Slain Maryland judge remembered as dedicated and even-keeled
HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) 鈥� Just hours before he was killed last week, a Maryland judge known for being fair and even-keeled calmly explained his ruling in a divorce case following hours of emotional testimony.
On the losing end of the ruling was the man suspected of fatally shooting Washington County Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson later that day in the driveway outside his home. For Wilkinson鈥檚 family, friends and colleagues, it鈥檚 an unfathomable end to an exceptional life.
鈥淭his community is reeling. Our legal community, in particular, is just upended,鈥� said Brett R. Wilson, the circuit court鈥檚 administrative judge. 鈥淚t鈥檚 completely unexpected, completely irrational and unsettling.鈥�
Authorities said they believe Pedro Argote, 49, shot and killed the judge because he was angry about losing custody of his four children. Wilkinson, 52, ruled in favor of Argote鈥檚 wife following a hearing that Argote didn鈥檛 attend.
After a weeklong search spanning several states, Argote鈥檚 body was found Thursday in a heavily wooded area in Williamsport, about a mile from where authorities discovered his Mercedes SUV on Saturday. The area is about 8 miles (13 kilometers) southwest of Hagerstown, where the judge was shot.
A funeral service for Wilkinson was held Friday at St. Ann Catholic Church in his hometown.
鈥淣one of us ever expected to be here, doing this, today,鈥� Monsignor Bruce Jarboe said during his homily. 鈥淚t is, however, so important that we mourn here together today. Together in love, together in care, together in mutual support.鈥�
The service was closed to media, but the Archdiocese of Baltimore provided a recording of the homily.
Jarboe told The Associated Press later that Wilkinson and his family were longtime parishioners of the church.
鈥淭he tragic nature of this makes it all the more difficult,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 truly a loss to the congregation as well as the broader community.鈥�
He estimated about 700 people attended the funeral service, including many Maryland judges and Gov. Wes Moore. Jarboe said the large turnout speaks to Wilkinson鈥檚 character and dedication to his work.
Wilkinson previously presided over several high-profile cases since his appointment to the bench nearly four years ago, including a 2018 deadly stabbing outside a downtown Hagerstown bar and a high school teacher convicted of having sex with a student.
Wilson met Wilkinson years ago when he was fresh out of law school and clerking for a local judge. He was determined to follow in the footsteps of a relative who served as a judge in Pennsylvania, Wilson said.
鈥淪ome people have dreams. Drew had goals. And one of his goals was to become a judge,鈥� he said.
Wilkinson was never at risk of developing 鈥渞obe-itis,鈥� a term for judges prone to ill-tempered, authoritarian streaks once they don a black robe. He 鈥渘ever lost his cool,鈥� had a wry sense of humor and respected everybody who came to the courthouse, Wilson said.
Wilkinson readily took on tough cases, saving the court time and writing opinions and rulings that made cases simpler, Wilson said.
鈥淚t is that way of being able to depersonalize what was happening in the courtroom and focus on the job that he was appointed to do,鈥� Wilson said.
During the Oct. 19 divorce hearing, Wilkinson expressed deep concern for the children involved. At an earlier hearing where Argote represented himself, Wilkinson repeatedly paused to explain court procedures and make sure Argote understood the process. Argote was cordial in exchanges with the judge and didn鈥檛 raise his voice.
Washington County Attorney Kirk Downey, who worked with Wilkinson in the county attorney鈥檚 office more than a decade ago, said the county鈥檚 tight-knit, collegial legal community has felt a 鈥済reat sense of loss.鈥�
Wilkinson was 鈥渦nassuming鈥� and didn鈥檛 take himself too seriously. 鈥淗e treated people who appeared before him with kindness and respect,鈥� Downey added.
Wilkinson, whose late father was a U.S. Navy commander, was born in Guam and spent his early childhood overseas, including in Thailand.
Hagerstown became his home after his mother was hired as a law clerk there in 1983. He later clerked for the judge who hired his mom, retired Judge Frederick Wright III. Wright praised Wilkinson鈥檚 legacy in the immediate aftermath of his death last week, calling him 鈥渁n outstanding young man.鈥�
Wilkinson earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After graduating from Emory University School of Law in 1997, he worked as a clerk at Washington County鈥檚 circuit court and then joined a private practice.
He left the firm in 2006 to become an assistant county attorney in Washington County. Six years later, he started his own law office.
In recent years, he represented companies pursuing proposals to install solar farms in the largely rural communities around Hagerstown.
Wilkinson was sworn in as a circuit court judge in January 2020 after being appointed by former Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican. Bullet-resistant glass was installed for the exterior windows of Wilkinson鈥檚 chamber and courtroom, according to the Hagerstown Herald-Mail.
Hogan said in a social media post last week that he was 鈥渄eeply saddened鈥� by Wilkinson鈥檚 killing.
鈥淭his act of horrific violence not only takes away a respected community figure but also shakes the foundation of our justice system,鈥� Hogan wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. 鈥淲e mourn the loss of Judge Wilkinson, a dedicated public servant, and an exemplary member of our community.鈥�
Wilkinson coached youth sports, including soccer, and was active in his community, serving on the board of directors for the Hagerstown YMCA. He is survived by his wife, Stephanie Wilkinson; a daughter, Caroline; and a son, Grant.
Stephanie Wilkinson said in a statement Wednesday that her family is grateful for the community鈥檚 support and for law enforcement鈥檚 work on the investigation.
鈥淭his is such an unexpected loss to us, and words do not exist to describe the amazing person Drew was,鈥� she said.