Crime Stories with Nancy Grace:
Episode – “Charlie Kirk Assassin Suspect Wins a Small Court Victory” (Crime Alert 6AM 10.29.25)
Date: October 29, 2025
Host: Drew Nelson for iHeartPodcasts and CrimeOnline
Episode Overview
This episode covers several major crime stories, beginning with a legal update on the suspect accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Additional segments explore a fertility fraud case discovered through DNA testing, and a violent hate crime in Georgia involving a man dressed as a Nazi officer. Each story is delivered with the podcast's trademark urgency, combining breaking news with personal and societal impacts.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Charlie Kirk Assassination Case
[00:03–02:32]
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Tyler Robinson, 22, the accused assassin, will be permitted to wear civilian clothing during his court appearances in Utah.
- Judge Tony Graf ruled this based on the importance of presumption of innocence, to minimize potential juror bias from seeing Robinson in prison attire.
- However, Robinson will remain restrained in court given the seriousness of the aggravated murder charge, which carries the possibility of a death penalty.
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Robinson’s lawyer expressed concern about the significant media attention and “pretrial news coverage featuring his client in prison garb.”
"Robinson's right to the presumption of innocence outweighs the inconvenience of dressing him in street clothes."
— Judge Tony Graf [00:22] -
Robinson’s transgender partner, Lance Twigs, has been missing for six weeks.
- Twigs, 22, vanished shortly after the September 10 shooting.
- Twigs allegedly received a series of text messages from Robinson confessing to the killing and explaining his attempt to hide the murder weapon.
- Twigs had been estranged from his devout Mormon parents, but evidence of recent reconciliation is found in Venmo payments described as for prescriptions and gas money.
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Police say Twigs is not a suspect and has been cooperating, but the disappearance is fueling public speculation amidst the high-profile case.
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Charlie Kirk, 31, was the founder of Turning Point USA and was killed during a campus speech at Utah Valley University.
- The incident provoked national shockwaves, with tributes from President Trump and GOP leaders.
“Kirk’s death sending shockwaves through political circles and drawing tributes from President Trump and other GOP leaders who called him a martyr for the conservative movement.”
— Drew Nelson [02:17]
2. DNA Uncovers Fertility Fraud
[06:52–09:53]
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Summer McKesson, 43, of Atlanta, discovered she was conceived through “medical rape” by her mother’s fertility doctor in the 1980s.
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Years of unexplained medical issues led to a diagnosis of Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder.
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Genetic testing (23andMe) revealed seven half siblings she’d never met, the oldest being 61.
"My oldest half sibling, [is] 61 and the youngest is 39."
— Summer McKesson [07:46] -
A sibling’s message led McKesson to ask her mother if the fertility doctor had been Dr. Charles Peet from Duke University Hospital.
"It was a shock. It was almost paralyzing when I first found out to find out my dad wasn't my dad."
— Summer McKesson [08:12] -
Dr. Peet, who died in 2013, was respected but is now confirmed, via DNA, to have used his own sperm in at least 12 cases.
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North Carolina lacks “fertility fraud” laws, leaving McKesson and her family little legal recourse despite civil considerations.
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Duke Health issued a statement acknowledging “unacceptable actions by a former physician.”
3. Nazi-Costumed Assault in Georgia
[09:53–11:49]
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In downtown Athens, Georgia, Kenneth Morgan, 33, dressed as a Nazi officer, assaulted UGA student Grace Lang by striking her with a glass pitcher outside a bar.
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The attack, caught on video, occurred as Lang and friends confronted him, attempting to block his entry to Cutter’s Pub.
"Lang said she suffered a broken nose that required four stitches and swelling around her left eye."
— Drew Nelson [10:37] -
UGA officials condemned the incident, clarifying Morgan has no university affiliation.
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Rabbi Mikhail Refson, representing Athens’ Jewish community, denounced the act:
"The Nazi symbol is the symbol of absolute evil. It’s a symbol of, you know, hate. It’s painful, it’s upsetting, it’s hurtful. You know, my grandmother was Auschwitz survivor."
— Rabbi Mikhail Refson [10:59] -
Civil rights organizations, led by the Southern Poverty Law Center, have labeled the incident “hateful, violent speech” and called for zero tolerance.
"Students have gathered near the bar in the days following the attack, condemning the Nazi-costumed perp and applauding those who intervened."
— Drew Nelson [11:21]
Notable Quotes
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On Court Attire and Innocence:
"Robinson’s right to the presumption of innocence outweighs the inconvenience of dressing him in street clothes."
— Judge Tony Graf [00:22] -
On Twigs’ Disappearance:
"Investigators maintain that Twigs is not charged with any crime and has been cooperating with authorities. But his disappearance has fueled speculation amid the ongoing fallout from one of the most politically explosive murders in modern U.S. history."
— Drew Nelson [01:57] -
On DNA Discovery:
"It was a shock. It was almost paralyzing when I first found out to find out my dad wasn't my dad."
— Summer McKesson [08:12] -
On Nazi Symbolism:
"The Nazi symbol is the symbol of absolute evil. It’s a symbol of, you know, hate. It’s painful, it's upsetting, it’s hurtful. You know, my grandmother was Auschwitz survivor."
— Rabbi Mikhail Refson [10:59]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- Charlie Kirk assassination case update: [00:03–02:32]
- Missing person: Lance Twigs: first mentioned [01:17], more details through [01:52]
- DNA-revealed fertility fraud and family fallout: [06:52–09:53]
- Nazi-costumed assault in Athens, Georgia: [09:53–11:49]
Final Thoughts
The episode offers a rapid-fire yet detailed look at today's most consequential and disturbing crime stories — focusing on the intersections between law, social impact, and unresolved justice. The blend of legal updates, personal testimonies, and responses from wider communities capture the urgent and sometimes tragic realities behind the headlines.