Prosecutors presented new evidence this week in the murder case surrounding the September 2025 killing of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, including photographs of a rifle recovered from woods near Utah Valley University and images of bullet casings bearing engraved messages.
The evidence was introduced during a pre-trial hearing Thursday in Provo, Utah, where Tyler Robinson faces charges in connection with Kirk’s death. Robinson has pleaded not guilty, and the case has not yet gone to trial.
Among the exhibits shown in court were photographs of a Mauser Model 98 bolt-action .30-06 rifle that investigators said was recovered from a wooded area near the university. Prosecutors also displayed images of engraved bullet casings allegedly found on campus, including one inscribed with the message, “Hey fascist! Catch!”
🚨 BREAKING: Never-before-seen photos of Tyler Robinson’s rifle.
Law enforcement photos show the rifle reportedly used to kill Charlie Kirk hidden in the woods, wrapped in a towel, and later placed into an evidence box. pic.twitter.com/MwnoyzRzza
— KanekoaTheGreat (@KanekoaTheGreat) July 9, 2026
According to testimony presented in court, Robinson discussed hiding the rifle in the woods in text messages sent to his then-partner, Lance Twiggs, who identifies as transgender. Those messages were read aloud during the hearing.
Prosecutors also alleged that Robinson engraved messages onto several rounds of ammunition before the shooting. According to court testimony, the inscriptions included “O Bella Ciao,” a reference to the Italian anti-fascist song “Bella Ciao,” as well as the phrase “Ciao Ciao.”
Jennifer Faumuina, Sergeant with the Utah State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), just described the engravings found on the cartridges:
“Notices bulge”
“OWO what’s”
“This?”
“Hey Fascist”
“Catch”
“⬆️➡️⬇️⬇️⬇️”
“O Bella Ciao”
“Ciao Ciao”
“If you read”
“This, you are”
“Gay”
“Lmao” pic.twitter.com/xEOd0jDwvz— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) July 9, 2026
Twiggs confirmed in previously recorded sworn testimony that Robinson used a Dremel tool at their home to engrave the ammunition, according to the evidence presented in court.
The ammunition itself also drew attention during the hearing. After photographs were released, Fenix Ammunition posted on X that the round shown appeared to be a Remington Core-Lokt soft-point cartridge.
“It’s SPECIFICALLY designed to deform, slow down, and prevent an exit wound,” the company wrote, adding that such ammunition is intended to expand upon impact and can produce more extensive internal injuries.
Photos of the ammunition recovered from Tyler Robinson.
Remington headstamp on the case and despite the somewhat low resolution on the photo you can see the somewhat blunted nature of the projectile’s tip.
This is a Remington Cor-Lokt soft point round. It’s SPECIFICALLY… pic.twitter.com/Ab2wLjmQrN
— Fenix Ammunition (@FenixAmmunition) July 9, 2026
Jurors also viewed surveillance footage that prosecutors say captured Robinson on the Utah Valley University campus multiple times on the day of the shooting.
Former Utah State Bureau of Investigation agent David Hull testified that the footage appeared to show an individual he believed to be Robinson fleeing the area while carrying an object before entering a nearby wooded area.
🚨 NOW: Transgender lover Lance Twiggs ADMITS UNDER OATH that Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson was engraving bullets not long before the assassination
The casings on the day of Charlie’s killing said: “Hey fascist! Catch!” and other messages
LIES ARE CRASHING DOWN. pic.twitter.com/p0GVHVpL0A
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) July 9, 2026
Prosecutors further introduced text messages they say Robinson sent after the Sept. 10 shooting. According to testimony in court, one message stated that he shot Kirk because, “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”
