I’M BACK! And The Tyler Robinson Show Trial Begins... | Ep 358
Ben Shapiro admitted his security team received live phone updates from inside the car carrying the dying Charlie Kirk to the hospital — and Candace Owens wants to know who made that call.
Candace
I’M BACK! And The Tyler Robinson Show Trial Begins... | Ep 358
Ben Shapiro admitted his security team received live phone updates from inside the car carrying the dying Charlie Kirk to the hospital — and Candace Owens wants to know who made that call.
TL;DR
Candace Owens returns from vacation to dissect the Tyler Robinson preliminary hearing in the Charlie Kirk assassination case, arguing the "overwhelming evidence" narrative pushed by conservative influencers is a coordinated psychological operation. The ATF's own forensic biologist testified that Tyler Robinson's DNA on the gun was the most degraded of all samples — more degraded than Lance Twiggs' — a bombshell Owens says proves a frame-up [1] — Candace Owens "Tyler Robinson's DNA scientifically indefensible claim: ATF forensic biologist Caitlin Oliver explicitly admitted in court that the media h…" 52:55 . The single most explosive revelation: Ben Shapiro admitted his security team was receiving live phone updates from someone inside the car transporting the dying Charlie Kirk to the hospital[2].
Candace Owens returns from vacation to dissect the Tyler Robinson preliminary hearing in the Charlie Kirk assassination case, challenging the coordinated 'overwhelming evidence' influencer narrative and revealing Ben Shapiro's admission that his security received live updates from inside the car carrying the dying Charlie Kirk.
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After a brief lululemon ad, Candace Owens kicks off her return with characteristic irreverence, joking that middle-aged men were apparently striking poses online in her name while she was away. She pivots quickly to the substance, making her first pointed observation: if your first instinct when seeking support at a murder trial is to call Benny Johnson rather than your cousins, something is off. The influencer guest list at the 4th District Courthouse — which notably did not include people invited to Charlie Kirk's private funeral mass — strikes Owens as an obvious signal that optics, not justice, are driving the Kirk family's legal strategy. It's a sharp, direct opening that frames everything that follows.
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Owens begins with a vocabulary lesson — the root word 'whelm' means to submerge or engulf — before deploying it as rhetorical ammunition. She rolls through a remarkable collage: Graham Allen, Steve Deese, Gunther Eagleman, Mike Lee, Ali Beth Stuckey, Clay Travis, Donald Trump Jr., and Josh Hammer all independently reaching for the same word: 'overwhelming.' [1] — Candace Owens "Conservative influencers across the board reached for the exact same word — 'overwhelming' — to describe evidence against Tyler Robinson, f…" 07:31 Hammer's contribution is the most theatrical — he calls it the most overwhelming legal presentation he has witnessed in his entire life. Owens draws a straight line between this vocabulary synchronization and COVID-era coordination, comparing 'the evidence is overwhelming against Tyler Robinson' to 'wear a mask, six feet social distancing.' The point is precise: when this many people reach for the same adjective on cue, it isn't organic reaction — it's scripted.
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This chapter is a master class in compare-and-contrast journalism. Owens lays out every pillar of the pre-hearing prosecution narrative with supporting media clips: Tyler's parents identified him from news footage and facilitated his surrender; he made confessions to his parents, his roommate, and on Discord; his motive was burning rage over LGBTQ rights, specifically trans issues, because of his trans boyfriend Lance Twiggs; he wrote 'some hate just can't be negotiated out'; video of him on the rooftop would be presented; his DNA and fingerprints were on the gun. Bill Ackman was so convinced he immediately pledged a million dollars to Tyler's father. [1] — Candace Owens "Bill Ackman pledged $1M to Tyler's father: Bill Ackman immediately pledged $1,000,000 to Tyler Robinson's father Matt Robinson for allegedl…" 12:34 Owens then previews her counter-narrative: Tyler was not political, came from a family of Trump supporters, the gun was a family heirloom he never fired, and Lance Twiggs is a federal asset who planted the evidence. She frames what follows as a verdict on which narrative the actual hearing supported.
