Where Is Lance Twiggs Now? Charlie Kirk Murder Suspect's Lover Found as FBI Witness Protection Rumours Denied

In a nation already on edge, the high-profile assassination of conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk on a sun-drenched university quad sent shockwaves through the political landscape. But as the dust settled on the tragic events of Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University, a new mystery began to brew in the quiet suburbs of St George: the sudden, ghost-like disappearance of the man who arguably held the keys to the entire case.

Lance Twiggs, who was 22 years old and used to live with and date the accused gunman Tyler Robinson, disappeared shortly after the shooting. The empty townhouse they used to share was a haunting picture of a life interrupted for months — lights left on, a messy car left in the driveway, and Amazon packages rotting on the doorstep. Now, in the middle of January 2026, the silence has finally been broken. Twiggs is no longer a 'ghost', but his life is still caught up in the dark web of a murder investigation that could lead to the death penalty.

Kirk Suspect's Lover Surfaces

For months, the rumour mill was in overdrive, with many speculating that Twiggs had been spirited away into the FBI's Witness Protection Program. It was a logical conclusion; Twiggs was the one who handed over the 'smoking gun' text messages that allegedly broke the case. In those messages, Robinson reportedly instructed Twiggs to look under a keyboard, where a note was discovered reading: 'I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I'm going to take it.'

However, a relative recently confirmed that Twiggs is not, in fact, an FBI ward. While the 22-year-old was indeed under federal protection for several weeks following a barrage of threats against his life and family, that detail has since concluded. Twiggs is reportedly now 'with his family' and has moved out of the state of Utah to find a semblance of safety.

Washington County Sheriff Nate Brooksby echoed this, noting that Twiggs is in a 'safe space very far away' where he intends to 'lay low for a long time.' Despite being in the clear for now, Twiggs, who is transitioning from male to female, has reportedly sought legal counsel as the FBI continues to scrutinise just how much he knew before the first shot was fired. His family reportedly owns the home in St. George, where his Infinity compact car remained parked for months with work gear and an empty water bottle still inside.

The Trial to Avenge Charlie Kirk

While Twiggs seeks anonymity, his former partner Tyler Robinson is facing a much louder reality. Robinson, 22, appeared in court on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, for a high-stakes hearing that prosecutors have branded a 'legal ambush'. The defense team is currently pushing to have the entire Utah County Attorney's Office disqualified from the case.

The crux of their argument is a perceived 'emotional connection' to the crime: the adult child of one of the deputy prosecutors was reportedly in the crowd when Kirk was shot and killed. Robinson's lawyers claim this familial tie could have improperly motivated the state's aggressive decision to seek the death penalty.

Prosecutors have responded by calling the motion a 'stalling tactic' meant to stop a case based on DNA evidence and Robinson's own digital confessions. The defense says that this conflict of interest means that the prosecutor needs to be neutral, especially since Robinson hasn't yet pleaded guilty to the murder charges.

As Robinson waits for a preliminary hearing that is now set for May 2026, the human cost of the tragedy keeps growing. Beyond the political fallout, the case has laid bare a fractured personal life; Twiggs, who is transitioning, had allegedly been radicalised by an intense hatred for conservative and Christian values — a far cry from his upbringing in a strict Mormon household.

Moments after Kirk was shot in the neck, Robinson allegedly texted Twiggs to apologise, explaining he would be 'stuck in Orem' for a while longer while trying to retrieve his weapon and flee . Whether Twiggs was a silent witness or an unwitting bystander remains the question at the heart of the FBI's ongoing investigation.