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A Maryland judge was fatally shot in the driveway of his home Thursday, and authorities are now looking for a man whose divorce case the judge was overseeing.
Washington County Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson, 52, was found outside the residence in the 19100 block of Olde Waterford Road in Hagerstown by deputies who responded to a report of a shooting at 8 p.m., the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said.
“The victim was suffering from what appeared to be gunshot wounds. He was transported to Meritus Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries,” the sheriff’s office said.
Authorities did not share any further details on what led to the shooting, and the investigation is ongoing.
In an update Friday morning, the sheriff’s office said they were looking for a man named Pedro Argote, 49, in connection with the homicide investigation.
According to court records, Wilkinson was the judge overseeing Argote’s divorce case, filed in June 2022.
Wilkinson presided over a hearing in the case Thursday morning, the court’s docket shows.
That hearing dealt with the “partial judgment of absolute divorce,” according to the docket.
Court records show Argote also had a domestic violence case against him filed in June 2022 that resulted with the unnamed petitioner requesting dismissal less than two weeks later.
Argote is described as 5 feet, 7 inches tall, 130 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He may be driving a silver 2009 Mercedes GL450, according to the sheriff’s office.
“Anyone with information in reference to Argote’s location is asked to not approach him but to immediately notify law enforcement,” the sheriff’s office said.
The sheriff’s office said it will hold a news conference at 11 a.m. Friday.
Maryland State Police troopers were deployed Thursday night “out of precautionary reasons” to “protect” judges residing in Washington County, a state police spokesperson told NBC News.
Wilkinson was born in Guam in 1971, graduated from Emory University School of Law in 1997, and previously worked as an assistant county attorney. He became an associate judge in Washington County Circuit Court in January 2020, according to an online profile.
Neil C. Parrott, a former Maryland state delegate, mourned Wilkinson’s death on X, writing: “Horrible news in Washington County tonight. It appears that Judge Andrew Wilkinson was shot multiple times and has passed away.”
“Please pray for our police and for Judge Wilkinson’s family at this time,” Parrott wrote.
The Maryland Judiciary issued a statement Friday saying it “mourns the tragic death of Judge Andrew Wilkinson.”
“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,” the statement said.
