Maryland judge presided over the divorce case of the man identified as suspect in his killing

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) — A Maryland sheriff says that a judge who was shot to death was “targeted” by a suspect in a divorce case. Washington County Sheriff Brian Albert said Friday (Oct. 20, 2023) that authorities are “actively working” to apprehend the suspect, Pedro Argote, in the shooting of Maryland Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson. Wilkinson was 52. He was found with gunshot wounds around 8 p.m. Thursday in the driveway of his Hagerstown home. Wilkinson was taken to Meritus Medical Center, where he died. Albert says the 49-year-old Argote was still at large and should be considered “armed and dangerous.” Albert said the judge had given custody of Argote’s children to his wife at a hearing earlier Thursday – and that was the motive for the killing.