Utah judge sets July 2028 trial in Charlie Kirk murder case

Jury selection is scheduled for June 21, 2028

Utah District Judge Tony Graf ruled Monday that Tyler Robinson will stand trial for murder in early July 2028, with the case remaining in Provo, Utah. Graf said jury selection would begin on June 21, 2028.

Robinson, 23, remains charged with aggravated murder in the case arising from the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. Police said Robinson turned himself in after the shooting. Robinson has since pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder. If convicted on the charge, he could face the death penalty.

Prosecutors also charged Robinson with two counts of witness tampering for allegedly instructing his roommate not to cooperate with police and to delete incriminating texts, and two counts of obstruction of justice, according to court documents.

In September 2025, according to prosecutors, Robinson perched on a rooftop on Utah Valley University’s campus, where he opened fire on Kirk. Kirk, whom The Guardian described as a far-right pundit and activist, was in the middle of one of his signature debates with ideological rivals on college campuses. Prosecutors say Robinson harbored grievances against Kirk’s political views, particularly the conservative figure’s criticism of gay rights.

At trial, prosecutors are expected to present evidence that Robinson seemingly confessed to the crime. During a July preliminary hearing, the court watched a redacted video in which Lance Twiggs, Robinson’s former roommate, told investigators that Robinson expressed regret about the shooting. “He wishes he hadn’t done it,” said Twiggs, who had also dated Robinson.

Robinson’s attorneys cast doubt over whether there was sufficient evidence to back the state’s motive theory — that Robinson had deep-set political differences with Kirk. They also scrutinized the reliability of forensic evidence indicating Robinson’s DNA was on a towel wrapped around a firearm.

The trial date had been a source of contention. Robinson’s attorneys had asked to start the trial in January 2029, while lawyers for Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow, had pushed for an October 2027 date. In October, Robinson’s legal team reportedly proposed holding the trial in the third quarter of 2029, pointing to the sizable evidence in the case and jury-selection preparations as reasons for needing additional time. Lawyers for Erika Kirk balked at the defense proposal in court filings.

Donald Trump also weighed in on the matter last month on social media: “This case should be tried within a month, not three years – and it should be over with!” He also took a jab at Tony Graf, the Utah district judge presiding over the case, saying Graf was “desecrating the memory of the Great Charlie Kirk, while taking forever to ask questions that people already know the answer to”.

Graf’s ruling establishes the trial timetable while leaving the state’s motive theory, the defense’s challenge to the reliability of forensic evidence indicating Robinson’s DNA was on a towel wrapped around a firearm, and the question of Robinson’s guilt unresolved. Jury selection is scheduled for June 21, 2028.