The preliminary hearing for Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating conservative icon Charlie Kirk, wrapped up its fifth and final day Friday in a Provo, Utah courtroom, bringing to a close a week that laid bare the full weight of evidence prosecutors say ties Robinson to the killing. Judge Tony Graf Jr. now must decide whether the case moves forward to trial.
Robinson, 23, is charged with aggravated murder, a capital first-degree felony, along with discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, two counts of obstruction of justice, two counts of tampering with a witness, and committing a violent offense in the presence of a child. Prosecutors have made clear they intend to seek the death penalty. Robinson has not yet entered a plea and did not testify at any point during the hearing.
Friday’s session opened with a dispute over media coverage after the defense objected to a camera operator’s decision the day before to broadcast a piece of evidence that was not supposed to be shown publicly, footage that had since circulated online. The defense pushed to ban electronic media from all future hearings entirely. Judge Graf denied that request but did bar cameras from showing any exhibits admitted into evidence for the remainder of the day, a compromise that satisfied neither side completely but kept the proceedings moving.
The most gripping moment of the entire week may have come during Friday’s session, when prosecutors played an enhanced video compilation showing the moments leading up to Kirk’s assassination at Utah Valley University. An emotional silence fell over the courtroom as the footage rolled. Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, and his mother, Kathy Kirk, were seen crying and leaning into each other as they watched. Robinson, by contrast, reportedly put down his pen, lowered his head, and sat motionless through the video.
The defense used its final hours to call ATF Agent Samantha Karner to the stand to challenge the ballistics evidence prosecutors have relied on to connect Robinson to the killing. Before that, defense attorney Michael Burt spent much of Friday morning pressing DNA Section Chief Kaitlyn Oliver, an analyst with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, on the reliability of the genetic evidence tying Robinson to the rifle recovered near the university.
Burt highlighted that government policy prevents analysts from describing DNA evidence as infallible or asserting a zero error rate, a point he leaned on repeatedly. He also raised the possibility of third-party DNA transfer, walking Oliver through a hypothetical in which a handshake could theoretically deposit someone’s genetic material onto an object they never touched. Oliver acknowledged that DNA can degrade over time and that multiple people’s genetic material was found on portions of the rifle, including the trigger and trigger guard.
Despite those concessions, Oliver also testified that the DNA evidence made it at least one trillion times more likely that the genetic material recovered came from Robinson than from a random, unrelated individual, a figure prosecutors clearly hoped would resonate with the court regardless of the defense’s efforts to muddy the picture. Oliver noted that DNA belonging to Robinson’s father and to his former roommate was also found on tested items, which she said was unsurprising given that all three lived in close proximity to one another.
Thursday’s proceedings, the fourth day of the hearing, proved similarly consequential. Prosecutors played a redacted recording of an interview conducted with Lance Twiggs, Robinson’s former roommate and romantic partner, who described Robinson’s demeanor in the hours after Kirk’s killing. Twiggs told investigators that Robinson had been pacing, crying, and had said he wished he “hadn’t done it.” Twiggs also described Robinson as acting erratically before he ultimately turned himself in to authorities the day after the shooting.
Also presented Thursday were photographs of the rifle believed to have been used in the killing, along with images of bullet casings bearing engravings that prosecutors allege Robinson made using a Dremel tool borrowed from Twiggs. Twiggs told investigators in his interview that Robinson had asked to use the tool under the pretense of preparing for a hunting trip with family.
Notably, Twiggs also told prosecutors he never heard Robinson discuss Kirk prior to the shooting and that the defendant did not frequently discuss gender issues or LGBTQ rights, details that could become relevant as both sides eventually litigate questions of motive ahead of any trial.
Kirk’s family has remained a visible and dignified presence throughout the week, attending every day of testimony alongside Utah Senator Mike Lee, who was seen in the courtroom gallery Thursday. On Friday, following the conclusion of the hearing, the family released a statement describing the proceedings as “unimaginably painful and emotionally demanding,” while expressing confidence that prosecutors had presented what they called overwhelming evidence of what happened to Kirk that day.
The family did not speak publicly after the hearing concluded, choosing instead to let their written statement stand. They noted that the case is approaching the one year anniversary of Kirk’s death and pointed out that Robinson has now been in custody for ten months, a timeline they argue underscores the need for the judicial process to move forward without unnecessary delay.
In a separate court filing submitted Friday on behalf of Erika Kirk and Charlie Kirk’s parents, the family formally urged Judge Graf to issue his probable cause ruling no later than September 1. The filing argued that a prompt determination is imperative in the interest of justice and stressed that while Robinson is entitled to a fair trial, he is not entitled to cause undue delay in the proceedings. The family’s attorneys further argued that under Utah law, the Kirk family is independently entitled to a resolution free from unwarranted delay.
Judge Graf ultimately declined to issue an immediate ruling on probable cause, instead setting oral arguments for September 1 at 10 a.m. Both the prosecution and defense have requested time to review the full hearing transcript and submit written briefs before making their final arguments. It is expected that Robinson may also enter his plea at that September hearing.
The preliminary hearing, functioning essentially as a mini trial complete with witnesses, cross-examinations, and the introduction of evidence not necessarily admissible later at trial, drew intense public and media interest throughout the week. Spectators lined up outside the courthouse, some reportedly sleeping overnight in hopes of securing one of only fourteen public seats available inside the courtroom.
Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA and a close ally of President Trump, was fatally shot on September 10, 2025, while addressing students at an outdoor event at Utah Valley University. His killing sent shockwaves through the conservative movement, given his outsized role in mobilizing young voters for Republicans and his prominence as one of the most recognizable voices on the American right.
Investigators say Robinson was captured on video allegedly running across a rooftop near the site of the shooting, footage that was played again Friday at the request of the Kirk family, with portions zoomed in and marked to better identify the figure. The video has been central to the prosecution’s case throughout the week, alongside the ballistics and DNA evidence that dominated much of the testimony.
Throughout the hearing, Robinson’s defense team has focused its strategy on casting doubt over the forensic evidence rather than offering any alternative explanation for the events of that day.
