Tyler Robinson's lawyers fight DNA found on towel wrapping rifle in Charlie Kirk murder: Live updates

By WILL POTTER, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER and KATRINA SCHOLLENBERGER, US HEAD OF LIVE NEWS and RACHEL BOWMAN, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Tyler Robinson's defense lawyers are fighting crucial DNA evidence linking Charlie Kirk's alleged assassin Tyler Robinson to a towel wrapped around the murder weapon in bombshell evidence hearings.  In crucial pre-trial hearings that began Monday, prosecutors set the stage for the high-profile case as they attempt to prove probable cause to take the alleged killer, 23, to trial.  On Tuesday evening, prosecutors presented an FBI report that linked Robinson's DNA to the towel and also a screwdriver - with DNA from his transgender lover and roommate, Lance Twiggs, also on the items.  Defense attorneys, however, spent more than three hours on Tuesday attempting to cast doubt on the findings in court.  Twiggs will not testify in person during the week-long hearings, but prosecutors said they plan to introduce a recorded statement from the key witness into evidence.  It is unclear when Twiggs' video testimony will be entered into court, with the roommate set to become   Prosecutors have also submitted never-before-seen surveillance images allegedly showing Robinson prowling the Utah Valley University campus in the hours before Kirk was killed on September 10, 2025.  Follow the Daily Mail for the latest updates...  After prosecutors presented DNA evidence that they claim ties Tyler Robinson and his transgender lover Lance Twiggs to the murder weapon, his attorneys tried to introduce doubt over the findings. Robinson's attorney Michael Burt cross examined Amanda Bakker, a forensic analyst for the FBI’s DNA lab, on Tuesday evening. Burt grilled the forensic investigator over the potential for errors in DNA testing, and highlighted that Bakker's report did not provide 'absolute identification' of Robinson. 'She can't match Mr. Robinson to the questioned samples,' Burt said. Prosecutors countered that the DNA definitively belonged to two people, with testing showing it certainly belonged to Twiggs and was extremely statistically likely to belong to Robinson. They also insisted the line of questioning was beyond the scope of a pre-trial hearing, and said the result is not to prove Robinson's guilt, but only to decide if there is enough evidence to take him to trial. Prosecutors presented bombshell evidence that they say places Charlie Kirk's alleged assassin Tyler Robinson at the scene of his murder in the first days of a tense pre-trial hearing this week. Robinson, 23, faces the possibility of the death penalty if he is convicted of murdering Kirk at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025. A weeklong pre-trial evidentiary hearing for the man charged with killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk is set to resume Wednesday afternoon. Court is scheduled to begin at 1pm MT/3pm ET. Tyler Robinson, 23, is accused of shooting Kirk on September 10, 2022, in front of thousands of students at Utah Valley University. During the hearing, prosecutors will aim to show they have sufficient evidence to proceed to trial. So far, they have presented bombshell footage of Robinson's movements the day of the shooting, questioned investigators and lawyers have argued over DNA evidence. Prosecutors are expected to provide testimony from Robinson's transgender lover and roommate, Lance Twiggs, this week. Once it’s finished, state District Judge Tony Graf must determine if there is enough evidence for the case to proceed to a trial. If convicted, prosecutors have said they plan to seek the death penalty for Robinson after a judge denied the defense's request to take it off the table on June 26. Charlie Kirk's family issued a statement ahead of Monday's preliminary court hearing for his suspected assassin. 'Charlie was a beloved husband, son, brother, friend, and father. Every court proceeding serves as a painful reminder of his death and the loss that has irrevocably impacted our lives and the lives of his children,' said the statement from his widow, Erika Kirk, his parents, Robert and Kathryn, and his sister, Mary. 'Out of respect for the judicial process, we will not be commenting further at this time. We ask for continued privacy as we navigate this process and immense grief.' Pictured: Charlie Kirk with his parents and sister In the wake of Charlie Kirk's horrific murder, an ugly specter emerged: people, perversely, celebrating his death. In fact, more than 600 Americans were fired from their jobs over their negative reactions to Kirk's murder, according to a November 2025 Reuters investigation. Many of those terminations subsequently sparked a flurry of lawsuits, which all claimed their firings were in violation of their First Amendment rights. A number of the legal filings, including one by a biologist and former cop, have resulted in eye-watering payouts and even seen some people getting their jobs reinstated. Megyn Kelly called Charlie Kirk shooter Tyler Robinson's attorney 'f***ing annoying' over her constant objections at Robinson's initial pretrial hearing. With the likes of widow Erika Kirk and Donald Trump Jr in the crowd, the attention of the world has descended on Provo, just miles from where the conservative influencer was killed. Kelly went after Robinson's colorful veteran lawyer, Kathryn Nester, over her persistent interruptions. Charlie Kirk's devastated parents have put on a united front as they brace themselves to hear the harrowing evidence and their son's tragic final moments at pre-trial hearings for his accused killer this week. Robert and Kathryn Kirk walked arm-in-arm into court in Provo, Utah, at the opening hearings on Monday and Tuesday, to witness evidence being presented by prosecutors against their son's accused killer Tyler Robinson, 23. The rarely-seen parents are set to be joined by Kirk's widow Erika each day for the week-long pre-trial hearings, where a judge will determine if there is enough evidence to go ahead with Robinson's murder trial. At his pre-trial evidence hearing on Tuesday, prosecutors presented never-before-seen surveillance footage allegedly showing Robinson prowling the UVU campus in a Dodge Challenger on the day of the shooting. In surveillance allegedly showing Robinson moments before Kirk was killed, the suspect was seen walking with an apparent limp - keeping his right leg straight as he climbed stairs on the way to the 'snipers perch' on a nearby rooftop. Donald Trump Jr has been in the Utah courtroom for the first two days of Tyler Robinson's pre-trial hearing. He spoke out about the bombshell evidence revealed so far, and said he is certain Robinson will be convicted. 'Having literally been there in the room, seen the evidence with my own eyes, it's very clear to me that Tyler Robinson will be found guilty,' he told Fox News on Wednesday. 'There was so much stuff amidst the noise and internet chatter that was laid out that I had never heard and makes this case very cut and dry to me.' Trump Jr said it was shocking to learn that only six officers were on duty during the Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025. He praised Erika Kirk for her resilience during the hearings and said he has been on court to support her and Charlie's parents. The president's son once said Charlie Kirk was 'like a brother' to him, and spoke at the conservative activist's funeral. On Tuesday, Trump Jr and his wife, Bettina Trump, launched a blistering attack on what they called the 'liars' spreading false narratives about Kirk's murder. On Tuesday, prosecutors presented an FBI report into evidence that alleged Tyler Robinson's DNA was found on a towel wrapped around a rifle left near the shooting scene. The DNA was allegedly found on a screwdriver by the rooftop where the fatal shot at Charlie Kirk was taken from. According to prosecutors, Robinson's DNA was found on the items alongside DNA from his transgender lover and roommate Lance Twiggs. Twiggs has not been charged with any crime, and authorities say he is cooperating with the investigation. While Twiggs is not expected to testify in person at Robinson's pre-trial hearings, prosecutors say they will introduce video testimony this week from Twiggs into evidence.