‘Armed’ suspect in murder of Maryland judge may be headed for New York

Pedro Argote is wanted in connection to the shooting death of Judge Andrew Wilkinson

The “armed and dangerous” suspect wanted in connection to the murder of a Maryland judge may now be headed for New York as he remains on the run four days on from the shooting.

The US Marshals Service said in an update that Pedro Argote, 49, has connections to New York, in the Brooklyn and Long Island area.

He also has ties to other locations, such as Tampa and Clearwater in Florida, Columbus in Indiana and unknown cities in North Carolina.

A manhunt for Mr Argote has now entered its fifth day after he allegedly shot Judge Andrew Wilkinson dead in the driveway of his home in Maryland on Thursday evening.

Mr Argote is suspected of shooting the judge hours after he granted custody of his four children to his ex-wife, Eugeina Argote, in a divorce hearing earlier that day.

The vehicle of suspected gunman Pedro Argote was discovered Saturday morning in a heavily wooded area (US Marshals Service / NBC Washington)

The US Marshals Service is now offering a reward of $10,000 for any information that could lead to the arrest of Mr Argote while Washington County Sheriff’s Office has said it has concluded its search operations around Williamsport.

“No further information indicates that Argote is still in the immediate area,” the sheriff’s office wrote on Facebook.

The sheriff’s office continues to investigate leads and gather information about the shooting, while authorities warn that Mr Argote should be considered armed and dangerous.

Officers with the Frederick County Sheriff’s Dept. SWAT Team search for suspect Pedro Argote (AP)

The suspect’s car, a 2009 silver Mercedes SUV, was found over the weekend in a wooded area off Bottom Road in Williamsport – around eight miles from Hagerstown, where the shooting took place.

The sheriff’s office said in a press conference that they were yet to thoroughly search the car, but will be taking out the GPS and computer systems, as well as any other physical items, from the SUV.

Mr Argote allegedly has a history of verbal domestic assaults against his wife and family, according to court documents.

However, the sheriff confirmed that the suspect’s ex-wife and children are “well protected” as the search to find him continues.