Utah Judge Delays Decision on Whether Suspect Will Stand Trial for Charlie Kirk Killing

Utah State District Judge Tony Graf adjourned a preliminary hearing Friday after four days of testimony and scheduled four hours of additional oral arguments for September 1 before deciding whether Tyler Robinson will stand trial for the aggravated murder of Charlie Kirk.

The Kirk family said in a statement that prosecutors had presented overwhelming evidence that Robinson killed the conservative activist while he addressed students at Utah Valley University in September 2025. Robinson turned himself in the day after the shooting and has not entered a plea.

Prosecutors played portions of a recorded interview with Robinson's former roommate and romantic partner, Lance Twiggs, who told a Utah prosecutor that Robinson said he wished he had not carried out the shooting and had been acting erratically while discussing plans to surrender.

Defense attorney Michael Burt questioned the reliability of DNA tests that linked Robinson to a rifle, ammunition and a tool used to etch messages on cartridges. Government DNA analyst Caitlin Oliver testified that DNA can transfer through a third party and that multiple samples were found on the rifle, confirming it is possible for DNA to move from one person to a gun trigger via a handshake.

Ballistics tests on a bullet fragment recovered from Kirk's body were inconclusive. Graf agreed to allow an altered campus surveillance video showing a figure prosecutors identified as Robinson crawling to a rooftop before the shooting. Erika Kirk and Kathryn Kirk looked away and cried during the playback.

Deputy Utah County Attorney Chad Grunander told the court that four days of testimony had met the burden of proof. Erika Kirk filed a court document asking Graf to rule by September 1.