ABC Reporter Says ‘Intimate’ and ‘Touching’ Messages Between Kirk Murder Suspect and Partner Show ‘Heartbreaking Duality’ of Killing
ABC Chief National Correspondent Matt Gutman spoke at length about the “very touching” and “intimate” messages between Charlie Kirk’s suspected killer Tyler Robinson and his transgender partner on Tuesday
Reporting on the messages Robinson allegedly sent to his roommate and partner following Kirk’s assassination at Utah Valley University last week, Gutman said:
I don’t know if we have seen an alleged murder with such specific text messages about the alleged murder weapon, where it was hidden, how it was placed, what was on it. But also it was very touching in a way that I think many of us didn’t expect. A very intimate portrait into this relationship between the suspect’s roommate and the suspect himself, with him repeatedly calling his roommate, who was transitioning, calling him “my love” and “I want to protect you, my love.”
So it was this duality of someone who the attorney said not only jeopardized the life of Charlie Kirk and the crowd, but was doing it in front of children, which is one of the aggravating circumstances of this case, and on the other hand he was, you know, speaking so lovingly about his partner.
Minutes later, Gutman spoke again about the “touching” messages.
“It’s heartbreaking on so many levels,” Gutman said. “Obviously, Charlie Kirk was murdered brutally in front of a crowd of thousands of people, who watched him being shot through the neck and then essentially bleed out in front of them.”
He continued, “On the other hand, there’s this duality of a portrait of a very human person, a very human experience from this entire family,” noting that it was Robinson’s family who turned him in.
“And then those text messages, and I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a press conference in which we’ve read text messages that are, A) so fulsome, so robust, so apparently, so allegedly self-incriminating, and yet, on the other hand, so touching, right?” Gutman declared. “With the suspect reaching out to his roommate, who was allegedly his boyfriend, who we understand, you know, identified male at birth, now identifies as female.”
He concluded, “And the terminology he used. He was trying to protect him, he kept calling him ‘my love,’ ‘my reason for doing this is to protect you,’ you know, but also asking him to delete the messages and not speak to law enforcement. So there’s this heartbreaking duality that we’re seeing very tragically playing out here.”
According to prosecutors, Robinson confessed to the killing of Kirk in a series of messages to his roommate and alleged romantic partner.
“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,” Robinson allegedly told his partner in the messages. “To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you.”
Asked why he did it, Robinson allegedly replied, “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out,” before adding, “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.”
“You are all I worry about love,” Robinson then allegedly concluded. “If any police ask you questions ask for a lawyer and stay silent.”
Watch above via ABC News.
