Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Charlie Kirk's widow Erika came face-to-face with his alleged killer at a preliminary hearing
Alleged Charlie Kirk shooter Tyler Robinson was in court on Monday for a preliminary hearing and was reportedly seen laughing at Kirk’s widow Erika. The hearing was the first time that Kirk’s family and his widow Erika came face-to-face with Robinson in court.
According to court reporters in attendance, Tyler Robinson — the 23-year-old accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a Turning Point USA event in September 2025 — was seen laughing just feet away from Kirk’s sobbing widow Erika in court on Monday during a pre-trial preliminary hearing. Kirk’s parents, Kathryn and Robert, were also in attendance at the hearing.
Kirk, the 31-year-old co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025. Following a manhunt, Robinson turned himself in and was arrested on September 11 after a family member tipped off authorities — his parents contacted a family friend who was a retired detective and sheriff’s deputy after recognizing him from news images that authorities alleged were of the shooter.
Robinson, 23-years-old, has since been charged with aggravated murder. Robinson has yet to enter a plea and could face the death penalty.
Court reporters have said that alleged Charlie Kirk shooter Tyler Robinson was seen laughing at his widow Erika Kirk
Despite the seriousness of his charges, however, Robinson was reportedly seen laughing during the first day of the preliminary hearings just feet away from a crying Erika Kirk.
“The moment came after a somewhat chaotic day in court as Robinson was at one point seen laughing as Kirk’s widow Erika wept just feet away. Erika, dressed in all black, faced her husband’s alleged murderer for the first time Monday morning as he appeared before Graf for a five-day preliminary hearing. She had burst into tears before the hearing even started, according to the Daily Mail‘s reporter in the courtroom.”
The ongoing preliminary hearing, which will continue through the week, is set to determine whether the state of Utah has sufficient evidence to bring the case to trial, with key evidence from the prosecution reportedly including DNA consistent with Robinson’s found on the trigger of the rifle used in the shooting, a fired cartridge casing, two unfired cartridges, and a towel used to wrap the weapon.
Prosecutors are also reportedly planning to present a note that Robinson allegedly wrote for his romantic partner that read: “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I’m going to take it.”
During the first day of the hearing, former Utah Valley University Officer Christopher Bagle stated that he found as “sniper pad” when searching the area that Kirk’s shooter had allegedly taken up.
Robinson’s lawyers have been appealing to get the potential death penalty charge taken off the table but have been unsuccessful so far.