Lance Twiggs took the stand during Tyler Robinson's preliminary hearing and told the court that Robinson confessed to assassinating Charlie Kirk, then wept and said he wished he had not done it. The testimony, delivered during a five-day evidentiary proceeding in Utah, landed alongside DNA findings, surveillance footage, ballistics analysis, and a handwritten note that prosecutors say amounts to a written confession.
Robinson, 24, faces capital murder charges in the September 10, 2025, shooting death of Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, at Utah Valley University. Kirk was shot during a debate on campus. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
Twiggs, Robinson's former roommate and romantic partner, testified that Robinson verbally confirmed the contents of a confession note he had previously written. The Daily Caller reported that Twiggs described a face-to-face exchange in which he asked Robinson whether what he had written was true.
"He just -- 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."
That testimony gave prosecutors a live witness connecting Robinson's own words to the killing. Twiggs had previously received limited immunity from prosecutors in exchange for his cooperation, a fact that the defense will almost certainly probe if the case proceeds to trial.
The alleged confession note, addressed to Twiggs, contained a blunt admission. Prosecutors told the court the note read: "I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I took it."
A separate text message Robinson allegedly sent to Twiggs went further. Newsmax reported that prosecutors presented the message, which read: "I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can't be negotiated out."
The confession note became the subject of its own courtroom drama. Judge Tony Graf had issued a prior order barring the letter from public display during the hearing. But on July 9, 2026, the document was accidentally broadcast on the court's livestream, flashing across screens before it could be pulled down.
The Washington Examiner reported that the mishap prompted Judge Graf to sanction media members and halt the display of further exhibits for the remainder of that day. Graf told the courtroom he did not want to "rush or make snap decisions" before restricting what could be shown going forward.
Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani, commenting on the incident, noted that the accidental broadcast carries limited legal consequence at this stage. "None of this is being shown to a jury. We don't even have a jury yet," Rahmani said.
The distinction matters. A preliminary hearing exists to determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence to send a case to trial, not to render a verdict. No jury has been empaneled, and Robinson has not been convicted.
Twiggs' testimony was only one piece of the prosecution's case. Over five days, the state called four law enforcement witnesses and introduced a battery of physical evidence tying Robinson to the shooting.
Surveillance footage allegedly places Robinson on the Utah Valley University campus before, during, and after the shooting, approximately 200 yards from where Kirk was speaking. DNA consistent with Robinson's was recovered from the trigger of the rifle used to kill Kirk, from fired cartridge casings, from unfired cartridges, and from a towel used to wrap the weapon. RealClearPolitics reported that the DNA evidence was described as "at least one trillion times more likely" to have originated from Robinson than from an unknown individual.
Ballistics findings were also introduced, though the defense had previously moved to seal certain evidence and challenge prosecutorial conduct ahead of the hearing.
On the final day of the hearing, prosecutors played an enhanced video compilation showing the moments leading up to the shooting. Fox News reported that Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, and his mother, Kathy Kirk, were visibly emotional, crying and leaning on one another as the footage played. Robinson appeared to look away from the screen. His monitor had been turned off.
University of Utah law professor Paul Cassell, a former federal judge, offered a blunt assessment of the prosecution's position before the hearing began.
"This seems like the proverbial slam dunk at this stage of the case, where the only issue is whether there is a sound basis for moving forward with a trial on the merits."
Cassell's framing underscores what many legal observers have noted: the preliminary hearing standard is far lower than the "beyond a reasonable doubt" threshold required for conviction. Prosecutors needed only to show probable cause that a crime was committed and that Robinson committed it.
Donald Trump Jr. also weighed in publicly after the hearing. "In court, we saw the facts laid out very eloquently... this is to me, again, way beyond a reasonable doubt," he said. That assessment reflects a political reaction, not a legal ruling, but it captures the weight that conservatives have attached to the case since Kirk's death.
FOX News host Will Cain dedicated a segment to breaking down the evidence, arguing that the physical and testimonial record overwhelmingly contradicts conspiracy theories that have circulated online since the shooting. Judge Graf's decision to block exhibits from media display has fueled some of that speculation, though the restriction appears rooted in standard pretrial procedure rather than any effort to suppress evidence.
Prosecutors rested their case after five days of testimony. Judge Graf has set September 1 as the date for his ruling on whether the case will proceed to trial. If he finds probable cause, Robinson will face a full jury trial on capital murder charges.
The death penalty remains on the table after a prior ruling by Judge Graf kept that option alive despite earlier prosecutorial misconduct findings. The stakes for Robinson could not be higher.
Kirk's family has been present throughout the proceedings. His widow and parents confronted the accused killer in court for the first time earlier in the hearing, a moment that drew national attention.
Investigators have not publicly addressed whether Robinson acted alone or had any assistance in planning the attack. Authorities have also not disclosed whether additional charges against any other individual are under consideration.
A conservative leader was shot dead on a college campus during a debate. If the system works the way it is supposed to, the evidence presented this week will either hold up under cross-examination or it will not. That is what trials are for.
