Suspect in Maryland judge killing found dead after weeklong manhunt: Updates
Judge Andrew Wilkinson made a key ruling in suspect Pedro Argote’s divorce hearing just hours before he was shot dead in his driveway in Hagerstown, Maryland
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Authorities in Maryland have found the body of a man suspected of killing a judge who revoked custody of his children.
Judge Andrew Wilkinson was found dead from gunshot wounds in the driveway of his home in Hagerstown, Maryland, on 19 October.
Law enforcement including US Marshals launched a massive manhunt for 49-year-old Pedro Argote after accusing him of targeting the judge in anger over a court ruling. The Marshals had offered a reward of $10,000 for any information that led to his arrest.
Officials announced on Thursday that Argote had been found deceased during a search in a heavily wooded area in Williamsport, just a mile from the place where his car was found last week.
A cause of death has not been provided.
Hours before Argote is believed to have shot Wilkinson, the judge granted custody of Mr Argote’s four children to his ex-wife, Eugeina Argote, in a divorce hearing after hearing “shocking” testimony from his adult daughter from a separate relationship.
Court records show he has a history of verbal domestic assaults against his wife and family.
Funeral services for Judge Wilkinson, according to his obituary
Services will be held Friday, October 27, 2023, at 10:00 a.m., at the St. Ann Catholic Church, 1525 Oak Hill Avenue, Hagerstown, MD, with the Rev. Msgr. J. Bruce Jarboe officiating.
The family will receive friends at the Douglas A. Fiery Funeral Home, 1331 Eastern Blvd. North, Hagerstown, MD, on Thursday, October 26, 2023, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Private interment will be at the Green Hill Cemetery, Waynesboro, PA.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider making memorial donations to any local law enforcement or EMT agencies as a thank you for their support to our community during this time.
US Marshals Service: ‘Murder suspect’s silver Mercedes SUV has been recovered’
Law enforcement officials have located a vehicle believed to have been operated by Pedro Manuel Argote, 49, a man suspected of murdering a Maryland Circuit Court Judge. According to information provided by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the 2009 Mercedes GL 450 was located Oct. 21 at approximately 11 a.m. The SUV bearing Maryland registration 4EH0408, was found in a wooded area off Bottom Road in Williamsport, Maryland.
Remembering Judge Andrew Wilkinson
“He was quite an outstanding young man,” r etired Judge Frederick CWright told the Associated Press. “I had the privilege of being his mentor.”
“Judge Wilkinson was an amazing man, father, husband and judge and I am blessed to have known and worked with him,” attorney Ashley Wilburn told the outlet. “He is a hero.”
ICYMI: What happened?
Judge Andrew Wilkinson was fatally shot while he was in the driveway of his home in Hagerstown, Maryland, police said, just hours after he awarded Eugenia Argote with full custody of the couple’s four children.
The judge was found with gunshot wounds at around 8pm on 19 October.
He was rushed to Meritus Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
Read the full story...
A judge made a key ruling in a couple’s divorce. He was shot dead hours later
Andrew Wilkinson was found dead outside his home on Thursday. A manhunt is now underway for person of interest Pedro Argote, Amelia Neath writes
A little about the area
Hagerstown, a city in Maryland, boasts a population of 44,000, according to the census. It sits near the borders of Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
This shooting is unusual to the area, as Washington County in Maryland has only reported two homicides - one in April and one in July - in 2023, according to the sheriff’s office.
Argote Children Support Fund
A GoFundMe page was created for Pedro Argote’s ex-wife and four children. It reads:
On October 19, 2023, Pedro Argote took the life of Judge Andrew Wilkinson after Judge Wilkson ordered there to be no contact between Argote and Ms. Argote and their 4 children due years of extreme abuse. Argote currently remains on the loose and Ms. Argote and her 4 children (12, 10, 5, 3) are displaced from their home until he is captured. They are unable to make or go out for meals, get clothing (they left the home with nothing) or attend to their needs.
The fund has already raised over $4,000.
Who was Judge Andrew Wilkinson?
Wilkinson was born in Agana, Guam in 1971. His family moved around a lot during his childhood as part of the military, but settled in Hagerstown when his mother was hired as a law clerk for Judge Frederick Wright III in 1983.
He received a bachelor’s degree in economics at the University of North Carolina before earning his law degree from the Emory University School of Law in 1997.
Wilkinson became a circuit law clerk in Washington County before being sworn in as an associate judge for the County Circuit Court in 2020.
The Independent’s Amelia Neath has the full story...
A judge made a key ruling in a couple’s divorce. He was shot dead hours later
Andrew Wilkinson was found dead outside his home on Thursday. A manhunt is now underway for person of interest Pedro Argote, Amelia Neath writes
The suspect’s out-of-state ties
Pedro Argote has connections outside of the state of Maryland, according to US Marshals Service, including Tampa and Clearwater in Florida, Columbus in Indiana and unknown cities in North Carolina.
The greater manhunt comes after the search for Mr Argote in the Williamsport, Maryland area concluded over the weekend.
The suspect’s car, a 2009 silver Mercedes SUV, was found over the weekend in a wooded area off Bottom Road in Williamsport – around eight miles from Hagerstown, where the shooting took place.
The sheriff’s office said in a press conference that they were yet to thoroughly search the car, but will be taking out the GPS and computer systems, as well as any other physical items, from the SUV.
A history of alleged ‘cruelty of treatment’
Ms Argote had petitioned the court for a protective order, writing that her husband was extremely controlling. He kept her car keys at all times so he knew when she was leaving home and stole money from her, The Maryland Daily Record reported.
Ms Argote said her ex-husband harassed her via text messages and used security cameras to monitor her, NBC News reported. She also accused him of being violent with their 11-year-old child in 2020.
The Independent’s Ariana Baio has the full story...
Man accused of shooting divorce judge was ‘controlling’ over ex-wife
Police in Maryland looking for Pedro Argote who is on the run, and considered armed and dangerous
Maryland Governor Wes Moore on Judge Wilkinson’s death
I am shocked, heartbroken, and sickened by the killing of Judge Andrew Wilkinson. He was the victim of a cold-blooded, vicious, and targeted attack. My heart goes out to Judge Wilkinson’s family, and my prayers are with everyone who knew him, loved him, and served alongside him.
My team has been in close contact with the judiciary and with leadership in Hagerstown and Washington County, including local law enforcement and elected officials. Maryland State Police troopers were dispatched to protect other judges, and I am receiving consistent updates from Superintendent of State Police Roland Butler.
The State of Maryland is supporting law enforcement in their investigation and local, state, and federal partners are actively engaged in the search for the suspect. Anyone with knowledge that could aid in the investigation is encouraged to contact authorities immediately.
Judge Wilkinson spent his career in defense of justice. We must now ensure that the perpetrator of this vile act faces justice and Judge Wilkinson’s family gets the support they need and deserve.
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