Key moments that led to the identification and arrest of the man accused of murdering Charlie Kirk in an allegedly politically motivated assassination have been laid out in detail in fresh court documents released by United States authorities.
Tyler James Robinson, 22, is accused of shooting right-wing political activist and commentator Mr Kirk on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem on September 10.
He was formally charged and appeared in court on Tuesday, local time, on counts of aggravated murder, committing a violence offence in the presence of a child, discharging a firearm causing a serious bodily injury, obstruction of justice and tampering with a witness.
A charge sheet filed by County Attorney Jeffrey S Gray in the District Court of Utah has shed light on the investigation into the shooting and revealed a text message exchange between Mr Robinson and a roommate in which he confessed to killing Mr Kirk.
Here is what the documents reveal.
Alleged confession to lover
Utah attorneys allege Mr Robinson was involved in a romantic relationship with his roommate, who the charge sheet describes as "a biological male who was transitioning genders", who received a text message from the accused shooter on the day of Mr Kirk's killing.
"Drop what you are doing, look under my keyboard," the message allegedly said.
The court documents say that the roommate found a note under Mr Robinson's keyboard that said: "I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I'm going to take it."
Authorities claim that the following text exchange then occurred between the pair, with the roommate later passing the messages onto the police investigation of Mr Kirk's death.
Robinson: I am still ok my love, but am stuck in orem for a little while longer yet. 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'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. Its quiet, almost enough to get out, but theres one vehicle lingering.
Roommate: Why?
Robinson: Why did I do it?
Roommate: Yeah
Robinson: 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 wanna chance it
Robinson: 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 grandpas 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. didn't have the ability or time to bring it with. … 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 I was engraving bullets? The f***in messages are mostly a big meme, if I see "notices bulge uwu" on fox new I might have a stroke
Alright im gonna have to leave it, that really f***ing sucks.
Judging from today I'd say grandpas gun does just fine idk. I think that was a $2k scope ;-;
Robinson: delete this exchange
Robinson: 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. Hes calling me rn, not answering.
Robinson: since trump got into office [my dad] has been pretty diehard maga.
Robinson: Im gonna turn myself in willingly, one of my neighbors here is a deputy for the sheriff.
Robinson: you are all I worry about love
Roommate: I'm much more worried about you
Robinson: don't talk to the media please. don't take any interviews or make any comments. … if any police ask you questions ask for a lawyer and stay silent
Robinson's parents recognised the rifle
A day after Mr Kirk's death, Mr Robinson handed himself into authorities at the Washington County Sheriff's Office alongside his parents and a family friend who had convinced him to give himself up, the court documents say.
Authorities allege that Mr Robinson's mother saw an image in the news that police were circulating on September 11 of the shooter and thought it looked like her son.
The charge sheet alleges that Mr Robinson's father agreed with the likeness and believed that the rifle police suspected had been used in the assassination matched a gun that the 22-year-old had been gifted.
"Robinson's mother explained that over the last year or so, Robinson had become more political and had started to lean more to the left — becoming more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented," the court documents say.
"She stated that Robinson began to date his roommate, a biological male who was transitioning genders. This resulted in several discussions with family members, but especially between Robinson and his father, who have very different political views.
"In one conversation before the shooting, Robinson mentioned that Charlie Kirk would be holding an event at UVU, which Robinson said was a 'stupid venue' for the event. Robinson accused Kirk of spreading hate."
The documents allege that Mr Robinson implied he would take his own life during a phone conversation with his father, and was then convinced to meet with a family friend and a retired deputy sheriff.
"As they discussed the situation, Robinson implied that he was the shooter and stated that he couldn't go to jail and just wanted to end it," the charge sheet says.
"When asked why he did it, Robinson explained there is too much evil and the guy [Charlie Kirk] spreads too much hate."
The charges against Robinson
Mr Robinson has been formally charged with seven counts relating to Mr Kirk's death.
The charges come after an extensive investigation of the roommate text exchange, CCTV video from the university campus, the location of the rifle in a nearby wooded area, and a positive DNA match linking the weapon, ammunition and a towel to the alleged shooter.
Rounds in the rifle were allegedly etched with messages like "Hey Fascist! Catch!" and lyrics of the anti-Nazi and anti-Fascist Italian folk song Bella Ciao.
Authorities say that a later search of Mr Robinson's home also uncovered an additional firearm shell casing etched with similar messages, and targets with bullet holes in them.
The 22-year-old is accused of the aggravated murder of Mr Kirk, the discharge of a weapon "ultimately resulting in [Mr Kirk''s] death", the obstruction of justice by hiding the rifle and changing his clothing on September 10, the tampering of a witness by directing his roommate to not share his confession, and committing a violent offence at an event attended by children under the age of 14.
The highest punishment a charge of aggravated murder can attract in Utah is the death penalty, which state authorities have signalled they will be pursuing for Mr Robinson.
