George Zinn, 71, has pleaded no contest to obstruction of justice and guilty to child sexual abuse material charges, resulting in a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison. The case stems from the fatal shooting of Turning Point USA executive director Charlie Kirk on 10 September 2025 at Utah Valley University.
Zinn initially confessed to the killing, shouting “I shot him – now shoot me” at the scene, leading to widespread online speculation. However, after a medical episode and hospitalisation, he told police he made the false confession to allow the real suspect to escape, according to court documents. He also admitted to possessing illicit child sexual abuse material on his phone.
Authorities charged Zinn with second-degree obstruction and multiple counts of sexual exploitation of minors, linked to over 20 images of children aged five to 12. On Thursday, he pleaded no contest to a reduced third-degree obstruction charge and guilty to two exploitation counts before Judge Thomas Low in Provo, Utah.
Low sentenced Zinn to up to five years for obstruction and one to 15 years for the exploitation charges, with the final term determined by a state parole board. Zinn’s criminal history in Utah spans three decades, including a 2013 arrest for allegedly offering to set up bombs at a marathon after the Boston bombing.
Tyler Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder for Kirk’s death, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty. Robinson has pleaded not guilty.
