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Pedro Manuel Argote, age 49, is the primary suspect in the killing of Washington County Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson, who was shot multiple times outside his Hagerstown, Maryland home on Thursday night, Oct. 19.
Wilkinson was rushed to a hospital where he later died, according to Washington County Sheriff’s officials.
On Friday, Oct. 20, investigators announced that Argote was the suspected gunman. The US Marshals Service is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to his arrest.
Argote has ties to multiple locations outside of Maryland, including Long Island and Brooklyn, New York; Tampa and Clearwater, Florida; Columbia, Indiana; and unknown cities in North Carolina.
Authorities said he should be considered armed and dangerous.
On Saturday, Oct. 21, sheriff’s officials issued an alert saying there would be a “significant” police presence in Williamsport after a silver Mercedes being driven by Argote was found in the area.
Investigators believe Argote killed Wilkinson out of revenge hours after the judge granted custody of his four children to Argote’s wife, with whom he was in the middle of a contentious divorce.
"This was a targeted attack of Judge Wilkinson," Washington County Sheriff Brian Albert said at a press conference Friday.
As a precaution, 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.
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.
Charges against Argote are pending, according to the sheriff's office.
Anyone with information in the case is asked to contact the US Marshals Service at 1-877-WANTED2 or on its website.
This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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