OAN Staff Lillian Mann
1:10 PM – Thursday, July 9, 2026
During a preliminary hearing, video evidence was played showing Tyler Robinson’s former roommate and romantic partner, Lance Twiggs, telling prosecutors that Robinson expressed immediate regret after the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. According to the recording, Robinson broke down and openly expressed that he “wishes he hadn’t done it.”
When Twiggs confronted Robinson about his previous messages, Robinson confirmed they were true.
He “started crying a little bit and said he wishes he hadn’t done it,” Twiggs said. Robinson then began pacing and “doing stuff, I think just to keep himself busy or distracted or something.” Twiggs also added that Robinson left the apartment soon after since he told him he was planning on turning himself in, and he wouldn’t want to be there “regardless of what went down.”
Robinson turned himself in on September 12th.
The testimony follows United States District Judge Tony Graf ruling that the interview with Twiggs could be played in court, though “with some redactions.”
Prosecutor Ryan McBride was seen interviewing Twiggs in the heavily redacted video recording shown in court on Thursday. The 22-year-old described the interactions he had with Robinson, now 23, both over text and in person following the assassination on September 10, 2025.
Later, Twiggs also described the moments following Robinson’s return to their shared apartment in St. George, Utah, the morning after the shooting.
Twiggs reiterated that Robinson was “walking around a lot” and recalled that the accused shooter confirmed in person what he had admitted in text messages the night before, responding, “I am, I’m sorry,” after Twiggs asked him directly if he was truly guilty of the assassination.
Nonetheless, Robinson “didn’t go into detail …” Twiggs noted.
Twiggs told McBride that he met Robinson in person in 2023, but had known him longer than that. Around two or three months after Robinson moved into their apartment, the two started “dating,” he explained. The accused shooter’s partner then went on to reveal that roughly one month before Kirk’s murder, Robinson had asked him for a “Dremel.”
A Dremel is a brand of handheld power tools, primarily known for its high-speed rotary tools. The term is often used as a genericized trademark to refer to any small rotary tool used for detailed crafting, cutting, and engraving.
“I don’t remember exactly when, but he had said he was planning to go hunting with his family and he asked me… if we had a Dremel, because he said he wanted to engrave messages on bullets,” Twiggs said.
When questioned whether he recalled discussing politics, gender identity or other LGBTQ issues with his partner, Twiggs responded that Robinson would discuss President Donald Trump and his policies, but did not go into more detail.
During the interview, Twiggs also said Robinson had spent the night of September 9th at their apartment, but could not recall exactly what time Robinson left in the morning. Twiggs added that he guessed it could have been as early as 4:00 a.m.
McBride further questioned Twiggs on personal text messages between him and Robinson, messages on the platform Discord, and a handwritten note allegedly from Robinson himself. The note was left in their apartment before the shooting, according to Twiggs, who said he took a picture of the note and then left it on the desk where he found it.
Twiggs, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, was granted limited immunity for his testimony by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Utah County Attorney’s Office.
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