WASHINGTON COUNTY, Md. — The man who was suspected of killing a Maryland judge last week has been found dead.
Update 3:18 p.m. EDT Oct. 26: Maryland State Police along with other resources were conducting “extended systematic searches”. Peter Argote’s remains were found in a heavily wooded area, Washington County Sheriff’s Office said in a news conference Thursday afternoon. He was located about a mile away from where his vehicle was located.
The sheriff’s office said the cause of death and time of death will not be released until an autopsy is completed.
Washington County Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson’s funeral is expected on Friday, the sheriff’s office said. Security will be set up for it.
-- Jessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Original story: Washington County Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson was shot outside of his home on Oct. 19, hours after he presided over the custody fight between Pedro Argote and his ex-wife over their four children. Wilkinson had granted custody to Argote’s former spouse, The Associated Press reported.
Wilkinson had been transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, the U.S. Marshals said.
Law enforcement searched for Argote immediately after the shooting happened, discovering his Mercedes SUV over the weekend, about 8 miles from where the judge was shot.
But Argote was not found in the vehicle.
Officials searched the same area again on Thursday morning for “additional evidentiary searches” and discovered Argote’s body in a heavily wooded area about a mile from where his SUV had been found.
His body was found around 11 a.m., The Washington Post reported.
A reward of up to $10,000 had been offered by the U.S. Marshals for information leading to Argote’s location.
Officials have not yet said how Argote died, but have a news conference scheduled for Thursday afternoon, the Post reported.
