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Who is Lance Twiggs? Why Tyler Robinson's former roommate is central to the Charlie Kirk probe
Lance Twiggs, Tyler Robinson’s former roommate, remains a key witness in the Charlie Kirk case and has not been charged.
Lance Twiggs has become an important figure in the ongoing case surrounding the September 2025 killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. Twiggs was Tyler Robinson’s roommate and romantic partner at the time of the shooting.
While his name has appeared repeatedly during court proceedings, he has not been charged with any crime and is not accused of taking part in the shooting. Instead, prosecutors have described him as a cooperating witness whose statements, messages and recorded interview have become a major part of the evidence being discussed during Robinson’s preliminary hearing.
Lance Twiggs' connection to Tyler Robinson and Charlie Kirk case
According to court filings and testimony presented during the preliminary hearing, investigators believe Twiggs received messages from Robinson shortly after the shooting. Prosecutors say those communications included text messages, Discord chats and a handwritten note that they argue pointed to Robinson’s involvement in Charlie Kirk’s death.
Reuters, AP and other outlets reported that parts of Twiggs’ recorded interview with investigators were played in court on July 9 after a judge approved a redacted version.
Court records discussed during the hearing show prosecutors view Twiggs as a key witness because he was allegedly one of the first people Robinson contacted after the shooting. The defence has challenged some of that evidence and has argued against the use of portions of Twiggs’ recorded statements.
Messages, DNA and court evidence
Another issue raised during the hearing involves DNA evidence collected near the crime scene. Testimony presented in court indicated that DNA linked to both Robinson and Twiggs was found on items recovered during the investigation, including a towel wrapped around a rifle.
Prosecutors have said Twiggs’ DNA was used as an elimination sample during testing, while defence lawyers have questioned the interpretation and reliability of some forensic findings.
Judge Tony Graf also heard arguments about whether Twiggs’ full interview should be released publicly. Prosecutors wanted portions of the interview shown as part of their effort to establish probable cause, while defence attorneys argued that wider release could affect Robinson’s right to a fair trial. The court ultimately allowed a redacted version to be played.
Lance Twiggs' role as the case heads toward trial
Publicly available court records and media reports show that Twiggs has cooperated with investigators since the early stages of the case. He was granted limited use immunity for a recorded interview given to authorities in April 2026, meaning those statements generally cannot be used against him in a future criminal case.
AP and Reuters reported that he did not appear in person during this stage of the hearing and that prosecutors instead relied on recorded testimony.
As of July 2026, there are no public reports of criminal charges against Twiggs connected to Charlie Kirk’s killing. His role remains that of a witness as the court decides whether there is enough evidence for Tyler Robinson to stand trial.
