Beloved judge gunned down outside his Maryland home; suspect is man in midst of contentious custody battle

A beloved circuit court judge in Maryland was shot and killed earlier this week, and police have already identified a suspect in the case: a man who had just lost visitation rights to his children.

At approximately 8 p.m. Thursday evening, police were called to a quiet neighborhood near Hagerstown, Maryland, about 75 miles northwest of Baltimore. There, officers found Judge Andrew Wilkinson, 52, lying in his driveway, apparently suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, according to a statement from the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

Wilkinson was immediately rushed to Meritus Medical Center, where he later died. His wife and son had been inside his home when he was shot.

Maryland judge Andrew Wilkinson fatally shot outside homewww.youtube.com

As a precaution, Maryland State Troopers were dispatched to provide security to other judges as well. However, investigators had already zeroed in on a suspect in Wilkinson's murder: Pedro Argote.

Argote, 49, is in the midst of a heated divorce. Earlier on Thursday, Judge Wilkinson had presided over a hearing in the case and had signed a partial judgment preventing Argote from having contact with his ex-wife or their children. The judgment also granted Argote's ex-wife "sole use and possession of the family home."

Argote never appeared at the Thursday hearing, Sheriff Brian Albert said at a press conference on Friday morning. Albert indicated that Argote "targeted" Wilkinson because of the ruling.

Albert added that Argote has no criminal record in Washington County but that officers had been called to Argote's residence twice in recent years in connection to domestic disputes. Argote does legally own a firearm, Albert said while also declining to identify the type of firearm used in the attack on Wilkinson.

As of Friday afternoon, Argote remains at large. Another WCSO statement described Argote as "5’7”, 130 lbs. with black hair and brown eyes." He may also be driving a silver 2009 Mercedes GL450 with Maryland license plate 4EH0408. Anyone who encounters Argote should notify police immediately, as he is considered "armed and dangerous."

Meanwhile, friends and former colleagues of Wilkinson have expressed their shock and grief at the judge's untimely death. "Drew was an exceptional lawyer and a man who loved his family,” former law partner Jason Divelbiss said in a statement. "His wife and kids were always his highest priority and my thoughts go out to them at this horrible time.

"Drew was also very close with his brother and the office always filled with laughter when he dropped by," the statement continued. "One of Drew’s greatest assets was his ability to bring stability to the most difficult situations which is what made him a great attorney, mediator and eventually judge."

The Maryland Judiciary also released a statement about Wilkinson's passing: "The Maryland Judiciary mourns the tragic death of Judge Andrew Wilkinson. As we grieve his loss, we ask that you keep the Wilkinson family in your prayers and please respect their privacy. The Maryland Judiciary is actively engaging with law enforcement to assist in resolving this matter and to ensure the safety of our judges, staff, and visitors, which remains our top priority."

According to his biography listed on a state website, Wilkinson was born in Guam and graduated from Emory University School of Law in 1997. He became an associate member of the state circuit court bench in 2020. He was also a youth soccer and baseball coach, a member of the Hagerstown Young Men's Christian Association, and an active member of his church.

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