PROVO - The suspect in the killing of Charlie Kirk appeared in court, charged with the conservative activist's murder, as prosecutors said they were seeking the death penalty for a crime that has shaken the United States.
Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump and the founder of student activism group Turning Point USA, was shot dead last week during an event on a Utah university campus.
Tyler Robinson (22) is accused of firing a single bullet from a rooftop, fatally hitting Kirk in the neck in front of thousands of people.
A huge manhunt ended 33 hours later when Robinson's parents persuaded him to turn himself in after seeing photos of the wanted man.
Robinson wore a suicide prevention smock -- common in high-profile cases -- when he appeared in a Utah court Tuesday to hear the charges levied against him.
He spoke only to confirm his name and sat passively as District Judge Tony Graf read out the seven charges.
The most serious charge is aggravated murder, while others include obstruction of justice and witness tampering, allegedly for ordering his roommate to stay silent.
"I am filing a notice of intent to seek the death penalty," Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray told an earlier press conference.
"I do not take this decision lightly, and it is a decision I have made independently as county attorney based solely on the available evidence and circumstances and nature of the crime."
The press conference, carried live on cable news channels across the nation, offered the first glimpse into possible motives for the alleged killer after days of fevered speculation that has consumed social media and dominated conversations.
Gray cited lengthy text message exchanges between Robinson and his roommate, whom he described as "a biological male who was transitioning genders."
Robinson and the roommate were in a romantic relationship, Gray said.