Abandoned vehicle belonging to suspected killer of Maryland judge found: ‘Just a matter of time’

Authorities on Saturday found a silver Mercedes they say was driven by the suspect wanted for killing Maryland Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson.

Officials confirmed during a press conference Saturday that a resident discovered the vehicle driven by Pedro Argote, the suspected killer of Judge Wilkinson, in a wooded and remote area around 11 a.m., and alerted police.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office have located the vehicle belonging to the man suspected of fatally shooting a Hagerstown judge this week.  (The Washington County Sheriff’s Office)

Argote car was a silver 2009 Mercedes GL 450 with the Maryland registration of 4EH0408.

Washington County Sheriff Brian Albert said that the resident found the vehicle in a remote area and that the car could have been abandoned there last week.

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“Definitely [it’s] a possibility that he is not in the area, but we have to clear this area to make sure. It’s a pretty big area that we’re looking at. It’s hundreds of acres in there. Within a 10-minute walk you could be in a lot of places down there,” Albert said.

Authorities identified Argote’s vehicle as “a silver 2009 Mercedes GL450, displaying Maryland registration plates 4EH0408.” (Washington County Sheriff)

According to officials, the community is not at risk.

In the press conference, Albert said that it is just a “matter of time” before they capture 49-year-old Argote.

“We’re going to catch this guy. It’s just a matter of time,” Albert said. “We don’t feel that the community’s at risk… we just ask that you avoid the search area, and where we have cordoned off, and if anybody has any information, call your local law enforcement.”

The U.S. Marshals released a new image of Pedro Manuel Argote, 49, a man suspected of murdering a Maryland Circuit Court Judge.Pedro Manuel Argote (U.S. Marshals)

Police say that Argote allegedly killed Washington County Circuit Court Assistant Judge Wilkinson on Thursday evening.

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According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the 52-year-old judge was found dead in his driveway on Olde Waterford Road in Hagerstown with apparent gunshot wounds.

On Friday, police confirmed that Wilkinson’s wife and son were inside the family’s home at the time of the shooting.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office on Friday named Pedro Argote as a suspect in connection with the shooting of Maryland Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson. (Washington County Bar Association/ Washington County Sheriff)

Police say that deputies responded to reports of a shooting around 8 p.m. Thursday. The judge was pronounced dead at Meritus Medical Center.

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Washington County court records show that Wilkinson presided over a judgment hearing in Argote’s divorce case stemming from 2022 on Thursday. The next hearing was scheduled for Oct. 31.