A man detained and being questioned over the fatal shooting of two newlyweds in a bar has “no involvement” in their deaths, his lawyer has said.
Thomas Root Jr. was handcuffed Monday in connection with the murders of Emerson and Gina Weingart, who were killed on Feb. 1 at a popular local watering hole called the Sports Page Bar in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. It was done.
Prosecutors had not filed charges against Rout as of Wednesday morning, according to his attorney Russell Jones, who was retained Monday.
Jones told Fox News Digital on Wednesday morning that his client had nothing to do with the Weingarts’ murders and that the case is under investigation.
Wisconsin newlyweds shot dead in bar shooting, dignitary taken into custody
Gina Weingart flashes a glimpse of her new engagement ring after Emerson Weingart proposed in October 2021. The two got married last summer. (Emerson Weingart/Facebook)
Gina worked at a bar and the couple were regular customers at the bar, which was also the same location where they were shot shortly after midnight on February 1, police said.
Raut was not named in the latest police statement on February 5, when he was formally designated as a “person of interest,” but his lawyer confirmed Raut’s identity to Fox News Digital.
Exclusive: Military veteran ‘Crazy Ed’ cracks down on would-be thieves on video after saving man’s life
Police said in a statement that Root was “taken into custody on an unrelated matter” as detectives continue to investigate the bar shooting.
He is currently being held in the Walworth County Jail on a corrections hold due to a criminal history that includes arson, robbery and forgery convictions, according to reports. Local news media TMJ4.
Gina and Emerson Weingart walk through Virgin Ghat during their June 2023 wedding. (Gina Weingart/Facebook)
Police did not release any other details “to protect the integrity of the investigation” and did not respond to additional questions from Fox News Digital.
There is an important difference between a “person of interest” and a “suspect.” A person of interest is someone who police believe has important information about a crime, and a suspect is someone who law enforcement believes has committed a crime.
Amelia Earhart plane crash: Air Force veteran ‘certain’ images are the most fascinating crash of all time
Gina was working at a bar the night she was killed, when police say someone opened fire. Police said the couple was struck by bullets and were pronounced dead at the scene.
The bar’s owner posted a heartfelt message on Facebook praising the young couple, calling the shooting an “act of cowardice” and replacing it with a photo of Gina and Emerson surrounded by friends and family.
Emerson Weingart was an “avid” fisherman, a passion he shared with his new wife, Gina. (Emerson Weingart/Facebook)
“We want to talk about two lives that were tragically taken from us far too soon. Our bartender Gina and her husband Emerson are both dear friends of ours,” the bar said. the owner posted on Facebook.
“Their lives have only just begun and on behalf of the entire Sports Page family I want to say that we are completely devastated by this event. This has shaken us all to the core. It is a despicable act of violence.”
Lobsterman hears mysterious cries from underwater, leading to miraculous rescue
The couple’s Facebook page was filled with photos of the couple enjoying various activities, including many photos of them watching the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
According to their joint obituary, Emerson was “an avid sportsman who learned to fish as soon as he could walk.” “Fishing was his passion. His wife Gina was his companion on many adventures and learned all the tricks. He was also a sports enthusiast and loved all of Wisconsin’s teams, especially the Packers. I did.”
Emerson and Gina Weingart at Lambeau Field, home of their beloved NFL team, the Green Bay Packers. (Gina Weingart/Facebook)
Gina started dancing at age 6, continued as a cheerleader through high school, and auditioned for a dance group that went on cruises for competitions, the obi says.
“She loved karaoke and had a great voice. She enjoyed dancing and the arts,” her obi reads. “She was a very social person and she loved people. She walked into a room and by the end of the day she seemed to know everyone. She had a beautiful smile that lit up the room. I had it.”
Search team volunteers for missing woman Nicole Baldwin attack police: Report
Law enforcement has not said what the motive was or whether Emerson and Gina were the intended targets.
The family posted on Facebook that it was a “senseless bar robbery” that took a life too soon.
“Mrs. Emerson would go to bars and hang out after work, and Gina would work late into the night to support her. They had been married for only nine months, and He just got married in the summer,” his cousin Brittany Weingart said on Facebook. post.
Emerson and Gina Weingart have been “inseparable” since they started dating in 2020. The couple married in June 2023 and was killed in a shooting at a bar a week ago. (Emerson Weingart/Facebook)
Since they first started dating in 2020, they have been flooded with posts and comments on social media praising the couple for being “inseparable.”
“The fact that I even have to type these words right now is truly shocking,” said one Facebook post from a local who knew the couple. “I am heartbroken beyond words and things will never be the same for our small town and small sports page family.”
Click to get the FOX News app
If anyone has information, please call the Walworth County Communication Center at 262-741-4400.
You can also remain anonymous by contacting Walworth County Crime Stoppers at 262-723-2677 or electronically through P3 Tips at http://www.p3tips.com.
