A private jet with FAA tail number N888KG, owned by N888KG LLC, was observed departing Provo Municipal Airport (PVU) approximately one hour after the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk on September 10. Flight tracking data from ADS-B Exchange and similar platforms revealed an unusual trajectory: the aircraft initially headed southeast toward the Arizona/Nevada border before disabling its ADS-B transponder around 7:44-7:58 PM MDT, causing it to vanish from public radar. This action, which violates FAA regulations requiring transponder use for collision avoidance, occurred during a window when the jet could have traveled 350-400 nautical miles, potentially enabling a covert drop-off at remote airstrips like Page Municipal Airport (PGA) or Tuba City (TBC). The aircraft reappeared on radar an hour later, reversing course to return to PVU without filing a public flight plan.

The jet’s owner, Derek Maxfield, is linked to the Derek and Shelaine Maxfield Family Foundation, which operates the Saprea non-profit organization supporting survivors of sexual abuse. Social media users noted connections between the foundation and Israel, as well as its 2022 “kosher retreat” involving Chabad Lubavitch, an Orthodox Jewish movement that recently hosted Israeli officials. While flight tracking data initially suggested the jet’s transponder was disabled, later analysis by Grok indicated natural signal interference from Utah’s mountainous terrain, with no evidence of intentional deactivation. The aircraft’s flight path, however, remains under scrutiny due to its timing relative to the assassination and the lack of public explanation for its abrupt disappearance from tracking systems.

The incident has sparked speculation about potential involvement in the high-profile murder, though authorities have not confirmed any wrongdoing. The jet’s owner and pilots have not been publicly interviewed, and no formal investigation into the flight’s anomalies has been disclosed.