HAGERSTOWN, MD – Maryland officials have identified Pedro Argote as the prime suspect in the killing of Washington County Circuit Court Assistant Judge Andrew Wilkinson. The incident took place on Thursday evening when Judge Wilkinson, aged 52, was discovered deceased with gunshot wounds in his driveway located on Olde Waterford Road in Hagerstown.
Local law enforcement, led by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, is intensifying its search for Argote, 49. They are also on the lookout for his vehicle described as a silver 2009 Mercedes GL450 with Maryland license plates reading 4EH0408. The public has been cautioned against approaching Argote if spotted and urged to contact the authorities promptly.
Recent court proceedings reveal that Judge Wilkinson had overseen a judgment in Argote’s divorce case just a day before the tragic incident. Further hearings in this case had been slated for the end of October.
Andrew Wilkinson had been serving the community as an associate judge for the 4th Judicial Circuit since 2020. A Guam native born in 1971, he pursued his education at the University of North Carolina followed by the Emory University School of Law. The fatal shooting took place around 8 p.m. at Wilkinson’s residence on Olde Waterford Road.
Details surrounding this case continue to unfold, and the sheriff’s office is expected to provide more information in a press conference.