Maryland
Manhunt after Maryland judge shot in driveway hours after giving custody of suspect’s children to their mother
![Manhunt after Maryland judge shot in driveway hours after giving custody of suspect’s children to their mother Manhunt after Maryland judge shot in driveway hours after giving custody of suspect’s children to their mother](https://e3.365dm.com/23/10/1600x900/skynews-andrew-wilkinson-maryland_6331274.jpg?20231022145722)
A manhunt is under way after a Maryland judge was shot and killed in his driveway – hours after he granted custody of a suspect’s children to their mother.
Pedro Argote, 49, is wanted in connection with the death of Judge Andrew Wilkinson, who was gunned down outside his home in what police have called a “targeted attack”.
A $10,000 (£8,224) reward has been offered for information leading to Argote’s arrest.
Mr Wilkinson, a Washington County circuit court judge, was found dead on Thursday night outside his house in the Maryland city of Hagerstown.
His wife and son were home when he was shot, local sheriff Brian K. Albert said in a news conference.
He said a local resident had found an SUV belonging to Argote on Saturday morning and police were combing the woods in the surrounding area.
“We’re going to catch this guy, it’s just a matter of time,” he added.
Mr Wilkinson was the judge in Argote’s divorce case.
At a hearing on Thursday morning, hours before the shooting, he granted Argote’s wife an absolute divorce from him, as well as sole legal custody of their four children.
He also ordered Argote to have no contact with the children and pay $1,120 (£922) a month in child support.
Mr Albert said the shooting was in response to the custody decision.
Argote did not attend the hearing.
Read more from Sky News:
Three prisoners escape same jail in one day
Synagogue president found stabbed to death outside home
In June 2022, Argote’s wife filed a domestic violence petition alleging he had physically abused one of their daughters, Sky News’ US partner NBC News reported.
She wrote that she felt unsafe because Argote would keep a weapon on him and said she feared he would try to take the children away from her.
She also accused him of harassing her through emails and texts, watching her through the home’s security cameras and controlling her emotionally and financially. The petition was dismissed less than two weeks after she filed it.
Lawyer Michael Gast, who briefly represented Argote in the case, said on Saturday that he persuaded the wife’s lawyer to dismiss the petition because Mr Gast felt there was a lack of evidence.
![](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/np-logo.png)
Maryland
Fall chill overnight for Maryland
![Fall chill overnight for Maryland Fall chill overnight for Maryland](https://assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2024/09/08/7a088c3b-3dc2-4821-8244-284bc218ffe8/thumbnail/1200x630/d7d5a8a93dd785b206e321c69d378cd1/a1c45391f92f4fa56e6a3dae46ae727c.jpg?v=631cf5f2b4e8db7f9bc428589402864d)
Watch CBS News
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
Maryland
3 Takeaways from the Spartans’ Victory over Maryland
![3 Takeaways from the Spartans’ Victory over Maryland 3 Takeaways from the Spartans’ Victory over Maryland](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3540,h_1991,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/spartan_nation/01j796ara6amt9mb880d.jpg)
The Michigan State Spartans under head coach Jonathan Smith are 2-0 thanks to a road win against a tough Maryland team, 27-24.
Resilience might be the word to describe this squad so far. The Spartans made some big blunders against the Terrapins and still found a way to battle back. The gritty performance might have been enough to get the Spartans into a bowl game.
Here are three takeaways from the Spartans’ win.
Aidan Chiles: Very Young, Very Talented
Chiles looked vastly improved from the home opener against Florida Atlantic. Again, he looked like an 18-year-old quarterback.
Chiles got not just his first passing touchdown as a Spartan, but three passing touchdowns to go with 24 of 39 passing and 363 yards. He also had three interceptions, which very nearly cost the Spartans the game.
Chiles has about as strong an arm as any quarterback to wear the green and white in recent memory. He is dangerous when he is on the move.
Perhaps a critique is that he should try to make more plays with his legs, he has seemed cautious to these first two games. The first pass rusher to get to Chiles likely won’t bring him down — Chiles has a great feel for the pocket and he is quite slippery.
Chiles overcame some poor mistakes and throwing mechanics (his feet tend to get wide and it factors into his overthrows) to lead the Spartans in the most critical of situations against a sturdy Maryland defense.
Huge game for Chiles, who showed why the hype was so promising.
Can the Spartans Stay Healthy on Defense?
Already, this Spartans squad is beaten up. Dillon Tatum, a key defensive back, lost for the season. Wide receiver Alante Brown, whose injury allowed for Nick Marsh to announce himself to the world, lost for the foreseeable future. Kristian Phillips at guard was huge.
