Ex-Rep. Trevor Lee hires lawyers defending Charlie Kirk's accused killer

The attorneys defending the man accused of killing Charlie Kirk are now defending one of Kirk’s most outspoken advocates in the Utah Legislature. Former Utah Rep. Trevor Lee, who tried to rename a Salt Lake City Street after the conservative podcaster, has hired Kathryn Nester and Wendy Lewis, who represent Tyler Robinson, to fight four felony fraud charges.

Court documents filed Monday list Nester and Lewis as Lee's legal team. Prosecutors say Lee faked documents and used false information to secure a $1 million refinance loan on his home. Last month he was charged with mortgage fraud and communications fraud, both second-degree felonies, and forgery and possession of a forged writing, both third-degree felonies.

After Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University in September 2025, Lee sponsored a bill to replace Harvey Milk's name on a Salt Lake City boulevard with Kirk's, arguing that Kirk had a stronger connection to Utah than the gay rights activist. The bill failed. Lee also joined House Speaker Mike Schultz and Sen. Dan McCay in launching a fundraising effort to build a permanent Kirk memorial at the university.

Nester was appointed last month as lead defense attorney for Robinson, who faces the death penalty.

Nester is an award-winning attorney who served as the federal public defender for the District of Utah from 2011 to 2017 and was named Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association in 2001.

She also led the team that defended Kouri Richins, who was convicted of aggravated murder for fatally poisoning her husband in 2022. A jury also found Richins guilty of attempted aggravated murder, forgery and insurance fraud, and she was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Nester's other clients include Dr. Michael Kirk Moore, a Utah plastic surgeon accused of destroying COVID-19 vaccines and falsifying vaccination certificates. Attorney General Pam Bondi dropped the case against him last July.

She also represented Lyle Jeffs, brother of Warren Jeffs and a leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Jeffs pleaded guilty in 2017 to food stamp fraud and failure to appear in court and was sentenced to more than four years in prison.

Lee's first court appearance is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Oct. 28 at the Matheson Courthouse in Salt Lake City.

Nester is an award-winning criminal defense attorney whose practice focuses on criminal and white-collar criminal defense. She was named Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association in 2001. She also served as the Federal Public Defender for the District of Utah from 2011 to 2017.

Nester also led the legal team defending Kouri Richins, who was convicted of aggravated murder for fatally poisoning her husband in 2022. She was also found guilty of attempted aggravated murder, forgery and insurance fraud. She was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Nester also represented Dr. Michael Kirk Moore, the Utah plastic surgeon who was accused of destroying COVID-19 vaccines and falsifying vaccination certificates. Attorney General Pam Bondi dropped the case against him last July.

Nester was also the attorney for Lyle Jeffs, the brother of Warren Jeffs and leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known as the FLDS Church. In 2017, Jeffs pleaded guilty to food stamp fraud failure to appear in court. He was sentenced to more than four years in prison.

Lee’s first court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 28 at 8:30 am at the Matheson Courthouse in Salt Lake City.