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On Day 4, ATF ballistics expert Samantha Carner testified about the physical evidence in a way that quietly undermines the prosecution's core claim. Of seven bullet fragments reportedly extracted from Charlie Kirk's body, she only received four — three vanished somewhere in the chain of custody. Of the four she received, three were unusable. The one usable fragment, labeled 6A, had a measured diameter range of .286 to .301 inches. [1] — Candace Owens "ATF ballistics expert Samantha Carner testified the one usable bullet fragment — labeled 6A — had a diameter range of .286 to .301 inches. …" 1:07:53 Tyler Robinson's alleged murder weapon is a .30-06 rifle, which fires a bullet with a minimum diameter of .308 inches. The fragment is too small. Defense counsel walked Carner through this on the record, ensuring it is embedded in the trial record. Owens notes this is why the influencers launched into overdrive about the video evidence — they needed to overwhelm the public before anyone noticed what Carner had just admitted.
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The episode's most viscerally satisfying moment comes when Owens plays the Court TV footage that accidentally captured the prosecution's 'enhanced' video exhibit. Benny Johnson had told his audience the court was shown 20 minutes of 4K HD footage in which Robinson's face was clearly visible, his license plate readable, and the whole courthouse gasped. [1] — Candace Owens "Benny Johnson and other influencers told their audiences they witnessed clear 4K HD video of Tyler Robinson's face, his license plate, and …" 1:20:10 The leaked Court TV footage shows the truth: the enhanced Exhibit 12.1 is Exhibit 12.4 with red ovals drawn around persons of interest, some bystanders' faces blurred in the parking garage footage, and a digital zoom applied to the rooftop section — where what appears is a single indistinguishable pixel running across the frame. An X user identifying as CanCon captured this at the 2:35 mark of the Day 2 Court TV broadcast. Owens methodically quotes the court testimony confirming that 12.1 is nothing more than 12.4 with annotation and zoom, then lands her punchline: the influencers were not invited to witness truth. They were invited to perform it. [2] — Candace Owens "He's running across now. I don't know if you can see it because all he is is a Pixel. That's all he is is a Pixel." 1:20:32
- Major contributor (DNA)
- In forensic science, the person whose DNA makes up the largest proportion of a mixed sample from one location — does NOT mean their DNA dominates the entire object, a distinction the ATF biologist called critical.
- Mixed DNA sample
- A forensic specimen containing genetic material from more than one person, which complicates attribution and has led courts to abandon mixed-sample comparisons since 1996.
- Likelihood ratio
- A statistical measure used in forensic DNA analysis to express how much more likely the evidence is if a suspect contributed to a sample than if a random person did — often misreported as a definitive match.
- Trigger guard
- The protective loop surrounding a firearm's trigger; in the Tyler Robinson case, the ATF could not confirm whether DNA came from the trigger itself or the trigger guard, a distinction with evidentiary significance.
- 30-06 (caliber)
- A rifle cartridge (.30 caliber, 1906 adoption) with a bullet diameter starting at .308 inches — the alleged murder weapon attributed to Tyler Robinson; the recovered bullet fragment was smaller than this minimum.
- Preliminary hearing
- A pre-trial court proceeding to determine whether there is sufficient evidence for the case to proceed to full trial; witnesses can testify but the rules of evidence are less strict than at trial.
- FARA
- Foreign Agents Registration Act — a US law requiring individuals acting as agents of foreign governments to register with the DOJ; Owens implies certain influencers may need to file under it.
- Hearsay
- An out-of-court statement offered in court to prove the truth of the matter asserted; generally inadmissible, though Owens notes Lance Twiggs' testimony was allowed despite hearsay objections at the preliminary stage.
- Dremel
- A handheld rotary tool used for carving, grinding, or cutting; in this case, allegedly used to carve messages into the rifle cartridges attributed to Tyler Robinson.
- Exculpatory evidence
- Evidence that tends to prove a defendant's innocence or reduce culpability; Owens argues the Panguitch steak receipt and the canine timing data could be exculpatory for Tyler Robinson.
- IDF
- Israel Defense Forces — the military of the State of Israel; Owens refers to Ben Shapiro's security team as 'former IDF' in her discussion of their involvement on September 10.
- Mockingbird media
- A reference to the CIA's alleged Cold War-era Operation Mockingbird, which purportedly placed CIA assets inside media organizations to shape public opinion; Owens uses it to describe coordinated influencer messaging.
