Tyler Robinson, accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, told his attorney he thinks about the shooting 'every day' — and unsettlingly mentioned Kirk’s wife, Erika, during a chilling courtroom exchange revealed through lip-reading analysis.
Showing little emotion, 22-year-old Robinson remained calm and even laughed with his attorney during his first in-person court appearance Thursday in Provo, Utah — more than three months after Kirk was gunned down at Utah Valley University.
Tyler Robinson, accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, said he thinks about the shooting “every day” — and made a chilling reference to Kirk’s wife, Erika, during a tense courtroom exchange with his attorney. AP
Robinson, 22, appeared calm — even sharing a laugh with his attorney — as he made his first in-person court appearance Thursday in Provo, Utah. Getty Images
“I think about the shooting every day,” Robinson appears to say to his lawyer in a chilling, off-mic exchange moments before the hearing began, according to Lip Reader Limited’s analysis. AP
“I think about the shooting every day,” Robinson appears to say to his lawyer in a quiet, off-mic exchange before the hearing began. He has been jailed since his arrest days after the assassination, according to Lip Reader Limited.
“Every morning … all the time,” he continues.
In the chilling exchange, he appears to refer to Kirk’s widow, Erika, who was left to raise the couple’s two small children.
At one point, the lip reader picked up him saying, “So, he had a wife…”
At another point in the exchange, he seems to open up about himself: “I’ve been smoking a lot… not sleeping at night… it’s driving me mental.”
“Unfortunately, it’s doing my head in. I’m not good for anything,” he adds, according to the analysis.
Robinson appeared in court in person for the first time more than three months after conservative figure Charlie Kirk was shot dead at Utah Valley University in September 2025. via REUTERS
Robinson looked almost unbothered as he faced the judge, clad in a straightforward blue button-down shirt paired with an argyle tie.
Robinson is accused of gunning down 31-year-old Kirk on Sept. 10 during a Turning Point USA talk at Utah Valley University, with thousands of attendees witnessing the attack.
Robinson appears to return to the case’s grim details, even bringing up Charlie Kirk’s wife, Erika, in the exchange. CBS News
At Thursday’s hearing, Judge Tony Graf was expected to rule on allowing media access to the courtroom, a move Robinson’s defense opposed, as well as whether to make public portions of an October phone hearing transcript that had approved Robinson wearing street clothes in court.
After closing the hearing for more than two hours for private discussions, the judge deferred judgment on both issues.
A final ruling is expected after a hearing scheduled for Dec. 29.
Robinson stands accused of multiple grave crimes, including aggravated murder, shooting a firearm that caused serious bodily injury, obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering, and committing a violent act in the presence of a child.
