Tyler Robinson’s texts, his mother’s BIG reveal take centre stage on day 1 of Charlie Kirk murder trial – What we know

A Utah man accused of fatally shooting right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk has been formally charged with seven felonies, including aggravated murder, as prosecutors announced plans to seek the death penalty. Tyler Robinson, 22, appeared virtually in court on Tuesday, showing little emotion as he listened to the charges being read.

Authorities say Tyler Robinson carefully planned the attack on Charlie Kirk days in advance and later confessed through a series of messages to his romantic partner and roommate. New court documents reveal disturbing details of his alleged motive, as well as evidence linking him to the crime scene — including shell casings etched with references to internet memes.

The high-profile case, which has already sparked national debate, is now set to proceed to trial. Tyler Robinson’s next court appearance is scheduled for later this month.

Texts to Romantic Partner Reveal Tyler Robinson's Motive?

According to charging documents, Tyler Robinson sent a chilling message to his romantic partner shortly after Charlie Kirk’s killing: “I had enough of his hatred.”

Prosecutors allege that Tyler Robinson meticulously planned the attack, with evidence indicating several days of preparation. The text exchanges were a key factor in the decision to seek the death penalty, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray confirmed during Tuesday’s announcement.

Here’s part of that exchange, as outlined in the documents:

Roommate: You weren’t the one who did it, right????

Robinson: I am, I’m sorry

Roommate: I thought they caught the person?

Robinson: No, they grabbed some crazy old dude, then interrogated someone in similar clothing. I had planned to grab my rifle from my drop point shortly after, but most of that side of town got locked down.

In another part of the conversation, Tyler Robinson’s roommate asked why he did it. “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out,” Robinson replied, according to the documents.

Robinson also told his roommate to delete the messages and not to speak to the police or the media.

Tyler Robinson's Family Speaks: A Shift in Politics and Personal Life

Tyler Robinson's mother, Amber Denise, told investigators that her son had begun dating his roommate, “a biological male who was transitioning genders,” according to court documents.

She also said “that over the last year or so, her son had become more political and had started to lean more to the left – becoming more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented,” according to the documents.

According to court documents, police also interviewed Robinson’s roommate.

“The roommate told police that the roommate received messages from Robinson about the shooting and provided those messages to police,” court documents said.

It was Amber Denise, the accused's mother, who ultimately identified him after law enforcement released photos of the suspect. Gray said she also informed investigators that Tyler Robinson had accused Charlie Kirk of “spreading hate.”

Charges Against Tyler Robinson in Charlie Kirk Murder Case

Tyler Robinson faces a wide range of charges, including:

• Aggravated murder
• Two counts of obstruction of justice
• Felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury
• Two counts of witness tampering
• Commission of a violent offence in the presence of a child

Prosecutors brought charges using an information document rather than an indictment, a move intended to expedite the case given its severity.

Investigators recovered shell casings from the scene bearing meme-related engravings. Gray also highlighted how the bullet that struck Charlie Kirk “narrowly missed several other individuals”.

Tyler Robinson's First Court Appearance

Tyler Robinson appeared remotely from Utah County Jail during his initial court appearance, wearing a green suicide-prevention smock.

Judge Tony Graf appointed a defence attorney and ordered that Tyler Robinson be held without bail. The judge also approved a pre-trial protective order for Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, in response to a request from prosecutors.

The next court hearing is scheduled for 29 September, when further procedural matters and trial preparations are expected to be addressed.

Erika Kirk's protective order

Ahead of Tyler Robinson’s initial court hearing, prosecutors have filed a protective order for Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, asking a judge to prohibit Robinson from contacting her directly or indirectly.

Judge Tony Graf said during the hearing that he would approve prosecutors’ request for the protective order, which would prohibit Tyler Robinson from contacting Erika Kirk in any way.