Shooting suspect with Tampa Bay area ties on the run after killing Maryland judge: Federal investigators

TAMPA, Fla. - U.S. Marshals are on the hunt for a suspect in the shooting death of a Maryland judge who had just ruled against him in a custody dispute.

Circuit court judge Andrew Wilkinson was shot in his driveway by Pedro Argote, 52, on Thursday. Argote's Mercedes was found Saturday 10 miles from the shooting scene. 

Law enforcement officials believe he is not in that immediate area, and said he has ties to New York, Indiana and North Carolina as well as Tampa and Clearwater.

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"They obviously know that from either his spouse, telling them, law enforcement, that that's where he's frequented in the past," said John Muffler, the head of Aequitas Global Security and former U.S. marshal who studies threats judges face.

It's unclear what Argote's exact ties to the Tampa Bay area are, given most of his former addresses are in other states. 

Pictured: Pedro Argote. 

Clearwater police released the following statement: 

 "We have shared BOLO information with all of our sworn personnel and our analysts have looked into his connection to Clearwater. We are prepared to provide any support that may be requested of us." 

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"Those individuals who may know him and if they see him, they need to report him," said Muffler. "You don't want to be harboring a fugitive. You get yourself hurt, you get yourself arrested."

Muffler said it's likely Argote planned this in advance. He said judges' personal information is too often available online.

Pictured: Circuit court judge Andrew Wilkinson. 

"The government, those responsible for protecting our judiciary, needs to provide them the appropriate resources to protect their private information," said Muffler.

He said attacks on judges, both verbal and physical, have increased exponentially, though data is hard to come by because 23 states don't officially track it. 

There is a reward for anyone who provides information to U.S. Marshals that leads to Argote's arrest.