Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) detailed Thursday what he called “absolutely compelling” and “damning” confession evidence admitted against Tyler Robinson.

Robinson, the man accused of killing Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk, allegedly admitted to the killing on multiple occasions, both in text messages and to an acquaintance. Lee said that he witnessed State District Judge Tony Graf admit the highly compelling and “damning” evidence while sitting in the courtroom behind the victim’s family.

“I was in the courtroom today sitting next to Jack Posobiec and just behind Erica Kirk when evidence was admitted by Judge Graf. That evidence, the evidence admitted today, is absolutely compelling. It’s damning,” Lee said. “It contains multiple confessions by the defendant, Tyler Robinson, acknowledging not only that he killed Charlie Kirk, but acknowledging that he did so having planned it in advance in great detail. And acknowledging at one point that he was motivated by hate.”

Lee noted that Judge Graf took a meticulous approach before ultimately ruling that the defense must face the weight of these repeated disclosures.

“So he admitted this on multiple occasions in multiple ways. So it’s difficult to imagine how this results in anything other than a conviction,” Lee continued. “We will stay tuned on that front. The prosecution has done a great job and Judge Graf, while being very, very thorough, made the right decision to admit this evidence today.”

The preliminary hearings for Robinson continued on Thursday, July 9. Robinson faces murder charges for the assassination of Kirk on September 10, 2025, who was killed on the Utah Valley University campus during a debate.

The state is pursuing capital punishment, with prosecutors actively seeking the death penalty if the case goes to trial and ends in a conviction.