Lance Twiggs, the roommate and “transgender” lover of alleged Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson, took center stage on day four of the preliminary hearings of Robinson’s murder trial, as Judge Tony Graf allowed a redacted version of Twiggs’ interview with investigators to be played for the public.
The day started with a motion from the Kirk family to play to the courtroom, in full, all exhibits offered by state prosecutors.
“Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, and his grieving parents traveled to this courtroom for one reason: to be present at these proceedings and to bear witness to the evidence concerning the death of their husband and son,” the motion stated. “At certain points throughout the preliminary hearing, the Kirk family sat in the room while evidence was admitted but not presented for their viewing. They were present in body, yet denied the very thing their presence was meant to secure: their ability to meaningfully observe the preliminary hearing.”
That motion was largely denied by Graf, who stated:
This ruling is not intended to diminish the significance of the victim’s representative rights or concerns. Rather, it reflects the court’s responsibility to regulate the presentation of evidence in a manner consistent with the integrity of the proceedings and the fair trial rights implicated in this manner, the manner in which evidence is displayed remains in the court’s discretion. That discretion must be exercised in a manner that is appropriate and appropriately balances Mr. ROBINSON’s constitutional rights, Mrs. KIRK’s rights as a victim representative, and the court’s obligation to conduct the proceedings that are fair, orderly, and appropriately transparent. Transparency is an important principle, but it must be maintained in a manner consistent with the constitutional rights and protections afforded to all parties. The court does not make a blanket ruling as it relates to any exhibit, and as previously stated, each exhibit will be afforded its own due in weighing whether it shall be published to the courtroom, or beyond, or not.
Like days one, two, and three, some new people were introduced on day four:
Personnel
State of Utah
Christopher Ballard, General Counsel/Chief of Staff, Utah County Attorney’s Office. According to his bio, prior to his current position, Ballard “served 22 years as an Assistant Solicitor General in the Criminal Appeals Division of the Utah Attorney General’s Office, including over three years as Deputy Division Director.”
Witness
Defense witness Samantha Carner, a forensic firearm and toolmark examiner at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) with more than six years of experience. She analyzed the gun said to have been used in Kirk’s murder, the cartridges, and the bullet fragments.
In the interview with law enforcement, Twiggs said Robinson was asking about using a Dremel tool to start engraving bullets about one month before Sept. 10, the day he allegedly shot Kirk.
Twiggs also said that Robinson was pacing and acting erratically the day after, hours before he eventually turned himself in to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. He said he recognized Robinson on the UVU video footage taken when an individual alleged to be Robinson was on campus around the time of the shooting.
Along with Twiggs’ testimony and the entering of images of the .30-06 gun and cartridges into evidence, DNA evidence was also used to connect Robinson to all those pieces of evidence.
Utah State Bureau of Investigation Sgt. Jennifer Faumuina found DNA evidence 1 trillion times more likely to be Robinson than anyone else on multiple parts of the gun and on cartridges.
Graf allowed in full and published Thursday an exhibit that was only admitted provisionally earlier this week. This exhibit was the testimony of Pastor David Engelhardt, a friend of Kirk’s and a TPUSA board member. The testimony, a document, outlined the religious and political beliefs and motivations of Kirk and TPUSA.
It reads as follows:
1) As noted in Turning Point USA’s filings with the Internal Revenue Service, Turning Point USA is organized and operated exclusively for educational and charitable purposes in accordance with section 501(c)(3), to empower informed civic and cultural engagement grounded in American exceptionalism and a positive spirit of action. More specifically, Turning Point USA guides citizens through development of knowledge, skills, values, and motivation, so they can meaningfully engage in their communities to restore traditional American values like patriotism, respect for life, liberty, family, and fiscal responsibility.
Charlie Kirk was Turning Point USA’s founder, establishing the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization on June 5, 2012. In addition to being its founder, Charlie Kirk also served as Turning Point USA’s Chief Executive Officer and Board President from June 5, 2012, until Charlie’s murder on September 10, 2025.
2) Charlie Kirk believed in the classical orthodox-Christian position on marriage, family, gender, and sexual being, which find their basis in various Biblical scriptures, most explicitly described in Matthew chapter 19:4-5, where Christ taught “Have you not read that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said for this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh?” Charlie Kirk believed as all theologically-orthodox-Christians believe that from this axiom springs forth three principles:
(1) That God determines whether a person is male or female — and that experimentation with sexual gender identity is sinful and therefore, should not be engaged in, accepted in culture, or allowed under the law.
(2) That heterosexuality inside the confines of a marriage is the only virtuous pattern for sexuality and the concomitant creation of the family — and that all other sexual patterns are sinful and
(3) That marriage is a covenant until death — Biblically unjustified divorce is sinful.3) Since its inception, Turning Point USA has hosted thousands of events like the one held at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025 — with at least 200 — of these events featuring Charlie Kirk as headline speaker. At these events, Charlie Kirk and other Turning Point USA speakers would engage attendees, most often students, in civil debate and discussion on traditional family values, orthodox-Christian views on sexuality, marriage, and gender, sex, America’s founding principles, political doctrines, foreign affairs, economics, faith and religious ideas, current events, cultural trends, and whatever else attendees wanted to discuss. Charlie Kirk and TPUSA’s speakers often specifically attempted to persuade attendees to follow commands rooted in orthodox-Christian and politically conservative values. It should also be noted that Charlie frequently requested that any attendee with an opposing opinion or view was welcome to the front of the question line and to be the first to communicate their views.
4) David Engelhardt is a pastor and attorney. David was a longtime friend and counselor to Charlie Kirk in matters of law, philosophy, and faith. In 2021, David was appointed by Charlie Kirk to serve as a Board Director and Officer for Turning Point USA. David still holds these positions today. David is also a frequent presenter at TPUSA events on matters of faith and culture.
This testimony is part of laying the foundation for a “victim targeting enhancement” on Robinson’s charges, supporting the contention that he specifically chose to target Kirk for his beliefs.
Graf will make a determination as to whether this case will go to trial Friday after a review of all evidence entered. If it is deemed to reach a probable cause threshold, a trial will follow.
