In the quiet town of Elkhorn, Wisconsin, the community was shaken by the tragic loss of Gina Lynn Weingart, a 37-year-old Caucasian female, on the night of February 1, 2024. Known as Gennara to her loved ones, Gina was a vibrant and social person with a beautiful smile that could light up a room. She was known for her love of karaoke, dancing, and art, and had a talent for connecting with people, often knowing everyone in a room by the end of the day.
Gina was working her part-time job
as a bartender at the Sports Page Barr in downtown Elkhorn on that fateful Thursday night. Her husband, 33-year-old Emerson Leo Weingart, would often keep her company during her late shifts. The couple, who had started dating in 2020 and were inseparable, had just been married the previous June. Their life together was just beginning, filled with love and promise.
The evening took a horrific turn when a man, later identified as 57-year-old Thomas Allen Routt, Jr., entered the bar and began playing the gaming machines. After about half an hour, with only the Weingarts, Routt, and one other eyewitness remaining, Routt brandished a handgun. He pointed the weapon at Gina and demanded that no one move. When the eyewitness instinctively stood up, Routt turned the gun on them, ordering them to sit back down. He then fired at Gina. The eyewitness fled the scene and immediately called 9-1-1. In the aftermath, Routt also shot and killed Emerson.
The motive for this senseless act of violence was robbery. After shooting the couple and chasing the fleeing eyewitness, Routt returned to the bar and stole between $120 and $140 from the cash register before escaping. The devastating loss of the beloved newlyweds sent shockwaves through the Elkhorn community, leaving family and friends heartbroken.
The investigation moved swiftly, and on Sunday, February 4, 2024, Thomas Routt Jr., who was on parole for arson, was taken into custody. He subsequently confessed to the murders of both Gina and Emerson Weingart. Routt, a convicted felon, was charged with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide. He was later found guilty and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
