Thomas Routt: Person of interest in Elkhorn sports bar shooting identified as parolee with long rap sheet
ELKHORN, WISCONSIN: The "person of interest" arrested in connection with the shooting deaths of newlyweds in a Wisconsin sports bar has been named as Thomas Routt Jr, a parolee with an extensive criminal record.
Gina Weingart, 37, and her husband, Emerson Weingart, 33, lost their lives on February 1 at the Sports Page Barr in Elkhorn.
The Weingart's, married last summer, tragically became the sole targets in the sports bar shooting. They were found fatally shot after midnight, with authorities responding to a shots-fired call at the establishment where Gina worked. Police have not disclosed a motive or potential suspect description, leaving the grieving families desperate for answers.
Thomas Routt Jr has not been charged with the Weingarts' deaths
Russell Jones, a criminal defense attorney representing Routt, maintains his client's innocence, asserting no involvement in the case. Routt, with a history of convictions including arson, burglary, and forgery, was detained and placed in Walworth County Jail on a corrections hold due to his lengthy rap sheet.
Given his parole status, he may face an extended detention beyond the typical 72 hours. Despite being the focal point of the investigation, Routt has not been formally charged in connection with the Weingarts' deaths.
Elkhorn police have been tight-lipped about the ongoing investigation, only confirming Routt's status as a "person of interest" in their recent statement. “The person of interest has been taken into custody on an unrelated matter as officials continue their investigation,” Elkhorn police said in a statement Tuesday.
Emerson Weingart's father demands eyewitnesses be found
Emerson's father, Jeff Weingart, believes someone must have witnessed the incident, urging authorities to locate the perpetrator responsible for this heinous act. “It’s gut-wrenching. Somebody saw them. Somebody saw them. I don’t care, you don’t pull something like that off,” the grieving dad said.
“I can’t believe that it was just her and him in the bar. So somebody saw them, and somebody had to give a description of them, and somebody had to see the car when he drove away, and they better find him," he urged.
Thomas Routt Jr's troubled past
Records reveal that Routt was released on parole in August 2020 for a burglary charge but had a previous incarceration for arson, as per Wisconsin Right Now. His release was facilitated by John Tate, Gov Tony Evers' appointee to run the state Parole Commission.
Routt's arson conviction was described as a "horrendous crime" by the sentencing court, involving the burning down of his ex-mother-in-law's home during another daughter's wedding. The act was deemed one of the worst instances of arson by the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.
The appellate court rejected Routt's request to end community supervision in 2023. The convict, who disclosed a troubled past, including childhood molestation and depression, served 25 years in prison for drug-related offenses before his release in 2020.