During the Maryland game, several Spartans were beat up. Few even had to go into the tent on the sideline. It will be crucial for the Spartans to remain healthy, especially on defense. Most especially in the defensive backfield.
The Spartans are very confident in their young defensive backs — Justin Denson Jr., Andrew Brinson IV, and Jaylen Thompson can all be very good players, but they need more time to develop.
If more Spartans fall to injury, the defensive backfield could get very young.
Nick Marsh is the Real Deal
Marsh was the recruiting gem of 2024, the best player in a class with plenty of good talent. A highly-rated four-star, Marsh was the No. 107-ranked player in the class by 247Sports. Marsh, of course, stood out in fall camp like the high-profile recruit he was.
6-foot-3, 208 pounds, Marsh already had a man’s body. At just 18 years old.
“Possesses the size, athleticism, and multi-sport profile that projects very well in the long term,” 247Sports’ Gabe Brooks wrote. “Traitsy mismatch wideout with high-major impact potential and the ceiling to develop into an NFL Draft candidate.”
With the loss of Brown, Marsh was asked to step up. Step up he did — eight receptions for 194 receiving yards and a touchdown. Wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins might have his next in the line of Jalen Nailor, Jayden Reed and Keon Coleman.
Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan Nation WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.
Maryland
Maryland, D.C. and Virginia get more money for house calls for moms and infants – WTOP News
![Maryland, D.C. and Virginia get more money for house calls for moms and infants – WTOP News Maryland, D.C. and Virginia get more money for house calls for moms and infants – WTOP News](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GettyImages-1304284918-scaled.jpg)
The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration will provide an additional $23.1 million in federal aid to the agency’s national Home Visiting Program in the District, Maryland and Virginia.
More money is on the way for a home-visiting health care program designed to provide better care for pregnant women, new parents and infants.
The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced an additional $23.1 million in federal aid to the agency’s national Home Visiting Program in the District, Maryland and Virginia.
The extra money is the first time in a decade that the program has received an increase in federal funds, HRSA administrator Carol Johnson said.
“What those resources mean is that we’re able to support nurses, social workers and trained home visitors, and help with those early days of being a new parent,” Johnson said. “All of this has been shown to really make a difference in kids’ outcomes. Kids are so much stronger because they get these kinds of supports.”
Johnson said the program’s success hinges on convenient health visits in a comfortable at-home setting.
“When you’re a new parent, if you have to take off from work and take a few buses to get to an appointment, you’re probably not going to do it,” she said. “But if that person comes to your house and they’re full of resources and knowledge, it’s going to make a huge difference to you.”
Rockville, Maryland-based HRSA spearheads the national program, teaming up with local health organizations to target and reach parents.
Home health care workers can provide breastfeeding support, safe sleep tips and developmental screening for babies. They can even help parents find key services like affordable child care or job and educational opportunities.
“It’s changed my life,” past program participant Fatima Ray said.
Ray said she was introduced to the program in 2015 when she needed help with her infant daughter. She and her husband were first-time parents and stumbled through the first few months with a newborn.
“It felt good, like I had someone on my team,” Ray said. “Those questions you forget to ask the doctor sometimes, she would answer them.”
The experience impressed Ray so much that she became a home health visitor. She is the maternal health coordinator at Primo Center, a homeless shelter for families in Chicago.
“The same care that was given to me, I just want to pass it on,” Ray told WTOP. “I know how much it made a difference in my life. Home visiting matters.”
President Joseph Biden signed bipartisan legislation in 2022 that doubles funding for the program over five years. The move was part of a campaign promise to lower risks linked to pregnancy and improve maternal health, especially among women in rural, tribal and low-income communities.
The national home visiting program will receive $440 million Maryland’s local programs will get $10 million of those funds. Virginia is slated to receive $11 million and D.C.’s home visiting programs will see a $2.5 million increase.
“This will push home visiting forward a lot more,” Ray said. “It’s just going to help tremendously.”
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
-
Politics1 week ago
Trump impersonates Elon Musk talking about rockets: ‘I’m doing a new stainless steel hub’
-
World1 week ago
Brussels, my love? Is France becoming the sick man of Europe?
-
Politics1 week ago
Trump campaign slams Harris as 'still a San Francisco radical' after CNN interview
-
Politics1 week ago
Harris says no regrets about defending Biden fitness for office
-
World1 week ago
Locals survey damage after flooding in eastern Romania
-
World1 week ago
Why is Belgium struggling to name a European Commissioner?
-
Movie Reviews1 week ago
'Maria' Reviews: What Critics Are Saying About Angelina Jolie's Transformation and Singing as the Opera Diva
-
World7 days ago
Taiwan court orders release of ex-Taipei mayor arrested in corruption probe