Suspect in Maryland judge killing found dead after weeklong manhunt: Updates

Follow all the latest updates on the murder of Maryland Judge Andrew Wilkinson and the manhunt for suspect Pedro Argote

Judge Andrew Wilkinson was fatally shot in the driveway of his home in Hagerstown, Maryland, on Thursday evening.

At around 8pm, police were called to the home to find him suffering gunshot wounds.

He was rushed to Meritus Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

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.

At his swearing-in, Wilkinson said he wanted to become a judge to serve the community, The Herald-Mail reported.

“It’s an honour and it’s humbling, and I’m happy to serve,” he said, thanking the now-retired judge, Mr Wright, for guiding his career.

Alongside his successful legal career, Wilkinson was a father and a husband; according to Fox 5, he was involved in the community, such as helping out at local Little League baseball and soccer games.

The “armed and dangerous” suspect wanted in connection to the murder of a Maryland judge may now be headed for New York as he remains on the run four days on from the shooting.

The US Marshals Service said in an update that Pedro Argote, 49, has connections to New York, in the Brooklyn and Long Island area.

He also has ties to other locations, such as Tampa and Clearwater in Florida, Columbus in Indiana and unknown cities in North Carolina.

A manhunt for Mr Argote has now entered its fifth day after he allegedly shot Judge Andrew Wilkinson dead in the driveway of his home in Maryland on Thursday evening.

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Police identified the suspect in the killing as 49-year-old Pedro Argote on Friday morning.

Mr Argote’s divorce case was in Wilkinson’s courtroom on the day of the killing, according to Circuit Court of Maryland records. Authorities said Mr Argote was not at the hearing, where Wilkinson gave his wife custody of their children.

Wilkinson has been presiding over the case - seeking a partial judgment of absolute divorce - since October 2022.

Another hearing in the case was set for 31 October, but the records now show that it has been postponed/reset.

Police have described Mr Argote as 5 foot 7 inches tall, 130 lbs, with black hair and brown eyes.

They believe he could be driving a silver 2009 Mercedes GL450, with the Maryland registration plate of 4EH0408.

The vehicle was found abandoned in a wooded area over the weekend – but there is still no sign of Mr Argote.

The public has been warned not to approach Mr Argote but to contact the police immediately with any information on his location.

The timeline

19 October:

• Judge Wilkinson granted custody of Pedro Argote’s four children to his ex-wife, Eugeina Argote, in a divorce hearing
• Hours later, Mr Argote is accused of shooting Judge Wilkinson

20 October:

• Washington County Sheriff Brian Albert said in a press conference that the attack on the judge was “targeted” and accused Mr Argote of retaliating because of the ruling
• A homicide investigation was launched

22 October:

• Police conclude search of Williamsport, Maryland area and offer a reward of up to $10,000 for information on Mr Argote

23 October:

• The US Marshals Service says the suspect could be headed out of the state to a place where he has connections, like New York, Florida, Indiana, or North Carolina
• The manhunt continues

Where is Mr Argote?

He could be heading out of state, officials say. The US Marshals Service added that he has ties to New York, Indiana, Florida, and North Carolina.

The US Marshals Service is now offering a reward of $10,000 for any information that could lead to the arrest of Mr Argote while Washington County Sheriff’s Office has said it has concluded its search operations around Williamsport.

“No further information indicates that Argote is still in the immediate area,” the sheriff’s office wrote on Facebook.

The sheriff’s office continues to investigate leads and gather information about the shooting, while authorities warn that Mr Argote should be considered armed and dangerous.

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Who was Judge Wilkinson?

Andrew 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.

A tragic pattern

This is not the first time Hagerstown has seen one of its judges attacked.

On 22 December 1989, a pack of pipe bombs exploded in the third-floor apartment of Judge John Corderman, according to the Herald-Mail archives.

The attack, in Hagerstown, left Corderman with shrapnel wounds to his right hand and abdomen and partial hearing loss.

Read the full story.

What we know about Pedro Argote’s alleged past

Judge Wilkinson had awarded custody of the Argotes’ four children to Eugenia Argote hours before he was shot and killed.

The suspect had a history of controlling and cruel behaviour towards his ex-wife, according to court documents.

This behaviour reportedly included keeping hold of her car keys at all times so he knew when she was leaving home, stealing money from her, harassing her via text messages, using security cameras to monitor her, and even an accusation that he had been violent with their child.

The couple also had a long history of domestic incidents and in 2012, his ex-wife claimed, adding that she had tried to get help from a domestic violence advocacy center.

Judge Wilkinson also granted a temporary order in June 2022 which required Mr Argote to leave the couple’s shared residence and surrender his firearms. However the order was later dismissed at Ms Argote’s request, though it is unclear why.

What happened to the judge?

Judge Andrew Wilkinson was fatally shot while he was in the driveway of his home in Hagerstown, Maryland, police said.

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.

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 police.

Maryland State Police have reportedly dispatched troopers to protect other judges in the area, reported 7News.