Car Of Man Accused Of Killing MD Judge Found, Police Urge 'Vigilance'

HAGERSTOWN, MD — A car belonging to the man accused of fatally shooting a Maryland Circuit Court judge this week was located in Washington County on Saturday, according to authorities.

Pedro Argote, 49, is accused of killing Maryland Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson in the driveway of the judge's Hagerstown home Thursday, according to the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

In a statement posted on Facebook, authorities said they found the silver 2009 Mercedes GL 450 Argote was driving in Williamsport.

At a news conference held Saturday, Washington County authorities asked residents to avoid the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal towpath, River Bottom Park, Bottom Road and nearby areas, the Hagerstown Herald-Mail reported. Residents should call 911 if they see anything suspicious.

"We just want our community to be vigilant," Sgt. Carly Hose said.

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Court records show Wilkinson presided over Argote's divorce case, the Associated Press reported. At a news conference Friday, authorities said the shooting happened hours after Wilkinson gave Argote's estranged wife sole custody of their four children.

The U.S. Marshals on Friday offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Argote's arrest, who is considered armed and dangerous.

Authorities said Argote has ties to multiple locations outside of Maryland, including Brooklyn and Long Island, New York; Tampa and Clearwater, Florida; Columbus, Indiana; and unknown cities in North Carolina.

Argote is 5’7”, 130 lbs. with black hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information on Argote's whereabouts should contact the U.S. Marshals at 1-877-WANTED2 or submit tips via the USMS Tips App.

Gov. Wes Moore said state agencies are supporting the local law enforcement efforts in the homicide investigation and local, state, and federal partners are all part of the search for Argote.

The shooting was reported about 8 p.m. in the 19100 block of Olde Waterford Road in Hagerstown. Deputies found Wilkinson in the driveway of a residence suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown, where he later died from his injuries.

Wilkinson issued a judgment Thursday in the Argote case, officially granting the divorce and awarding sole custody of the couple’s four children — ages 12, 11, 5 and 3 — to their mother, court records show. He ordered Argote to have no contact with the children and pay $1,120 a month in child support.

When Argote filed for divorce last year he accused his wife of neglecting her homeschooling responsibilities and failing to properly supervise the children. Her countercomplaint accused Argote of “cruel treatment” and said she couldn’t support herself financially. Days later, his wife requested a protective order, saying he was harassing her via text, controlling her every move, threatening to abuse their daughter and making false accusations against her.

“I don’t get out of the house without his knowledge," she wrote in court documents. “I know he has his weapon on him at all times.”

A judge granted a temporary protective order — which included a directive for Argote to surrender his firearms — but it was dismissed weeks later at the wife's request, court records show.

Argote repeatedly proposed that they continue living in the same house while they sorted out their digital advertising business and became more financially stable.

Wilkinson wrote in a March 2023 opinion that Argote's proposal was "frankly, a non-starter.” Argote was ordered to move out of his family’s home the same day.

Wilkinson had been an associate judge in Washington County Circuit Court, 4th Judicial Circuit, since March 11, 2022., according to the Maryland Courts website. Before that, he served as a deputy state’s attorney for Washington County from 2004-2022, and an assistant state's attorney from 1993 to 2004.

Wilkinson was also a youth soccer coach and assistant baseball coach in Hagerstown, according to the Maryland government website. He has been a member of St. Ann Catholic Church since 1985.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.