Charlie Kirk Murder Suspect Confessed and Cried, Roommate Tells Court

The Charlie Kirk murder suspect admitted to the killing, broke down in tears at his apartment, and said “he wishes he hadn’t done it,” according to testimony presented in a Utah courtroom. The emotional details emerged during a hearing for 23-year-old Tyler Robinson, who now faces aggravated murder and additional charges in connection with the death of the conservative activist on September 10, 2025.

A Confession Revealed in Court

Much of the new information came from an investigative interview with Lance Twiggs, Robinson’s former roommate and romantic partner. Prosecutors played the recorded interview and revealed a series of text messages exchanged between the two men.

Robinson has not yet entered a plea. The preliminary hearings this week are meant to determine whether there is enough evidence for him to stand trial in what could become a death penalty case.

Some portions of Twiggs’ video statement and the text exchanges were redacted, and others were shown only to those inside the courtroom rather than made public.

Inside the Roommate’s Interview

Twiggs appeared in the interview, taped in April, with long hair parted in the middle, wearing a navy blazer and a blue patterned tie. He occasionally paused to drink water as prosecutor Ryan McBride questioned him.

According to Twiggs, Robinson had asked for an engraving tool in the months leading up to the shooting, claiming he wanted to inscribe bullets for an upcoming camping and hunting trip with his family.

New Evidence: The Weapon and Engraved Bullets

For the first time, prosecutors presented images on Thursday of the alleged murder weapon, described as a bolt-action rifle. They also displayed engraved bullets and cartridges recovered both at the crime scene and at Robinson’s residence.

The inscriptions found at the scene contained disturbing and provocative phrases, including one reading “If you read this, you are gay” and another stating “Fascist! Catch!” A separate cartridge engraved with the words “Test Shot” was discovered at the home Robinson shared with Twiggs.

The Attack on Charlie Kirk

Investigators allege that Robinson fatally shot Kirk, a 31-year-old father of two, once in the neck as the activist was addressing a crowd on the campus of Utah Valley University. Kirk, a prominent ally of Donald Trump and the founder of the youth organization Turning Point USA, was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

What the Roommate Said About Robinson

In his interview, Twiggs described Robinson as someone who occasionally talked about politics and listened to political radio shows during his commutes to and from his work as an electrician. However, Twiggs said he didn’t share those interests and didn’t contribute much to such conversations.

According to Twiggs, most of Robinson’s comments focused on President Donald Trump or new legislation, and the two never actually discussed Kirk. Twiggs, who was granted immunity in exchange for cooperating with investigators, also said they did not talk about LGBT issues.

The Day of the Shooting

On the morning of the shooting, Robinson left earlier than usual, around 4:00 a.m. Twiggs said he assumed Robinson was heading to a job located farther away than his usual sites.

After Kirk was killed, Robinson texted Twiggs, urging him to “drop what you’re doing” and “look under your keyboard.” There, Robinson had left a handwritten note addressing Twiggs by the name “Luna.”

In the note, Robinson wrote that he had the chance to take out Charlie Kirk and that he took it, adding that he wished they could have lived in a world where such an act wasn’t necessary. He closed the message by urging Twiggs to find joy in life and signing off with love.

A Chilling Text Exchange

As the messages continued, Twiggs asked whether Robinson was truly the one responsible. Robinson replied that he was and apologized. When Twiggs pressed him on why, Robinson responded that he’d “had enough of his hatred,” adding that some hate cannot be negotiated away.

Robinson kept texting throughout the night while still near the campus. He told Twiggs that he had hidden his rifle in bushes where he had changed clothes and was waiting for a chance to retrieve it. He said that if he could grab the weapon unseen, he would have left no evidence behind.

He also complained about loud crickets and worried that a sniffer dog might locate the firearm, noting a heavy police presence and a squad car nearby. At one point he texted that he was simply sitting in his car watching videos to pass the time.

Eventually, Robinson told Twiggs he was leaving Orem, where the shooting took place, and heading back to their apartment in St. George, more than 200 miles away in southern Utah.

The Aftermath and Surrender

The following day, Twiggs said, Robinson was back at their apartment but didn’t go into detail about what had happened. When Twiggs asked him in person whether what he’d said the night before was true, Robinson confirmed it. Twiggs recalled that Robinson began crying, said he wished he hadn’t done it, and then kept busy moving around the apartment, seemingly trying to distract himself.

Robinson told his roommate that he planned to turn himself in. Utah State Bureau of Investigation agent Brian Davis testified that Robinson arrived around 9:00 p.m. on September 11, accompanied by his parents and a family friend, to be arrested at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

The Defense Pushes Back

Throughout the proceedings, Robinson’s defense team has repeatedly objected to exhibits and testimony. Earlier in the week, prosecutors introduced an FBI report describing DNA belonging to both Robinson and Twiggs found on a rifle, a screwdriver, and a towel recovered at the scene. The defense spent hours questioning the analyst who signed the report, probing testing protocols, interpretation methods, and margins of error.

Family and Notable Figures in the Courtroom

The hearing drew significant attention. Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, and his parents, Kathryn and Robert, attended throughout the week, as did Donald Trump Jr. and his new wife.

Robinson’s own family was also present, with his parents and two of his brothers seated behind him. According to reporting, his mother, Amber, cried as some of his messages were read aloud in court.

The Bottom Line

The Charlie Kirk murder suspect case has grown more emotionally charged as prosecutors lay out text messages, engraved evidence, and a roommate’s detailed account of a tearful confession. With Robinson yet to enter a plea and the possibility of the death penalty on the table, this week’s preliminary hearings will help determine whether the case proceeds to trial. For the families on both sides, the proceedings have been a painful reckoning with a killing that shocked the nation.