- Patsy
- A person who is set up to take the blame for a crime they did not commit; Owens uses the term to describe what she believes happened to Tyler Robinson.
- Whelm
- The root of 'overwhelm' — a verb meaning to submerge, engulf, or cover something completely, often with disastrous effect; Owens opens the episode by dissecting this word to mock the influencer narrative.
- Degradation (DNA)
- The breakdown of DNA over time due to environmental factors like humidity, heat, or dust; more degraded DNA is older or more exposed — a key point in Owens' argument about the rifle evidence.
Chapter 2 · 03:16
The influencers are 'overwhelmed' by the evidence
Owens begins with a vocabulary lesson — the root word 'whelm' means to submerge or engulf — before deploying it as rhetorical ammunition. She rolls through a remarkable collage: Graham Allen, Steve Deese, Gunther Eagleman, Mike Lee, Ali Beth Stuckey, Clay Travis, Donald Trump Jr., and Josh Hammer all independently reaching for the same word: 'overwhelming.' [1] — Candace Owens "Conservative influencers across the board reached for the exact same word — 'overwhelming' — to describe evidence against Tyler Robinson, f…" 07:31 Hammer's contribution is the most theatrical — he calls it the most overwhelming legal presentation he has witnessed in his entire life. Owens draws a straight line between this vocabulary synchronization and COVID-era coordination, comparing 'the evidence is overwhelming against Tyler Robinson' to 'wear a mask, six feet social distancing.' The point is precise: when this many people reach for the same adjective on cue, it isn't organic reaction — it's scripted.
Chapter 3 · 06:49
Looking back at the narrative coming into the hearing and how it fell apart
This chapter is a master class in compare-and-contrast journalism. Owens lays out every pillar of the pre-hearing prosecution narrative with supporting media clips: Tyler's parents identified him from news footage and facilitated his surrender; he made confessions to his parents, his roommate, and on Discord; his motive was burning rage over LGBTQ rights, specifically trans issues, because of his trans boyfriend Lance Twiggs; he wrote 'some hate just can't be negotiated out'; video of him on the rooftop would be presented; his DNA and fingerprints were on the gun. Bill Ackman was so convinced he immediately pledged a million dollars to Tyler's father. [1] — Candace Owens "Bill Ackman pledged $1M to Tyler's father: Bill Ackman immediately pledged $1,000,000 to Tyler Robinson's father Matt Robinson for allegedl…" 12:34 Owens then previews her counter-narrative: Tyler was not political, came from a family of Trump supporters, the gun was a family heirloom he never fired, and Lance Twiggs is a federal asset who planted the evidence. She frames what follows as a verdict on which narrative the actual hearing supported.
Claims made here
Witness Ms. Noble told police the driver of the car captured on Ring camera footage near campus at 12:47AM was bald and accompanied by three other people.
A receipt shows Tyler Robinson paid for dinner with his debit card in Panguitch, Utah at 9:47PM on September 10 — a three-hour drive from the UVU campus.
The text messages attributed to Tyler Robinson were extracted by a company based in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Lance Twiggs' DNA was found on the gun, the towel, and the Dremel used to carve messages on the cartridges.
Lance Twiggs' stated alibi for the day of the shooting is that he slept in until 1PM, which is 37 minutes after Charlie Kirk was shot at 12:23PM.
ATF forensic biologist Caitlin Oliver testified that calling Tyler Robinson's DNA 'found on the gun' is a 'scientifically indefensible statement.'
Tyler Robinson's DNA was the most degraded of all samples found on the rifle trigger and trigger guard, more degraded than Lance Twiggs' or Matt Robinson's.
Conservative influencers across the board reached for the exact same word — 'overwhelming' — to describe evidence against Tyler Robinson, from Graham Allen to Mike Lee to Donald Trump Jr. Owens compares it directly to COVID-era mass messaging like 'wear a mask, six feet social distancing,' arguing that synchronized language is the fingerprint of a psychological operation.
Dozens of conservative influencers independently used the exact same word — 'overwhelming' — to describe the evidence against Tyler Robinson, suggesting a coordinated messaging campaign.
