And then, finally, people just couldn’t take it anymore.
We were always going to have to reach that point eventually, where the family courts result in men killing judges instead of themselves.
It never made any sense to me, killing yourself when the court takes your family from you. The people who make these decisions have addresses.
The Maryland judge who was executed in cold blood in the driveway of his home was “targeted” by a suspect just hours after giving custody of the man’s children to his ex-wife in a divorce case, officials said Friday.
Pedro Argote, 49, is being actively sought by local, county and state law enforcement in connection with the homicide investigation into the killing of Judge Andrew Wilkinson, 52, Washington County Sheriff Brian Albert said at a press conference Friday.
Pedro Argote
The judge’s wife and son were also home at the time of the deadly shooting in Hagerstown, Albert said.
Yeah, that must be nice to have a wife and son.
It’s not worth so much when you’re bleeding out in the driveway though, is it?
We all die alone.
Argote, from Frederick, Maryland, is considered “armed and dangerous,” the sheriff warned as a huge manhunt continued.
Court records indicate that Wilkinson oversaw Argote’s divorce proceedings — which was the only case on the judge’s docket Thursday, hours before he was shot dead.
A manhunt is underway for the suspect accused of assassinating Maryland Judge Andrew Wilkinson, who oversaw his divorce proceedings. The judge gave the man’s ex-wife custody of their children, and was shot outside his home hours later. @PierreTABC reports. https://t.co/MFBfMFBfg8 pic.twitter.com/LPpNQzqS06
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) October 20, 2023
At the press conference, the sheriff confirmed that the hearing took place — but said that Argote was not present in court.
Court records indicate that Argote was the one who filed for divorce in June 2022.
Wilkinson signed an order saying there was to be no visitation or contact between Argote and his four children, or their mother, Eugenia Argote, according to the partial judgment in the divorce case cited by The Herald-Mail.
The judgment also granted Argote’s ex-wife “sole use and possession of the family home” and barred the husband from entering the property.
Yeah, that’ll do it.
Deputies had responded to Argote’s home twice for reports of verbal domestic assault over the past two years, Sheriff Albert said.
Argote has been ordered to pay wife Eugenia child support of $1,120 a month for their four minor children, according to the court document.
Argote ran a digital advertising business with his wife, but they were experiencing financial woes during the divorce, according to court records obtained by The Maryland Daily Record.
During a court hearing a year ago, Argote’s wife testified that she and her husband had husband fought constantly, often about their divorce.
Around the time Argote filed for divorce, his wife petitioned for a domestic violence protection order against him.
Look – I don’t support killing judges.
But I’d be lying to you if I said I didn’t understand.
Men are being backed into corners left and right.
Instead of laying down and dying in the corner, they should probably… do something else.
U.S. Marshals have joined the search for homicide suspect, Pedro Argote (49) in Maryland. They are offering a $10,000 reward. This is a recent photo. He has ties in the states listed below. Please share. #andrewwilkinson #manhunt pic.twitter.com/8Sgela32Iu
— Rose (@901Lulu) October 21, 2023