HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND: Pedro Argote who was suspected of murdering Maryland Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson was found dead after a week-long manhunt.
The 49-year-old man's body was found on Thursday, October 27, at around 11 am in the Williamsport area during an "expanded evidentiary search", according to the Washington County Sheriff's Office's statement.
How did Pedro Argote die?
Argote's manner and cause of death has not yet been disclosed.
According to authorities, the suspect's body was discovered in a heavily wooded area which is one mile northwest of where his car was found, reported ABC News.
Argote's silver 2009 Mercedes GL450 was recovered near the West Virginia border on Saturday, October 21.
A manhunt was underway for Argote following the death of Judge Wilkinson on October 16 and a reward of $10,000 was offered by the US Marshals Service for information on Argote.
What was the motive behind Andrew Wilkinson's murder?
Hours after granting the suspect's estranged wife custody of their four young children, Wilkinson was killed on October 16 "suffering from what appeared to be a gunshot wound."
He was found on his driveway in Hagerstown and was transported to Meritus Medical Center. Wilkinson later died at the facility, read the Washington County Sheriff’s Office's release.
The judge who was murdered attended Emory University School of Law in 1997 after he studied economics at the University of North Carolina, according the circuit court’s website.
Argote was kicked out of his home after he was stripped of his child visitation rights earlier that day by the fatally shot jurist who oversaw the suspect's divorce proceedings.
The judgment prevented Argote from visiting or contacting his children or their mother.q
The 52-year-old jurist barred Argote from entering the property and granted his ex-wife "sole use and possession of the family home."
As per the court document, Argote was ordered to pay his ex-wife monthly child support of $1,120 for their four minor children.
Addressing Wilkinson's murder, the Maryland Judiciary issued a statement on Friday, October 20. "As we grieve his loss, we ask that you keep the Wilkinson family in your prayers and please respect their privacy," read the statement.
"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 added.
