BALTIMORE — Law enforcement officers are currently conducting a search in the area where a silver Mercedes, belonging to Pedro Argote, the suspect in the shooting of a Washington County judge, was discovered on Saturday, as announced by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
The vehicle was found by a Maryland resident in a wooded area of Williamsport, Maryland. Investigators suspect that the car may have been there since either Friday or possibly Thursday, according to a press conference.
Prior to searching the vehicle, law enforcement is conducting an area search to ensure that Argote is no longer in the vicinity. Washington County Sheriff Brian Albert stated that the community in Williamsport and the surrounding areas are believed to be safe, but residents are urged to avoid the search zone.
Albert mentioned during the press conference that the Mercedes will be towed to a secure location before it is searched. He explained, “We have a warrant. So, we’re going to wait until we clear the area and it’s not an active scene, and then we’ll tow the vehicle to a secure area for search warrants. You know, we’ll pull the computer, GPSs from it, and then the contents if we find anything in the vehicle.”
According to court records, the Maryland judge, Andrew Wilkinson, who was shot and killed outside his home in Hagerstown on Thursday night, presided over Pedro Argote’s divorce case.
Authorities have confirmed that Wilkinson was found with gunshot wounds on his driveway on Olde Waterford Road at around 8 p.m. He was rushed to Meritus Medical Center, where he later died. A homicide investigation is currently underway.
Susan Porter, a resident of the neighborhood, expressed her sorrow over the incident, stating, “It is horrible. It is a horrifying loss — it’s hard to lose someone like that.”
Pedro Argote is considered armed and dangerous. The public is advised not to approach him if his whereabouts are known, but to immediately call 911.
Argote is described as 5’7″, weighing 130 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He may be driving a silver 2009 Mercedes GL450 SUV with Maryland license plate 4EH0408.
According to court records, Argote was named in a domestic violence petition in June 2022, which was later dismissed at the petitioner’s request.
Wilkinson, a Washington County Circuit Court Associate Judge, presided over a hearing in Argote’s divorce case on Thursday morning, which was filed last summer. Argote was not present at the hearing.
The motive for the shooting is currently unknown, and Maryland State Police have deployed troopers to protect judges residing in Washington County as a precautionary measure. Police believe that the shooting was targeted.
Dennis Grove, the assistant mayor of Williamsport, mentioned that the townspeople are closely monitoring the search for Argote following the discovery of his vehicle. He said, “It’s a really small road, but there’s a lot of farm ground on it. It’s wooded, so it would be really easy to hide out there for a long time if you needed to.”
The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a reward of $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of Argote. He is believed to have connections in various locations outside of Maryland, including Brooklyn and Long Island in New York, Tampa and Clearwater in Florida, Columbus in Ohio, Indiana, and unknown cities in North Carolina, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.
The Maryland Judiciary expressed its grief over Wilkinson’s “tragic death” and requested privacy for the Wilkinson family. They also stated that they are actively collaborating with law enforcement to resolve the matter and ensure the safety of the judges, staff, and visitors.
A profile of Judge Wilkinson on the circuit court’s website reveals that he was born in Guam in 1971.
