Candace Owens Claims Tyler Robinson Isn't the Killer, Mixes Up Discord Messages and Texts

It was supposed to be a hard-hitting defence, but it turned into a live-television implosion.
Commentator Candace Owens stunned viewers during an explosive CNN interview with Elle Reeve, claiming the FBI fabricated evidence in the Charlie Kirk murder case and that Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old charged with the crime, is being framed.

The interview, which aired Friday evening, has already generated 1.1 million views on Reeve's X account in less than 24 hours, with clips circulating rapidly across social media and fuelling an avalanche of criticism and disbelief.

'I personally don't believe that Tyler Robinson killed Charles Curtis,' Owens declared, using Kirk's legal name, before launching into an extraordinary theory that 'the Feds made up the text messages.'

When pressed by Reeve for proof, Owens insisted she had 'leaks' and 'sources on both sides,' alleging that investigators had produced 'weird Fed messages... put out of thin air' without time stamps. Reeve calmly pointed out that the alleged exchanges were text messages taken from Robinson's phone and cited in the indictment, not Discord chats, as Owens repeatedly claimed.

Caught off guard, Owens admitted, 'I actually did not read that they were text messages,' but doubled down moments later: 'That's exactly what it is. The Feds made up the text messages.'

'Proof' That Doesn't Exist

The jaw-dropping exchange instantly went viral on social media, with viewers calling it one of the most awkward moments of Owens's career.

'This is painful to watch. "I didn't know those were text messages" is her entire case,' one user wrote on X. Another added, 'She's trying to solve a murder with evidence that doesn't exist.'

Owens had promised 'receipts' that would clear Robinson, who remains in custody in Utah County without bail. Yet she failed to provide any tangible proof during the interview beyond vague references to 'sources' and 'leaks.'

Her confusion over the evidence contradicted both court documents and public records. The Utah County indictment cites a series of text messages exchanged before the attack, which prosecutors say directly link Robinson to the fatal shooting of conservative activist Kirk.

Even Discord, the social-messaging platform Owens referenced, publicly denied that such messages existed on its servers, stating that the alleged material 'does not exist.'

Critics and Conservatives Alike React

The backlash was immediate. Commentators from across the political spectrum accused Owens of spreading baseless theories and confusing speculation with investigation.

Journalist Sean Danconia quipped: 'New York Post says they're text messages, not Discord messages. Discord says they never existed. Maybe she should hire me to fact-check.'

Even some conservative allies appeared reluctant to defend her this time. One right-leaning commentator wrote that Owens's 'once-fearless persona crumbles the moment she's pressed for facts.'

Others noted the irony that Owens, who often lambasts mainstream journalists for misinformation, was caught misreading an indictment on live television.

A Viral Backfire

The CNN segment was meant to showcase Owens's self-styled 'independent investigation' into Kirk's killing and the alleged government cover-ups she frequently rails against online. Instead, it exposed what critics called the fragility of her conspiracy-driven brand.

For months, Owens has fuelled her growing digital following with emotional livestreams about political corruption and media deceit. But unlike her own platforms, the CNN studio offered no echo chamber and no room for error.

Reeve's steady questioning revealed the gaps in Owens's narrative. At one point, when the journalist asked who she expected to validate her 'proof,' Owens replied, 'Like the mainstream media? We live in a post-Epstein world, and we know how stories get shut down.'

To many viewers, that moment captured the heart of the problem: grand insinuations with no evidence.

From Confidence to Collapse

As clips of the interview rack up millions of views, public perception of Owens appears to be shifting. What was once seen by fans as fearless truth-telling is now being recast by critics as reckless showmanship.

Media analysts say her viral CNN appearance could mark a turning point in her career. 'It's one thing to question authority,' one analyst observed, 'but it's another to invent your own evidence on air.'

Whether Owens doubles down or retreats from the spotlight, her attempt to rewrite the narrative around the Charlie Kirk murder case has instead become a cautionary tale, proof that in the age of instant fact-checking, even the loudest voices can unravel live on camera.