A judge in Utah has rejected a request from the family of accused shooter Tyler Robinson to display all exhibits, including a potential confession, during preliminary hearings in the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The hearings for Robinson, charged with fatally shooting Kirk at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025, resumed this week in Provo. Judge Tony Graf Jr. has made several key rulings that affect how the case will proceed.
DNA Evidence Presented
A Utah Department of Public Safety investigator testified Tuesday that DNA belonging to Lance Twiggs, Robinson’s romantic partner, was found on critical evidence from the crime scene. Jennifer Faumina, a sergeant with the State Bureau of Investigation, testified that male DNA matching Twiggs was identified on two items: a screwdriver recovered from a rooftop and a towel wrapped around the rifle allegedly used in the shooting.
“Male DNA was obtained from item 7-1,” Faumina stated from the witness stand, explaining that the item was linked to two individuals, one being Twiggs. She later testified the same finding applied to another piece of evidence.
Court Rulings on Media Access
The Utah Supreme Court declined last week to hear the defense’s appeal challenging Judge Graf’s decisions to allow cameras in the courtroom and permit certain hearsay evidence during the hearing. The state’s highest court denied the petition for permission to appeal from the interlocutory order.
Graf has established a case-by-case system for electronic media coverage, requiring news organizations to submit requests at least 14 days in advance. The judge retained authority to restrict or prohibit coverage, and he rejected nearly all defense motions seeking to bar cameras from the proceedings.
The only camera restriction Graf granted applied to still photography during opening statements after a media outlet missed the filing deadline by one day.
Hearing Progress
The preliminary hearing began Monday and is expected to continue throughout the week as prosecutors present evidence supporting charges that Robinson fatally shot Kirk during a campus event. The proceedings will determine whether sufficient evidence exists to proceed to trial.