The man charged with the murder of two newlyweds at a bar in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, did so for just $150, police say.
Gina Weingart, 37, and Emerson Weingart, 33, lost their lives when they were killed inside the Sports Page Barr on February 1. The Elkhorn Police Department shared the devastating news on their Facebook page.
According to the releases, at approximately 12:11AM local time, the Walworth County Sheriff's Office received a distressing call reporting "shots fired" and "a person down" at the Sports Page Barr. Officers from both the Sheriff's Office and the Elkhorn Police Department rushed to the scene, only to discover the lifeless bodies of the couple - who had celebrated their wedding in June 2023.
Now, police have revealed that they have arrested 57-year-old Thomas Routt Jr. - a convicted felon with a history of criminal activity - for the newlyweds' deaths.
Per the New York Post, authorities report that Routt has admitted to fatally shooting Gina and Emerson inside the bar during an armed robbery.
Charged with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide, Routt, 57, divulged to investigators that he perpetrated the shooting at the Sports Page Bar, where Gina worked, with the aim of robbing the establishment. Police disclosed that he pocketed between $120 and $140 from a cash drawer before fleeing the scene.
Routt, described as a parolee with an extensive criminal record, spent approximately 30 minutes inside the bar before brandishing a handgun and coercing the victims and a third individual into compliance. Subsequently, he callously opened fire, prompting the eyewitness to flee and alert law enforcement.
Arrested by the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office on February 4, Routt reportedly confessed to shooting the Weingarts and targeting the eyewitness as they fled the scene. He is now facing multiple charges, including attempted first-degree intentional homicide and armed robbery.
During Routt's court appearance, emotions ran high as Jeff Weingart - Emerson's father - addressed the judge, condemning the suspect as a "monster" and lamenting the profound impact of the senseless violence on their families.
"Our families have been devastated by this senseless act of violence," the grieving father said, per CBS 58.
Despite the evidence against Routt, his attorney, Russell Jones, told CBS 58 that they would be pleading "not guilty".
"It wouldn’t surprise me if there were surveillance cameras, but at this point we have not been provided any video footage of anything," Jones said.
Routt's next court appearance will be on Wednesday, February 21.
With a criminal history dating back to 1995, including convictions for burglary and arson, Routt's parole status under Gov. Tony Evers' administration has come under scrutiny. Jeff Weingart implored authorities to investigate the parole decision, highlighting the systemic failures that contributed to the devastating loss of his son and daughter-in-law.
An obituary for the couple added that Emerson worked as a department manager at a local grocery store, while Gina also dedicated her time to Wisconsin Vision Associates. They cherished moments of fishing together and enjoyed their passions — Emerson's love for sports and Gina's enthusiasm for karaoke.
Our thoughts continue to go out to the late couple's loved ones at this time.
