By BEN ASHFORD IN ST. GEORGE, UTAH
The transgender boyfriend of accused assassin Tyler Robinson turned to pot and mushrooms as he struggled to cope with being shunned by his strict Mormon parents, the Daily Mail can reveal.
But any suggestion that Lance Twiggs, 22, was involved in the murder of Charlie Kirk is ‘simply unfathomable’, according to the kind-hearted family friend who took him in.
Robinson, 22, who shared an apartment with Twiggs, is accused of shooting Turning Point USA founder Kirk, 31, in the neck on September 10 during a discussion of trans issues at a campus debate at Utah Valley University.
But Jackie Nielsen, mom to several of Twiggs’s best friends, insisted: ‘I’m certain Lance wasn’t involved. I just don’t believe it.’
Jackie, 41, told the Daily Mail in an exclusive interview: ‘Trans or not, Lance was a good-hearted boy.
‘He wasn’t violent or cruel. He didn’t push his ideas on people. He didn’t want attention – in fact, what’s happening now is his worst nightmare.
‘The version of Lance that’s being talked about in the media is not the kind, shy boy that I’ve known for years.’
Lance Twiggs, who is trans, was shunned by his Mormon parents as a teen, the Daily Mail can reveal. He is pictured posing with high school pals in unearthed photos
Daily Mail revealed Twiggs, left, has not returned to the apartment he shared with Tyler Robinson, 22, since the accused killer’s arrest on September 12
Jackie’s six kids all went to the same high school in Washington, Utah as Twiggs.
And they all knew Robinson – his live-in lover turned accused assassin now facing a possible death sentence for gunning down Kirk in front of his audience with an antique rifle.
Two of Jackie’s boys were also part of a chat group with Twiggs and Robinson on the app Discord.
They were both interviewed by the FBI in the wake of the killing but there’s no suggestion they’ve done anything wrong.
‘It was just boys being ridiculous boys, saying silly stuff to one another,’ insisted Jackie, who lives in St. George with her husband Nathan, 35, and her six kids aged between 19 and 23.
‘I asked my son directly if Tyler or Lance ever said anything political or anything that worried him. He said no,’ she added.
‘My boys are in shock. One of them wakes up every morning and doesn’t think the world around him is real.
‘He’s so sad for Lance. And never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined Tyler doing something like this.’
Twiggs attended St George Academy charter school in Washington, Utah. He is seen playfully posing with pals at his 2020 Homecoming dance as a junior
A family friend who took Twiggs in when he was kicked out of his home as a teen described him as ‘a kind, shy boy’ who didn’t cause trouble
Twiggs was just a shy, awkward teenager when he came over to hang out and play video games with Jackie’s sons, she said.
They were in the eighth grade at St. George Academy, a charter school in Washington, Utah, where Twiggs was considered one of the smartest kids in school.
‘The rest of the world sees Lance as quiet and shy but when you get to know him, you realize he’s kind, bubbly and funny,’ Jackie said.
‘He spent regular time at our house, hung out with our kids. When his parents kicked him out he came to live with us for a little while.’
Twiggs had clashed with his insurance broker dad Tyler Twiggs, 49, and former college gymnast mom, Amy, 50, over their strict Mormon beliefs, she said.
‘I do believe extreme religion is not healthy. When he spoke up and said he didn’t want to go to church they kicked him out,’ Jackie said.
‘But I did not see any rebellion or disrespect. He was a kid in turmoil. It’s scary when you don’t align with the beliefs that your family have.
‘They seem like kind, humble parents. I don’t have anything ill to say about them. I just took him in because he’s a great kid and he’s really kind.’
Authorities are looking into whether Robinson was motivated by the romantic relationship investigators believe he had with Twiggs (pictured)
FBI sources have told the Daily Mail Twiggs is being treated as a ‘significant and essential witness’ and not a suspect
Jackie Nielsen (pictured), mom to several of Twiggs’s best friends, insisted: ‘I’m certain Lance wasn’t involved. I just don’t believe it’
Among his closest friends it was long accepted that Twiggs was gay.
But Jackie only heard recently that Twiggs was transitioning to become a woman and was growing his hair longer.
‘I know that as an adult he struggled more. He was working through some mental health issues,’ she said.
‘After high school he did some marijuana and mushrooms and did have an occasional drink. But he was still the same kind, caring person.
‘I considered him a phenomenal role model for my children. If they went out together, I knew they would come back on time, they would come back sober, if Lance was with them.
‘I think only a handful of friends and family knew he was transitioning. Lance was doing what was right for him.
‘He was so far from pushing his ideas on other people, he just accepted people the way they are.’
Jackie said two of her boys were able to call Twiggs before he was taken into police custody in the wake of Kirk’s shooting and Robinson’s September 12 arrest.
The gamer nerd was led away for questioning when police swooped on the smart three-bed condo he shared with Robinson and has not been seen since.
FBI sources have told Daily Mail he is being treated as a ‘significant and essential witness’ and not a suspect.
‘They haven’t spoken to Tyler. They have spoken with Lance,’ Jackie said of her sons, whom we have agreed not to name.
‘He was still in his apartment right before it was raided. I don’t know what was said in that conversation, but everyone was in shock and disbelief afterwards.
‘Neither of my boys have been able to reach him since. They are both very concerned about his wellbeing. We all are.’
Robinson faces the death penalty if he’s found guilty of the aggravated murder of Kirk, a father-of-two, influential Trump ally and a vocal Christian critic of trans ideology.
A lengthy text exchange between Robinson and Twiggs released by prosecutors last week appeared to confirm the latter had no idea of his partner’s plan.
‘You weren’t the one who did it right????’ asked Twiggs.
Twiggs was taken into police custody in the wake of Kirk’s shooting and Robinson’s September 12 arrest
Though Twiggs’s roommate Tyler Robinson is accused of assassinating conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk on September 10, family friends say Twiggs couldn’t have been involved
Tyler Robinson’s mugshot. The accused assassin now facing a possible death sentence for gunning down Kirk in front of his audience with an antique rifle
‘I am, I’m sorry’ came Robinson’s reply, before later urging his partner to ‘delete this exchange’.
However, there was another text from Robinson that raised questions about what Twiggs knew in advance: ‘Remember how I was engraving bullets?’
That is presumed to be a reference to the anti-fascist slogans etched on shell cartridges found with the alleged murder weapon, a decades-old rifle that belonged to Robinson’s grandfather.
Robinson had been living at a St George apartment complex with Twiggs at for the past three years, according to neighbors.
A third roommate moved out of their three-bed property – owned by Twiggs’s family – leaving just Robinson and Twiggs, who became romantically involved and were spotted kissing.
Despite the apparent fallout with his parents and three siblings, Amy and Tyler have continued to support their son via Venmo, a US payment app.
They regularly deposited cash into his account for insurance, piano lessons, prescriptions, and a visit to the doctor.
Kirk was honored Sunday by a massive memorial service at the 60,000-seater State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
His widow Erika, 36, gave an emotional speech forgiving her husband’s accused killer.
‘That man, that young man … I forgive him,’ she said, wiping away tears.
‘I forgive him because it was what Christ did and is what Charlie would do.’
