Charlie Kirk murder: Suspect Tyler Robinson back in court for hearing, may finally enter plea

The man accused of killing Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk is back in court Tuesday for a hearing where prosecutors will make their final arguments that they have enough probable cause to support the aggravated murder charge that puts the death penalty on the table and the defense arguing they don’t. 

The backstory:

In July, a week-long preliminary hearing was held for suspect Tyler Robinson, with prosecutors presenting evidence against him to proceed to a trial.  Robinson declined to testify at the hearing.

Robinson, 22, is charged with aggravated murder for the killing of Kirk. On Sept. 10, 2025,  Kirk was speaking to a crowd of about 3,000 people during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University in Orem when investigators say Robinson fired a single shot from a building about 140 yards away, striking Kirk, 31, and killing him. 

Dig deeper:

At the conclusion of the hearing, State District Judge Tony Graf told both the prosecution and defense to file briefs and scheduled the final arguments for Sept. 1.  Judge Graf is expected to give his decision on probable cause to support the aggravated murder charge that puts the death penalty on the table and Robinson may finally be asked to enter a plea nearly a year after the slaying.

The long break was implemented to give attorneys on both sides the benefit of seeing the court transcript of the preliminary hearing and time to submit written briefs arguing whether probable cause had been met for the case to proceed to trial. 

Last month, Robinson’s defense attorneys wrote a 41-page brief arguing that prosecutors didn't establish probable cause concerning the aggravating factor and that the shooting created a high probability of death to someone other than Kirk and that Robinson knew of that "high probability."

In their 28-page filing, prosecutors repeatedly point to evidence introduced during the preliminary hearing, including surveillance video.

Prosecutors have alleged that Robinson is the man who appears on surveillance video approaching a sniper's perch. According to investigators, the killer opened fire from a rooftop on the far side of the packed courtyard, which was full of spectators.

Investigators say the surveillance video tracked Robinson across Utah Valley University before and after the shooting, and DNA recovered from the suspected murder weapon, a fired cartridge casing, a towel and screwdriver, and eyewitness testimony placed the alleged gunman on the rooftop overlooking Kirk's event.

 

Crime & Public Safety