Bombshell Development in Charlie Kirk's Murder Trial
A shock ATF report reveals the bullet that killed Charlie Kirk cannot be linked to the suspect's rifle. Is the death penalty case against Tyler Robinson collapsing?
Defense attorneys for Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk, filed a motion last Friday in Utah’s 4th District Court seeking to delay his preliminary hearing by six months, citing an ATF report that found a bullet fragment recovered from Kirk’s body too damaged for a conclusive match to the rifle allegedly linked to Robinson.
Robinson, 22, faces aggravated murder and other charges in the Sept. 10, 2025, shooting that killed Kirk, 31, during a Turning Point USA rally at Utah Valley University in Orem. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
According to the motion, the defense has received “thousands of pages” of discovery, including forensic reports from the ATF and FBI. The ATF summary report specifically states that examiners were “unable to identify the bullet recovered at autopsy to the rifle allegedly tied to Mr. Robinson.” The defense says it may call the ATF firearm analyst as an exculpatory witness and needs additional time to review the full case file, protocols, and related data.
Prosecutors maintain the case remains strong, pointing to other evidence including Robinson’s confession to his father the day after the shooting, text messages, shell casings, and DNA. They plan to conduct additional chemical tests on the bullet fragment.
A hearing on the defense motion is scheduled for April 17. The preliminary hearing itself had been set for May 18.
Robinson turned himself in the day after the shooting following a brief manhunt. He has not yet entered a plea. The case has drawn national attention, with ongoing debate over political violence and courtroom access.
The filing marks the latest development in a high-profile prosecution that continues to unfold nearly seven months after Kirk’s death.