Maryland police have discovered a vehicle that is linked to a suspect in the fatal shooting of Judge Andrew Wilkinson.
Authorities asked the public to remain vigilant as officials continued to search for the alleged killer. The suspect was identified as 49-year-old Pedro Argote, who police believe gunned down Wilkinson inside his driveway hours after ruling against the former in a divorce case.
Police Find Vehicle of Maryland Judge Shooter
In a statement posted on Facebook, the Washington County Sheriff's Office said that the silver Mercedes SUV that Argote was believed to have been driving was found in a wooded area in Williamsport. It was parked roughly eight miles southwest of Hagerstown, which is where the judge was fatally shot.
The sheriff's office urged anyone who had information regarding Argote's location to immediately notify law enforcement. The victim, 52-year-old Wilkinson, was fatally shot on Thursday night after awarding custody of the suspect's children to his wife. Washington County Sheriff Brian Albert said that the crime was a "targeted attack," as per USA Today.
Albert spoke during a news conference on Saturday where he noted that local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies were participating in the manhunt for Argote. He said that they would catch the suspect and that it was only a matter of time.
Additionally, the U.S. Marshals Service is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information that could lead to the arrest of the suspect. It also issued a news release on Friday that said the suspect has ties to multiple areas outside of Maryland, including Brooklyn and Long Island, New York; Tampa and Clearwater, Florida; Columbus, Indiana; and unknown cities in North Carolina.
Judge Wilkinson presided over a divorce proceeding that involved Argote on Thursday. However, the suspect himself was not present at the hearing and he ordered him to have no contact with the kids as well as requiring him to pay $1,120 per month in child support.
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Targeted Attack
Deputies initially went to the deceased judge's residence after receiving reports of a shooting and they noted that his wife and son were home at the time. Law enforcement officials sent officers to the homes of other judges in the area as a precaution to stand guard throughout the night, according to BBC.
Wilkinson first became a judge in 2020 after working as a lawyer for more than two decades based on the Maryland State Archives. He was also known to be active in his church and coached youth sports.
The case comes as judges across the United States have become targets of threats and sometimes violence in recent years. Last year, President Joe Biden signed a bill that would provide around-the-clock security protection to the families of Supreme Court justices after the leak of a draft court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade.
In Argote's initial court filing, he accused his wife of neglecting her homeschooling responsibilities as well as failing to properly supervise their children. However, she filed a counter-complaint, saying that her husband committed "cruel treatment" and said that she could not support herself financially, said the Associated Press.
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