Before the hearing, the public was promised Tyler's parents turned him in, a leftist political motive over LGBTQ rights, fingerprints on the gun, and footage of the actual shooting. What was actually presented in court: blurry, unidentifiable figures on a staircase, a car with a different exhaust system, and a witness who said he 'likes to wear jeans.' The gap between the promise and the delivery is staggering.
Bill Ackman immediately pledged $1,000,000 to Tyler Robinson's father Matt Robinson for allegedly turning his son in to police.
Surveillance footage near the campus shows a Dodge Challenger with a dual exhaust system. Tyler Robinson's actual Dodge Challenger — towed from his driveway — has a single exhaust. Car enthusiasts flooded Owens with emails confirming this is a meaningful difference. A witness also reported the driver of the Challenger at 12:47AM was bald and accompanied by three others — not matching Tyler Robinson at all.
A witness named Ms. Noble, who provided Ring camera footage of a vehicle near the campus at 12:47AM, told police the driver was bald and was accompanied by three other people — contradicting Tyler Robinson being the driver.
A debit card receipt places Tyler Robinson at a steakhouse in Panguitch, Utah at 9:47PM on September 10 — a three-hour drive from Utah Valley University. Yet text messages presented as evidence show him supposedly texting Lance Twiggs from near campus after 11PM, watching canines and guarding his rifle. The math doesn't work, and the messages have no timestamps.
A receipt shows Tyler Robinson paid for a steak dinner in Panguitch, Utah at 9:47PM on September 10 — a three-hour drive from the campus — contradicting text messages suggesting he was near campus babysitting his rifle.
Candace Owens noted that the text messages attributed to Tyler Robinson were extracted by a company based in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Lance Twiggs — the prosecution's key witness, granted immunity, and Tyler Robinson's former roommate and boyfriend — had DNA on the gun, the towel, and the Dremel used to carve the cartridges. His alibi? He slept until 1PM, 37 minutes after the shooting. He was immediately granted immunity and not subject to cross-examination. Owens argues he is the most likely federal asset who framed Robinson.
Lance Twiggs' alibi for the day Charlie Kirk was shot is that he slept in until 1PM — 37 minutes after the 12:23PM shooting.
The ATF's forensic biologist Caitlin Oliver testified that calling Tyler Robinson the 'major DNA contributor' does not mean what the media said it means. It only refers to one mixed sample, not the whole gun. She confirmed that mixed samples — like a mug touched by multiple people — can make someone appear dominant in a tiny patch while the rest of the object tells a different story. She confirmed the 'DNA found on gun' headline was scientifically indefensible.
ATF forensic biologist Caitlin Oliver explicitly admitted in court that the media headline 'Tyler Robinson's DNA found on the gun' was a 'scientifically indefensible statement.'
The ATF's own forensic biologist confirmed at least four to five people's DNA was found on the rifle trigger and trigger guard, including Lance Twiggs and Matt Robinson.
ATF forensic biologist Caitlin Oliver confirmed that Tyler Robinson's DNA on the rifle trigger was the most degraded of all samples — more degraded than Lance Twiggs' and Matt Robinson's. DNA degrades over time due to dust and humidity, not immediately after firing. If Tyler had just shot someone and tossed the gun, his DNA should be freshest. Owens calls this an absolute bombshell that the influencers worked overtime to bury.
ATF forensic biologist Caitlin Oliver testified that of all DNA samples found on the rifle, Tyler Robinson's was the most degraded — more degraded than Lance Twiggs' or Matt Robinson's — which Owens calls a bombshell.
Chapter 4 · 59:57
Ben Shapiro's unusual confession
On Day 4, ATF ballistics expert Samantha Carner testified about the physical evidence in a way that quietly undermines the prosecution's core claim. Of seven bullet fragments reportedly extracted from Charlie Kirk's body, she only received four — three vanished somewhere in the chain of custody. Of the four she received, three were unusable. The one usable fragment, labeled 6A, had a measured diameter range of .286 to .301 inches. [1] — Candace Owens "ATF ballistics expert Samantha Carner testified the one usable bullet fragment — labeled 6A — had a diameter range of .286 to .301 inches. …" 1:07:53 Tyler Robinson's alleged murder weapon is a .30-06 rifle, which fires a bullet with a minimum diameter of .308 inches. The fragment is too small. Defense counsel walked Carner through this on the record, ensuring it is embedded in the trial record. Owens notes this is why the influencers launched into overdrive about the video evidence — they needed to overwhelm the public before anyone noticed what Carner had just admitted.
