalty prosecution.
The defense team has already moved to seal evidence and disqualify prosecutors ahead of any capital proceedings, signaling that Robinson's lawyers view the state's case as aggressive and the stakes as existential for their client.
A key procedural battle is unfolding over whether Twiggs will appear live at the preliminary hearing. Robinson's defense team wants to compel Twiggs to testify in person, a move that would give defense attorneys the chance to cross-examine him in real time. Prosecutors are pushing back, arguing that the recorded statement and the text message evidence are sufficient.
The New York Post reported that prosecutors oppose the defense's attempt to compel a live appearance, contending the recorded evidence speaks for itself. The distinction matters. A recorded statement, delivered under oath but without adversarial questioning, gives prosecutors a controlled narrative. Live testimony introduces unpredictability and opens the door to impeachment.
Judge Graf will likely resolve that dispute in one of several hearings scheduled through late June, before the multi-day preliminary hearing begins on July 6.
"Use-immunity" is narrower than full immunity. It means prosecutors cannot use Twiggs' own words from the April 20 session against him in any future criminal case. It does not, however, shield Twiggs from prosecution altogether. If authorities developed independent evidence of criminal conduct on his part, they could still bring charges. The arrangement gave Twiggs enough legal cover to talk freely while preserving the government's ability to act on separately obtained evidence.
The dual grant from both federal and state prosecutors is notable. It suggests coordination between the U.S. Attorney's Office and local authorities, and it signals that Twiggs may have had exposure at both levels. Investigators have not publicly confirmed whether Twiggs faces any separate criminal liability.
As the Daily Caller first detailed, the immunity arrangement represents a calculated trade by prosecutors: give up the ability to use one witness's words against him, and gain a recorded account that could help lock down probable cause at the preliminary hearing.
The immunity deal surfaces against a backdrop of defense efforts to restrict public access to the proceedings. Judge Graf has already denied the defense's request to bar media from the courtroom. That ruling ensures the preliminary hearing will play out under public scrutiny, a point that matters in a case carrying this level of national attention.
Graf also allowed cameras to remain in the courtroom over defense objections, reinforcing the principle that high-profile criminal proceedings benefit from transparency rather than secrecy.
The defense has separately sought to delay proceedings and remove the death penalty from consideration. Prosecutors have not publicly signaled any willingness to take capital punishment off the table.
The preliminary hearing is not a trial. Its purpose is to determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence to establish probable cause that Robinson committed the crimes charged. The bar is lower than "beyond a reasonable doubt," but the hearing will force prosecutors to show their hand, at least partially.
Twiggs' recorded statement, Robinson's alleged note, and the communications between the two will likely form the backbone of the prosecution's presentation. Whether the defense can poke holes in that evidence, or force Twiggs onto the stand for cross-examination, could shape the trajectory of the case for months to come.
The broader legal fallout from Kirk's killing continues to ripple outward. In a separate matter, a Tennessee man jailed for 37 days over social media posts related to Kirk won an $835,000 settlement, underscoring the tangled legal consequences that have followed the September shooting.
Robinson remains in custody. His defense team has not commented publicly on the immunity deal. The key hearing in July will remain open to the public, and the nation will be watching.
When prosecutors trade immunity to a witness this close to the accused, it tells you two things: they believe the witness knows something worth protecting, and they believe the case is strong enough to survive without prosecuting him. July will test both assumptions under oath and in open court.
