A Utah judge has ruled that Tyler Robinson must stand trial for aggravated murder in the killing of Charlie Kirk, keeping the death penalty on the table nearly a year after the September 10, 2025, shooting at Utah Valley University.
Fourth District Judge Tony Graf Jr. issued the ruling Tuesday in a Provo courtroom, finding that prosecutors had shown probable cause to move the case forward on the top charge. The hearing did not decide Robinson’s guilt or innocence — that question will be left for trial.
Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika, and his parents, Rob and Kathy Kirk, attended the hearing along with representatives from Turning Point USA. They sat two rows behind Robinson’s family.
Tuesday’s proceeding picked up where a five-day preliminary hearing left off in July. The central dispute was whether Robinson’s alleged conduct met the legal threshold for aggravated murder, which under Utah law can carry the death penalty.
Prosecutors argued Robinson knowingly endangered bystanders when he allegedly fired a high-powered rifle from a rooftop roughly 400 feet from an event attended by more than 3,000 people. Robinson’s defense team argued the shooter fired a single round that struck its intended target, and that the elevated angle of the shot meant no one else was in the bullet’s path — meaning, they said, the state had not established the aggravating factor needed to sustain a capital charge.
Prosecutors also argued Robinson had a political and personal motive, contending Kirk’s views were especially offensive to Robinson given his relationship with his boyfriend, Lance Twiggs.
“We know what charge Kirk stood for, and those ideas were repugnant to the defendant, who was in a homosexual relationship with a man who was considering transitioning genders,” prosecutor Ryan McBride told the court, referring to Robinson’s relationship with Twiggs, who also went by Luna.
With the probable-cause phase now resolved, the case moves to arraignment as it heads toward a capital murder trial.
Kirk Family Statement
The Kirk family released a statement following the ruling:
Today’s decision, which comes nearly a year since Charlie was taken from us, marks an important step in our family’s pursuit of justice for him. Every step in this process carries the weight of all that Charlie’s murder has taken from his family, especially his children who will grow up without their father. We are grateful to all who have continued to pray for us, support us, and stand with us through a year of unimaginable grief. As the next phase of the judicial process begins, our family remains united in our love for Charlie, our commitment to the pursuit of justice, and our prayer for a transparent and timely process.
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