Utah County DA Releases Transcript of Robinson’s Messages with Roommate

​Utah County District Attorney Jeff Gray revealed at a press conference the transcript of text messages exchanged between Tyler Robinson and his transgender roommate and lover, Lance Twiggs.

Transcript of Messages

ROBINSON: "Drop what you're doing, look under my keyboard."

Under the keyboard was a note stating: “I have the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I am going to take it.” Police later recovered a photograph of the note. The following text exchange then took place:

ROOMMATE: "You are joking right?"

ROBINSON: "I am still okay, my love. Shouldn't be long until I can come home, but I gotta grab my rifle still. To be honest, I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you."

ROOMMATE: "You weren't the one who did it, right?"

ROBINSON: "I am, I am, I'm sorry."

ROOMMATE: "I thought they caught the person."

ROBINSON: "No, they grabbed some crazy old dude, then interrogated someone in similar clothing. I had planned to grab my rifle from my drop point shortly after, but most of that side of town got locked down. It's quiet, almost enough to get out, but there's one vehicle lingering."

ROOMMATE: "Why?"

ROBINSON: "Why did I do it? I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can't be negotiated out. If I am able to grab my rifle unseen, I will have left no evidence. Going to attempt to retrieve it again. Hopefully they have moved on. I haven't seen anything about them finding it."

ROOMMATE: "How long have you been planning this?"

ROBINSON: "A bit over a week, I believe. I can get close to it, but there is a squad car parked right by it. I think they already swept that spot, but I don't want to chance it. I'm wishing I had circled back and grabbed it as soon as I got to my vehicle. I'm worried what my old man would do if I didn't bring back Grandpa's rifle. IDEK if it had a serial number, but it wouldn't trace to me. I worry about prints. I had to leave it in a bush where I changed outfits. I might have to abandon it and hope they don't find prints."

"How the F will I explain losing it to my old man? Only thing I left was the rifle wrapped in a towel. Remember how he was engraving bullets? The F in messages are mostly a big meme. If I see notice bulge U-W-U on Fox News, I might have a stroke, all right, I'm gonna have to leave it. That really F in sucks. Judging from today, I'd say grandpa's gun does just fine IDK. I think that was a 2K dollar scope."

"Delete this exchange. My dad wants photos of the rifle. He says, Grandpa wants to know who has what. The feds released a photo of the rifle and it is very unique. He's calling me, RN. Not answering. Since Trump got into office, my dad has been pretty diehard MAGA. I'm gonna turn myself in willingly. One of my neighbors here is a deputy for the sheriff. Again, you are all I worry about love. Don't take any interviews or make any comments. If any police ask you questions, ask for a lawyer and stay silent."

Reaction to Transcript

The transcript drew mixed reactions. ABC News correspondent Matt Gutman received backlash for describing the messages as “touching in a way that many of us didn't expect.” Gutman elaborated:

"But, also, it was very touching in a way that many of us didn't expect," Gutman said. "A very intimate portrait into this relationship between the suspect’s roommate and the suspect himself, with him repeatedly calling his roommate, who is transitioning, calling him ‘my love.’ And ‘I want to protect you, my love.'

"So, it was this duality of someone who the attorney said not only jeopardized the life of Charlie Kirk and the crowd, but was doing it in front of children, which is one of the aggravating circumstances of this case. And then, on the other hand, he was, you know, speaking so lovingly about his partner. So a very interesting and … riveting press conference."

Gutman later doubled down, calling the exchange "heartbreaking on so many levels," and tying Kirk's assassination to "the portrait of a very human person."

Court Proceedings

This evening, Robinson made his first official court appearance, where the state informed him it would pursue the death penalty. A pre-trial protective order was also filed on behalf of Erika Kirk.