WADE WILSON REMAINS ON FLORIDA DEATH ROW AS HIS APPEAL CONTINUES — HERE’S THE LATEST

Wade Steven Wilson remains on Florida’s death row as his direct appeal continues before the Florida Supreme Court, nearly two years after he was sentenced to death for the 2019 killings of two women in Cape Coral.

Wilson was convicted in June 2024 of two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Kristine Melton, 35, and Diane Ruiz, 43. A Lee County judge sentenced him to death in August 2024. He is currently incarcerated at Union Correctional Institution in Raiford, Florida.

His case is formally listed as Wade Steven Wilson v. State of Florida, SC2024-1345, in the Florida Supreme Court. The case remains open and is classified as a mandatory death-penalty appeal.

HIS APPEAL REACHED THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT

Wilson’s direct appeal has been moving through the state’s highest court since it was docketed in September 2024.

The Florida Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case on February 5, 2026. Court records show that Wilson’s appeal raises multiple issues concerning his convictions and death sentences.

The case has not yet been closed. A May 2026 docket entry also shows that the court granted the withdrawal of one of Wilson’s attorneys, Laurel Cornell Niles, as co-counsel.

WHY WILSON WAS SENTENCED TO DEATH

The case stems from events in Cape Coral on October 7, 2019.

According to evidence presented at trial, Wilson encountered Melton before later going to her home. Prosecutors said he killed her and then took her vehicle.

Later that day, authorities connected Wilson to Ruiz, who was found dead after being with him. Wilson was arrested the same day after his father contacted police, according to reporting on the case.

A Lee County jury found Wilson guilty of both murders in June 2024. During the penalty phase, jurors recommended death sentences for both killings, and the judge formally imposed the two death sentences in August 2024.

NO EXECUTION DATE HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED

Despite the death sentences, Wilson does not currently have an announced execution date.

Under Florida law, a death sentence cannot simply be carried out after sentencing. The required appellate and post-conviction proceedings must progress before an execution warrant can be issued. Florida’s statute provides that the governor issues a warrant after the relevant court proceedings and clemency process have reached the required stage.

For now, Wilson remains incarcerated while his case continues through the legal process.

The Florida Supreme Court’s docket is therefore the key place to watch for the next major development in his case.

A CASE THAT CONTINUES TO DRAW NATIONAL ATTENTION

Wilson’s case has received renewed public attention through documentaries and true-crime coverage, including a Paramount+ documentary released in January 2026 and an episode of Netflix’s Worst Ex Ever later that year.

But while public interest has grown, the legal status of the case remains straightforward: Wilson has been convicted and sentenced to death, his mandatory appeal remains open before the Florida Supreme Court, and no execution date has been announced.

For now, the next major turning point will come when the Florida Supreme Court issues its ruling on Wilson’s direct appeal.