Maryland judge killer Pedro Argote found dead, police say
Fugitive Pedro Argote was found dead Thursday more than a week after he allegedly gunned down a Maryland judge who had awarded custody of his four children to his wife.
At approximately 11 a.m. Argote's body was found in a heavily wooded area between Clear Spring and Bottom roads in the Williamsport area, the Washington County Sheriff's Office announced in a press release.
The location is about one mile from where Argote abandoned his 2009 Mercedes GL450 after the killing, the release says.
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Officials did not disclose the manner of death.
Last Thursday, Maryland Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson granted Argote's wife a divorce and sole custody of their four children after hearing shocking testimony of abuse. His wife testified that he had even stuffed a towel in his crying baby's mouth.
Argote, 49, who didn't attend the court hearing, was barred from contacting his children or visiting the family home.
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That night, Argote allegedly showed up at Wilkinson's home in Hagerstown and gunned him down in his driveway while his wife and son were inside.
The U.S. Marshals Service launched a nationwide manhunt for the suspected killer who the agency said also had ties to New York and Florida.
A $10,000 reward was offered for information leading to his arrest.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.