Claims made here
Seven bullet fragments were extracted from Charlie Kirk's body, but the ATF only received four of them, with three unaccounted for; three of the four received were unusable.
The recovered bullet jacket fragment had a diameter range of .286 to .301 inches, which is smaller than the .308 inch minimum for Tyler Robinson's alleged .30-06 rifle.
Exhibit 12.4 contains no footage of Tyler Robinson — or anyone — actually taking a shot.
Exhibit 12.1, the 'enhanced' version of Exhibit 12.4, consists only of red circles drawn on the footage, faces of bystanders blurred, and a digital zoom applied to the rooftop area.
Of all DNA samples on the rifle, Lance Twiggs' sample was less degraded than Tyler Robinson's, which Owens argues is impossible if Tyler was the one who most recently fired the gun.
Seven bullet fragments were reportedly removed from Charlie Kirk's body, but only four reached ATF forensic analyst Samantha Carner, with three unaccounted for.
ATF ballistics expert Samantha Carner testified the one usable bullet fragment — labeled 6A — had a diameter range of .286 to .301 inches. Tyler Robinson's .30-06 rifle fires bullets starting at .308 inches. The fragment is too small. Three of the seven fragments extracted from Charlie Kirk's body were never delivered to the ATF. One of the four that arrived was labeled as evidence, and even that doesn't match the alleged murder weapon.
ATF ballistics expert Samantha Carner testified the bullet fragment diameter ranged from .286 to .301 inches — too small for Tyler Robinson's .30-06 rifle, which starts at .308 inches.
The court confirmed on Day 2 of the trial that the main video compilation (Exhibit 12.4) does not contain any footage of Tyler Robinson — or anyone — actually taking the shot.
Chapter 5 · 1:14:15
Comments
The episode's most viscerally satisfying moment comes when Owens plays the Court TV footage that accidentally captured the prosecution's 'enhanced' video exhibit. Benny Johnson had told his audience the court was shown 20 minutes of 4K HD footage in which Robinson's face was clearly visible, his license plate readable, and the whole courthouse gasped. [1] — Candace Owens "Benny Johnson and other influencers told their audiences they witnessed clear 4K HD video of Tyler Robinson's face, his license plate, and …" 1:20:10 The leaked Court TV footage shows the truth: the enhanced Exhibit 12.1 is Exhibit 12.4 with red ovals drawn around persons of interest, some bystanders' faces blurred in the parking garage footage, and a digital zoom applied to the rooftop section — where what appears is a single indistinguishable pixel running across the frame. An X user identifying as CanCon captured this at the 2:35 mark of the Day 2 Court TV broadcast. Owens methodically quotes the court testimony confirming that 12.1 is nothing more than 12.4 with annotation and zoom, then lands her punchline: the influencers were not invited to witness truth. They were invited to perform it. [2] — Candace Owens "He's running across now. I don't know if you can see it because all he is is a Pixel. That's all he is is a Pixel." 1:20:32
Claims made here
Ben Shapiro's security team was on the phone receiving live updates from inside the car transporting Charlie Kirk to the hospital during the seven-minute ride after he was shot.
Benny Johnson and other influencers told their audiences they witnessed clear 4K HD video of Tyler Robinson's face, his license plate, and his movements on the rooftop — the whole courthouse gasped. But Court TV accidentally captured the actual enhanced exhibit on camera. What's there: a single, undistinguishable pixel moving across the rooftop. Exhibit 12.1 is simply Exhibit 12.4 with red circles drawn on it and a digital zoom applied.
Despite influencer claims of seeing 4K HD footage of Tyler Robinson committing the murder, the actual enhanced exhibit (12.1) shows only a single blurry pixel running across a rooftop.
Ben Shapiro admitted on air that during the approximately seven-minute car ride to the hospital after Charlie Kirk was shot, his security team was on the phone receiving live updates from someone in the vehicle with Kirk.
No indexed bits in this chapter.
