Prosecutors in the US state of Utah on Thursday presented critical evidence in the case of the suspected murderer of high-profile conservative youth leader Charlie Kirk. Prosecutors played parts of an interview with the suspect’s roommate, Lance Twiggs.
Kirk was shot in the neck last year in front of a large crowd of students who came to hear him speak at Utah Valley University.
A close ally of President Donald Trump, Kirk has been credited with motivating young voters to turn out for him in the 2024 US presidential election.
Tyler R. faces seven criminal charges, including aggravated murder. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
The suspect has not entered a plea in the case.
Twiggs, who was romantically involved with the suspect, agreed to be interviewed with prosecutors and police in exchange for immunity in the case.
Prosecutors allege that Tyler R. confessed to Twiggs in a note that he had the opportunity “to take out Charlie Kirk” and that he was going to take that opportunity. He also allegedly told Twiggs in a text message that he targeted Kirk because he “had enough of his hatred.”
The roommate spoke to authorities two days after the Kirk murder and again on April 20.
The judge in the case barred parts of Twigg’s interview from being played in the courtroom at the defense’s request. The defendant’s lawyers argued prosecutors would portray the clips as “confessions” and jeopardize the defendant’s right to a fair trial.
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What did the roommate say?
In what was played of the April 20 interview, Utah County prosecutor Ryan McBride asked Twiggs about text messages exchanged with Tyler R. in the hours after Kirk’s killing.
The suspect allegedly admitted through text messages that he shot Kirk and returned to their three-bedroom townhouse the day after the murder.
“I just asked him in person if what he said was true the night before, and he said it was. He started crying a little bit and said he wishes he hadn’t done it,” Twiggs said in the interview.
Twiggs also told officials that he and the suspect rarely discussed politics and that the first time they spoke of Kirk was after the shooting had happened.
Kirk family wants evidence made public
Charlie Kirk’s parents and his widow, Erika Kirk, attended the court hearing in person. Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee was also in attendance.
Attorneys for the media and for Erika Kirk asked the judge to make Twiggs’ statements and other evidence public.
“To not be transparent, to not be open and let the world see what happened will create doubt and distrust in the judicial system,” Kirk family lawyer Jeffrey Neiman said.
The judge rejected the request, saying that not all evidence would be openly displayed. He reminded lawyers and the Kirk family that the rights of both victims and the defendant must be protected.
Edited by: Sean Sinico
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