Suspect Pedro Argote found dead after ‘shooting Maryland judge Andrew Wilkinson outside home’ following nasty divorce
THE suspect accused of murdering US Circuit Judge Andrew Wilkinson has been found dead following a week-long manhunt.
The body of Pedro Argote, 49, was uncovered in a heavily wooded area in Williamsport, Maryland, about 32 miles west of Frederick, on Thursday at around 11 am, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office confirmed.
Argote’s body was found approximately one mile northwest of where his silver Mercedes SUV was found on Saturday afternoon.
Sheriff’s officials are expected d to release more details at a 3 pm press conference.
Argote is accused of shooting Judge Wilkinson on his driveway in Hagerstown on the evening of October 19.
The Maryland Circuit Justice was raced to the hospital, where he died of his injuries.
Approximately 11 hours before the murder, Wilkinson oversaw Argote’s divorce hearing, which was scheduled for 9:30 am on October 19, according to court records seen by The U.S. Sun.
Wilkinson granted Argote’s ex-wife full custody of their four children, Washington County Sheriff Brian Albert said.
Argote did not attend the divorce hearing.
The judge also ruled that Argote had no parental rights or the possibility of visitation after he was accused of domestic violence before divorce proceedings began in 2022.
He also allocated Argote’s 2009 Mercedes to her and the children, and said the mother has the “sole use and possession of the family home.”
It’s believed that he stole the car and used it to flee from sheriff’s officials.
Argote was no longer allowed to enter that property.
Sheriff Albert said that authorities have visited Argote’s home on the outskirts of Hagerstown twice over the past few years after receiving reports of verbal domestic assault.
However, the allegations of assault were dropped before the couple began to divorce.
TARGETED ATTACK
Following Wilkinson’s shooting, Maryland State Troopers were sent to protect other judges after the shooting, though it’s unclear if they are in imminent danger, according to ABC affiliate WJLA.
Footage from outside Wilkinson’s home showed the flashing lights of cop cars and crime scene tape surrounding the property.
Wilkinson’s wife and children were home at the time of the shootings, Sheriff Albert said.
Born in Agana, Guam, Wilkinson attended the University of North Carolina and Emory University School of Law.
He was sworn in as a Washington County Circuit Court judge in January 2020.
Local politician Neil Parrott mourned Judge Wilkinson’s loss, calling the incident horrible news.
“Police are actively searching for the murderer,” he shared on Facebook on Thursday evening.
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