OAN Staff Lillian Mann and Brooke Mallory
6:51 PM – Tuesday, July 7, 2026
The DNA of Tyler Robinson, the alleged killer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, as well as his transgender-identifying roommate and romantic partner, Lance Twiggs, was found on two items recovered near Utah Valley University, including the towel that was wrapped around the potential murder weapon, according to a Utah forensic examiner and FBI analyst Amanda Bakker.
During day two of the preliminary hearing, Utah Department of Public Safety Sergeant Jennifer Faumuina took the stand to lay out the physical evidence trail and initial forensic tracking.
Her testimony focused primarily on the collection of evidence, the chain of custody, and the preliminary identification of the DNA mixture. Specifically, Sgt. Faumuina testified to the following:
- Evidence Collection: She described how investigators located and processed the primary evidence items: a Mauser 98 bolt-action rifle wrapped in a dark towel recovered from a wooded area near the Utah Valley University campus and a screwdriver recovered from the rooftop sniper’s perch at the Losee Center for Student Success.
- The Chain of Custody: She detailed how the rifle, towel, and screwdriver were safely documented, packaged, and transferred over to the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) laboratories for advanced testing.
- Reading the DNA Findings: Faumuina read aloud from the initial forensic tracking reports, testifying that the DNA found on the towel and screwdriver was a mixture belonging to exactly two people: one contributor was identified as suspect Tyler Robinson’s roommate, Twiggs, and the other was very likely Robinson himself.
Her testimony effectively bridged the gap between the physical crime scene collection and the highly specific laboratory data later delivered by FBI DNA analyst Amanda Bakker.
Bakker noted that Twiggs’ DNA was used solely for an elimination sample. Twiggs is still not accused or charged with any crime, according to Fox News. Along with the towel, Bakker confirmed that Robinson’s DNA was found on a screwdriver recovered from the rooftop of the University’s Losee Center, where he purportedly fired the fatal shot.
Under cross-examination, Robinson’s defense attorney, Michael Burt, prodded the FBI analyst on the accuracy of the tests and the degradation of the samples. Nonetheless, Bakker highlighted that the results from the two male DNA samples indicated a high degree of probability.
On Monday, the first day of the five-day preliminary hearing, prosecutors had showed several videos of the September 10, 2025 shooting, including graphic footage that was not revealed to the public. Sitting Judge Tony Graf appeared to flinch while viewing footage of the alleged assassination. Prosecutors alleged that Robinson wrapped his grandfather’s rifle in a towel after the shooting and then discarded it in a wooded area near the campus.
As the hearing continues this week, prosecutors are expected to examine video testimony from Twiggs. Robinson purportedly confessed to the crime in a handwritten note left for Twiggs after the shooting.
While Twiggs remains a non-suspect who has cooperated fully with authorities, the revelation of his DNA on the evidence is notable because it forms the absolute cornerstone of the defense’s strategy to create reasonable doubt.
By seizing on the lopsided percentages — with Twiggs’ DNA making up 89% of the profile on the towel and 95% on the screwdriver — the defense is aggressively arguing that his presence is central to the crime, using cross-examinations to highlight that DNA alone cannot prove when an item was touched or who used it last.
This forensic twist has also sparked an intense procedural battle in court, as defense attorneys unsuccessfully fought to force Twiggs to testify in person, while prosecutors counter that the shared living space easily explains the casual DNA transfer. The alleged killer, Robinson, has not entered a plea and faces the death penalty if convicted.
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