By Emma Costigan
Copyright evoke
Each other’s soulmates, Charlie Kirk and his wife, Erika Frantzve, were married just four short years before he was murdered.
The late conservative activist, 31, was fatally shot in the neck while on stage at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, for a ‘The American Comeback Tour’ event on September 10, 2025.
The following day, Charlie’s widow, Erika, was seen for the first time since his death, disembarking Air Force Two, which carried Charlie’s casket from Utah to Arizona, with Usha Vance.
As she prepares herself for life with two young children without the love of her life by her side, here’s everything we know about Charlie, Erika, and their family:
Who is Erika Frantzve?
Erika, 36, is a former Miss Arizona USA. She was crowned in 2012.
The mum-of-two was a basketball player at Regis University before transferring to Arizona State University, where she received a degree in political science and international relations.
Erika went on to obtain a master’s degree, and pursue a doctorate degree at Liberty University. She frequently worked alongside Charlie and his organisation, and appeared at events and interviews with him.
How they met
It was practically love at first sight for Charlie and Erika. The couple met in 2018, and after a ‘very, very long dinner’, Charlie knew ‘almost immediately’ that Erika was ‘the one’.
Popping the question and tying the knot
Charlie got down on bended knee in December 2020 and asked Erika if she would spend the rest of her life with him.
Erika shared the news on December 2, posting sweet snaps of the intimate moment. She wrote: ‘…when God writes your love story, you get to marry your best friend.’
It was less than a year later that the couple wed in Scottsdale, Arizona, on May 8, 2021.
An adorable love letter from Erika to Charlie followed, which read: ‘..to the man I’ve been praying for, before I ever met you. To the man that I honor, respect, and deeply cherish. To the man that leads in ways that remind me of the leaders before our time and whose confidence in God’s word reminds me of Daniel.
‘To the man whose heart for God is passionately steadfast. To the man whose integrity reminds me of the unwavering, and your ability to seek God’s will reminds me of the Disciples. To the man that loves so deeply, so intentionally, so selflessly, so unconditionally that it reminds me of Christ.
View this post on Instagram
‘…To the man that I am immeasurably blessed to be able to call my husband. My CJK. I love you,’ Erika concluded.
Just last year, Erika revealed that their nuptials were ‘very intimate’ with no bridesmaids or groomsmen involved in the ceremony. The couple exchanged vows with only their closest family members by their side.
Their family
Over the course of their four-year marriage, Charlie and Erika welcomed two children together, whose names and faces have yet to be publicly revealed.
The couple became parents when they welcomed their daughter to the world on August 23, 2022. They welcomed their second child, a son, in May 2024.
Early on, the parents of two decided that their children would remain anonymous. In June 2025, Charlie explained: ‘We have a girl and a boy, and it’s no one’s business what their names are or their faces.
