June 26, 2025 9:15p; Updated 6-28
Update: After about two hours of deliberation Friday afternoon, the jury returned guilty verdicts on all six charges, including murder, attempted murder, robbery and possession of meth. Sentencing was scheduled for Sept. 26. The trial concluded with Routt electing not to testify, and with just one defense witness: A psychologist who opined that investigators in their interrogation of Routt used techniques that are prone to eliciting false confessions.
(WGTD)---Thomas Routt felt pressured into robbing an Elkhorn tavern after getting involved with people who he said were connected to a drug cartel, according to recorded jailhouse conversations Routt had with his mother just hours after he was arrested for killing the bartender and her husband.
The recordings were played for the jury late Thursday in Routt's double homicide trial in Walworth County Court.
On several occasions, a distraught Routt admitted to his mother that he committed the crimes. "I shot these people, mom. I didn't mean to," he said. "There's no point in fighting this."
Routt starts sobbing and his mother can be heard crying.
As a recently-released felon, Routt attended Gateway Technical College where he made a name for himself as an exemplary student. He was one of the student speakers at his 2023 graduation ceremony.
In the phone calls, Routt apologies to his mother and briefly mentions Gateway. "I ruined the Gateway community," he said. "I ruined everything I worked so hard for."
The series of three recorded calls, totaling about 45 minutes, were played for the jury without any explanatory testimony. The state then rested its case. The defense is expected to start presenting witnesses Friday morning.
In the phone calls, Routt complains that people he wound up mixing with were threatening to report him to his parole officer for leaving the state and driving into Illinois without permission. There were apparent references to receiving pressure to commit robberies. He expressed sorrow that the attempted heist at Elkhorn's Sports Page Barr had gone awry. "I thought I had the safety on," he said.
He vowed to get even with his enemies by cooperating with investigators. On several occasions, though, Routt said he was convinced that he'd be killed in prison. "I'm dead," he said. "I'm just wondering how they're going to do it."
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