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At around 8 p.m. on Thursday night, deputies were called to the 19100 block of Olde Waterford Road in Hagerstown, where they found 52-year-old Judge Andrew Wilkinson suffering from gunshot wounds outside of his home.
He was rushed to Meritus Medical Center, where he later died from his injuries, according to the Washington County Sheriff's Office.
On Friday, new details were released by Washington County Sheriff Brian Albert, who identified 49-year-old Frederick resident Pedro Argote as a suspect after the judge denied him visitation of his children to their mother, though Argote did not appear at the proceeding.
"This was a targeted attack of Judge Wilkinson," Albert said during a press conference on Friday. "The suspect is known to drive a silver Mercedes GL450 with the Maryland license plate 4EH0408. He is considered armed and dangerous and anyone with information has been asked to contact local law enforcement."
As a precaution on Thursday night, Albert said that local and state police agencies were posted outside of other judges' homes in the county overnight, and federal authorities have joined the investigation into the fatal shooting.
Charges against Argote are pending, according to the sheriff's office.
Officials noted that Argote legally owned the weapon used in the shooting, and while he has no criminal record in Washington County, police have been called to his home for verbal domestic assaults multiple times in the last two years.
Albert stressed that there is no threat to any other judges in the country or state, and that local, federal, and state law enforcement agencies are combining their efforts to track down Argote.
"This is a small community, and it's close knit," Albert said. "We pull together when something like this happens, and it was a concerted effort last night. We had more resources than we needed, and all local law enforcement came out.
"We just ask during this most difficult time that you keep Judge Wilkinson's family, friends and colleagues in your thoughts. This investigation is in the preliminary stages and we will continue to gather information to properly charge in this matter."
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