Show stoppers
Snapshots ()
Key Quotes ()
This episode
Cast
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The defendant in the Charlie Kirk assassination case, whose preliminary hearing is the central subject of this episode.
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Conservative political activist whose assassination is the subject of the criminal case being discussed throughout this episode.
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Co-founder of The Daily Wire and stated rival of Charlie Kirk; admitted his security received live updates during Kirk's hospital transport, which Owens calls stunning.
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Tyler Robinson's former roommate and boyfriend, granted immunity, whose DNA appears on the rifle and other evidence; Owens suspects he is a federal asset.
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Charlie Kirk's widow, who invited social media influencers to the courthouse for the preliminary hearing, prompting Owens' opening critique.
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Conservative social media influencer invited by Erica Kirk to the courthouse who claimed to witness crystal-clear 4K footage of the murder, which Owens says was false.
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ATF forensic biologist whose testimony revealed Tyler Robinson's DNA was the most degraded on the rifle and that the 'DNA found' headline was scientifically indefensible.
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Person in the car transporting Charlie Kirk to the hospital who reportedly packed gauze into Kirk's neck wound; has sued Candace Owens using Ben Shapiro's lawyers.
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Conservative commentator described by Owens as deceitful and 'the Judas,' whose statement 'it was supposed to be you' to Owens she treats as significant.
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Israeli Prime Minister whom Owens claims called Charlie Kirk at Bill Ackman's Hamptons home shortly before the assassination, implying Kirk refused a request that cost him his life.
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Billionaire investor who pledged $1 million to Tyler Robinson's father Matt Robinson for allegedly turning his son in to police.
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ATF ballistics expert who testified that the recovered bullet fragment was too small in diameter to have come from Tyler Robinson's .30-06 rifle.
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The organization Charlie Kirk founded; Owens alleges some members have suspicious gaps in their recollection of September 10 and that the organization is falling apart.
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Ben Shapiro's media company, which Owens suspects has deeper involvement in events surrounding Charlie Kirk's assassination.
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Gold and silver dealer co-founded by Tucker Carlson, sponsor of the Candace podcast.
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Owens repeatedly alleges that Israel, via Ben Shapiro's IDF-linked security apparatus, ordered the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
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The campus where Charlie Kirk was shot and where the video surveillance footage central to the Tyler Robinson case was recorded.
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Small Utah town three hours from UVU campus where Tyler Robinson's debit card receipt places him eating dinner at 9:47PM on the night of the shooting.
Stats
This episode
Claims & Sources
Factual claims made this episode, and whether a source was named.
Ben Shapiro's security team was on the phone receiving live updates from inside the car transporting Charlie Kirk to the hospital during the seven-minute ride after he was shot.
ATF forensic biologist Caitlin Oliver testified that calling Tyler Robinson's DNA 'found on the gun' is a 'scientifically indefensible statement.'
Tyler Robinson's DNA was the most degraded of all samples found on the rifle trigger and trigger guard, more degraded than Lance Twiggs' or Matt Robinson's.
The recovered bullet jacket fragment had a diameter range of .286 to .301 inches, which is smaller than the .308 inch minimum for Tyler Robinson's alleged .30-06 rifle.
A receipt shows Tyler Robinson paid for dinner with his debit card in Panguitch, Utah at 9:47PM on September 10 — a three-hour drive from the UVU campus.
The text messages attributed to Tyler Robinson were extracted by a company based in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Lance Twiggs' DNA was found on the gun, the towel, and the Dremel used to carve messages on the cartridges.
Witness Ms. Noble told police the driver of the car captured on Ring camera footage near campus at 12:47AM was bald and accompanied by three other people.
Exhibit 12.4 contains no footage of Tyler Robinson — or anyone — actually taking a shot.
Seven bullet fragments were extracted from Charlie Kirk's body, but the ATF only received four of them, with three unaccounted for; three of the four received were unusable.
Lance Twiggs' stated alibi for the day of the shooting is that he slept in until 1PM, which is 37 minutes after Charlie Kirk was shot at 12:23PM.
Exhibit 12.1, the 'enhanced' version of Exhibit 12.4, consists only of red circles drawn on the footage, faces of bystanders blurred, and a digital zoom applied to the rooftop area.