The manhunt for Pedro Argote, the suspect accused of fatally shooting Judge Andrew Wilkinson in Maryland, has come to an end as officials confirmed that Argote was found dead on Thursday. The search for Argote had been ongoing since October 19th, when he allegedly shot Wilkinson, a circuit court judge, in his driveway. The shooting occurred just hours after Wilkinson had ruled against Argote in a child custody dispute involving his estranged wife.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office announced that Argote's body was discovered in a heavily wooded area between Clear Spring and Bottom roads, approximately one mile northwest of where his vehicle, a Mercedes-Benz SUV, had been found abandoned on Saturday. The discovery of his body came as a result of a search that took place in Williamsport at 11 a.m. on Thursday.

Authorities revealed that Argote had ties to other states, including New York, Florida, Indiana, and North Carolina. The U.S. Marshals Service had offered a reward of up to $10,000 for any information leading to his arrest.

Judge Wilkinson, who was 52 years old, was presiding over Argote's divorce case, which had been filed in June of 2022. During a hearing on the day of the shooting, Wilkinson awarded custody of their four children, aged 3 to 12, to Argote's estranged wife. He also prohibited Argote from contacting or visiting the children and ordered him to pay $1,120 a month in child support. Additionally, Wilkinson banned Argote from entering the family's home in Hagerstown.

Court records showed that Argote's wife had filed a domestic violence petition against him in June of 2022, alleging emotional and physical abuse. However, the petition was dismissed less than two weeks later.

Washington County Sheriff Brian Albert stated that he believed the shooting was a response to the judge's child custody ruling. The killing of Judge Wilkinson is the latest in a series of high-profile attacks and threats on members of the judiciary and their families. In the past, there have been similar incidents, such as the shooting of a retired Wisconsin judge and the attack on a federal judge's family in New Jersey.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore expressed his condolences for Wilkinson's family and condemned the killing as “cold-blooded” and "vicious."

The investigation into the shooting is still ongoing, and a news conference is scheduled for 3 p.m. to provide further updates. The U.S. Marshals Service, along with local and federal law enforcement agencies, will continue to investigate and gather evidence to build a strong case against Argote.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office has urged anyone with information about Argote's whereabouts to contact them or the U.S. Marshals Service. The public is advised not to approach Argote, as he is considered armed and dangerous.