Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin Tyler Robinson asked his roommate to keep quiet and not speak to police following the conservative’s killing, officials said.
Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray revealed the new information during a press conference in Orem, Utah, on Tuesday.
‘After shooting Mr. Kirk, Robinson told his roommate to delete incriminating text messages and not to talk to police,’ Gray said.
Robinson, 22, will be officially charged at 5pm EST with felony aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury.
He will also be charged with two witness tampering charges for telling his roommate to stay silent about the crime, Gray said.
As previously reported, Robinson’s roommate, a trans woman named Lance Twiggs, cooperated with officials in their case against the alleged assassin.
Robinson and Twiggs were in a romantic relationship, officials said.
The alleged killer reportedly confessed to the roommate after Kirk’s murder and said ‘I’m sorry.’
When the roommate pointed out that cops had taken someone into custody for the murder, Robinson allegedly replied: ‘no, they grabbed some crazy old dude, then interrogated someone in similar clothing.
Tyler Robinson, 22, the suspect accused of killing conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, 31, is not cooperating with police
The 31-year-old conservative activist was debating with students at Utah Valley University on Wednesday when he was shot in the neck
Robinson had been in a relationship with his transgender roommate, Lance Twiggs
‘I had planned to grab my rifle from my drop point shortly after, but most of that side of town got locked down.’
Gray added that his office will seek the death penalty against Robinson.
Robinson allegedly texted his roommate after the murder saying: ‘Drop what you’re doing, look under my keyboard.’
The roommate then found a note that read: ‘I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.
Police found a picture of the note, Gray said.
Robinson allegedly told the roommate that he had been planning the killing for about a week.
‘Delete this exchange,’ the alleged killer then told the roommate, according to authorities.
‘Don’t talk to the media please or make any comments, if any police asks questions just ask for a lawyer and stay silent,’ Robinson allegedly instructed the roommate.
Gray told the press that Robinson confessed to his parents after the murder, alleging telling them, about Kirk: ‘There is too much evil and the guy spreads too much hate.’
Robinson’s mom reportedly recognized him on the images of the shooter released by police a day after Kirk was shot dead.
‘Robinson’s mother called her son, and asked him where he was. He said he was at home sick and that he had also been at home home sick on September 10,’ Gray said.
Robinson is expected to be formally charged in Kirk’s murder on Tuesday
‘Robinson’s mother expressed concern to her husband that the suspect shooter looked like Robinson. Robinson’s father agreed.’
Once charges are filed, Robinson is scheduled to appear on camera for a virtual court hearing. He has been held without bail since his arrest, and it remained unclear whether he has an attorney.
Twiggs showed police texts from Robinson about stashing a gun linked to Wednesday’s shooting of the prominent conservative activist at Utah Valley University (UVU), a law enforcement affidavit said.
While authorities say Robinson hasn’t been cooperating with investigators, they do say his family and friends have been talking.
FBI Director Kash Patel said Monday on the Fox News Channel show Fox & Friends that DNA evidence has linked Robinson to a towel wrapped around a rifle found near the Utah Valley campus and a screwdriver recovered from the rooftop where the fatal shot was fired.
The FBI also is looking at ‘anyone and everyone’ who was involved in a gaming chatroom on the social media platform Discord with Robinson, Patel said Tuesday during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington. The chatroom involved ‘a lot more’ than 20 people, he said.
‘We are investigating Charlie’s assassination fully and completely and running out every lead related to any allegation of broader violence,’ Patel said in response to a question about whether the Kirk shooting was being treated as part of a broader trend of violence against religious groups.
