The man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk isset to face trial in June 2028, nearly three years after the Turning Point USA co-founder was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University.
Tyler Robinson, 23, is facing seven charges including first-degree murder for allegedly killing the conservative activist on Sept. 10, 2025.
Robinson has pleaded not guilty. He could face the death penalty if convicted.Kirk’s family called the judge’s decision “deeply disappointing” in a written statement. Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow and the leader of Turning Point USA, had pressed Utah Fourth District Court Judge Tony Graf to set a trial no later than early October 2027.
“While nothing will restore the time we have lost with Charlie, every additional
day without justice prolongs our family's pain and forces us to wait even longer for accountability,” the family said.
Robinson was formally charged with Kirk’s murder within a week of the conservative activist’s death, but it took nearly 12 months for a judge to determine that Robinson should go to trial for the crime.
Prosecutors laid out several key pieces of evidence they say links Robinson to the shooting over the course of a weeklong hearing in July. Robinson's defense attorneys, meanwhile, worked to cast doubt on the evidence, including DNA and ballistics analysis, with hours of questions about the scientific methods used and error rates.
The hearing was not intended to determine Robinson's guilt or innocence, but whether there is probable cause to believe he had committed the crime. Graf, who was required to view the evidence "in the light most favorable to the prosecution," ruled in September that there is.
Robinson’s defense team had proposed holding the trial in the third quarter of 2029, which Erika Kirk’s lawyer called “grossly out of line” in a court filing. Prosecutors had sought a start date in January 2028.
If the schedule holds, the murder trial will happen during the height of the 2028 presidential campaign, a key focus for the political organization Kirk left behind. The Kirk family thanked the public for support as the court process continues.
“As we continue down this difficult road, we remain deeply grateful for the love, prayers, and support that have sustained our family through these painful months,” the family said.
Contributing: Reuters
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Charlie Kirk murder suspect Tyler Robinson faces 2028 trial
