Transgender Boyfriend of Charlie Kirk Suspect Kicked Out of Family Home Over Mormon Faith, Friends Say

The transgender boyfriend of Tyler Robinson, the suspect in the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, was kicked out of his family’s Utah home after disagreements over the family’s Mormon faith, friends told The Post.

Lance Twiggs, 22, was born into a blended family with six biological children and three adoptees. During his high school years, he reportedly moved between couches after his parents expelled him for alleged underage drug and alcohol use, according to people familiar with the matter. Braylon Nielsen, who took Twiggs in during his junior year in 2021, said he drifted from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints beliefs and that his parents were “overbearing religious zealots” who treated family claims as gossip. Twiggs was described as a “straight A” student who sought to include others and avoid leaving anyone behind, Nielsen added.

Nielsen said Twiggs was a considerate friend who helped with rides and clothes for peers and who valued loyalty and inclusivity during his time at UT Success Academy, an accelerated program for gifted students pursuing college-level coursework. She emphasized that she was unaware Twiggs was transgender and defended him, saying she could not imagine him participating in any plan linked to Robinson. UT Success Academy Executive Director Ben Kaufman noted that Twiggs did not overlap with the school’s programs, and while he had only recently come onto the community’s radar, Kaufman said he had heard nothing but positive assessments from members of the school community. “Everything I’ve heard about him, he was a great kid. He was nice. He worked hard,” Kaufman said.

Twiggs recently left the townhouse he shared with Robinson, who was also raised as a devout Mormon, in St. George, Utah. Washington County Sheriff Nate Brooksby previously said Twiggs was in a “safe space very far away from St. George,” and needed “to lay low for a long time.” He has not been charged with a crime in connection with Kirk’s assassination and is reportedly cooperating with authorities. The investigation has focused on relationships and movements in the weeks leading up to Kirk’s death, and officials have sought to piece together how those close to Robinson and Twiggs interacted during that period.

Robinson’s background as a devout Mormon and his connection to Twiggs have been part of the ongoing inquiry, though prosecutors have not released a public timeline detailing the exact sequence of events. The case remains under active investigation as authorities continue to gather testimony and documentary evidence from people in the suspect’s orbit. For relatives and friends of Twiggs, the emphasis remains on understanding his experiences, the family dynamics at play, and how personal beliefs intersected with recent events surrounding the case.