"The lack of a suitably grisly fate for Pilate put Christian apologists in a quandary..."

It looks like they speculated on more than actually read the Bible. There is a pattern of God blessing obedience and punishing disobedience. This happens on two levels: being held accountable for our actions on Judgement Day with eternal consequences (definite); what happens in this life leading up to it (varies). Psalm 73 and the Prophets (esp Habakkuk) show God in His sovereignty lets the wicked succeed to use them as instruments for His will. Job shows even the most righteous man on earth might suffer if it leads to the greatest good. He's an intelligent and sovereign being who dispenses grace (or not) as He sees fit.

Just a few verses tell you what matters about Pontius Pilate:

"I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment." (Matt. 12:36)

"I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it... I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works... If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire." (Rev. 20:11-15)

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. " (John 3:16-18)

"Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life." (John 5:24)

"If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified (sins paid for), and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." (Romans 10:9-10 NIV)

God exercising wrath during the earthly life is optional, varies, and usually isn't recorded. What is clear are Pilate's options when facing Jesus Christ the next time. Pilate is a sinner who also killed the Son of God. He'll face judgement for his sins with eternal punishment. If could and did repent, Jesus' death absorbs God's wrath against him via substitution on the cross (Romans 3:21-28). One of those two things happened.

The authors of the Gospels are more interested in what you will decide once they've shared the Gospel with you. I'll link it one more time: GetHisWord.com. Before you is life and death. Eternally. Choose wisely. Put faith in and surrender your life to Jesus Christ. Then, live this one with He who knitted you together in the womb, has a plan for your life, and works all things for the good of those who walk with Him. I pray more of you experience the peace I was given back in 2020 by making that decision. It's been an adventure, HN! I struggle but I'm never bored!