WADE WILSON REMAINS ON DEATH ROW AS LEGAL FIGHT OVER TWO DEATH SENTENCES CONTINUES

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Wade Steven Wilson remains on Florida’s death row after being convicted of killing two women in Cape Coral in 2019, with his legal battle now focused on the death sentences imposed against him.

Wilson was convicted in June 2024 of two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Kristine Melton, 35, and Diane Ruiz, 43. A Lee County judge later sentenced him to death for both killings.

The case attracted widespread national attention because of the disturbing circumstances surrounding the murders, Wilson’s heavily tattooed appearance and his shared name with Marvel’s fictional character Deadpool. The nickname “Deadpool Killer” has since been widely used by media outlets and online users, although it is not an official legal designation.

THE 2019 KILLINGS

The case began on October 7, 2019, when Wilson encountered Melton after meeting her at a Fort Myers bar.

According to evidence presented at trial, Wilson later went with Melton to her home in Cape Coral. Prosecutors said he killed her while she was in bed before taking her vehicle.

Later that day, Wilson encountered Ruiz, who was walking in the Cape Coral area.

Investigators said Wilson approached Ruiz and persuaded her to enter the vehicle. Prosecutors subsequently presented evidence linking Wilson to her death.

The two killings occurred within hours of one another and became the central evidence in the murder case against Wilson.

HOW POLICE FOUND WILSON

Wilson was arrested less than a day after the killings.

A key development came from conversations Wilson had with his biological father after the murders. According to testimony later presented in court, Wilson made admissions about killing two women.

His father contacted law enforcement, providing information that helped police locate Wilson.

Investigators subsequently arrested him and began building the case that would eventually lead to the 2024 trial.

JURY CONVICTS WILSON

After years of court proceedings, Wilson’s case finally went to trial in Lee County in 2024.

On June 12, 2024, a jury found him guilty of two counts of first-degree murder, along with additional charges related to the events surrounding the killings.

The case then moved into the penalty phase.

Under Florida law at the time, the jury’s recommendation did not have to be unanimous for a judge to impose a death sentence. In Wilson’s case, jurors voted 9-3 in favor of death for Melton’s murder and 10-2 for Ruiz’s murder.

A judge subsequently imposed two death sentences in August 2024.

Wilson was then transferred to Florida’s death-row system.

WHAT IS WILSON APPEALING?

One important point about the current legal proceedings is that Wilson’s appeal is focused on his death sentences, rather than simply reopening the underlying murder convictions.

His case is before the Florida Supreme Court as SC2024-1345, a direct appeal involving the death penalty. The court’s February 5, 2026 hearing concerned several legal arguments challenging the sentences.

One major issue involves Florida’s 2023 changes to its death-penalty law.

The revised law allows a jury to recommend death when at least eight jurors support the recommendation, rather than requiring unanimity. Wilson’s jury reached the required threshold in both murder cases.

Wilson’s attorneys have argued against the application of the law to his case.

FEBRUARY 2026 SUPREME COURT HEARING

The latest major public development came on February 5, 2026, when Wilson’s attorneys appeared before the Florida Supreme Court in Tallahassee.

The hearing did not unfold as a lengthy legal battle.

According to reporting from WBBH/Gulf Coast News Now, Wilson’s attorney acknowledged that recent court rulings had undermined the arguments the defense intended to present. The defense therefore ended its challenge rather than continuing with arguments that had effectively been weakened by those rulings.

Court TV also reported that Wilson’s attorneys said they intended to continue pursuing the case, potentially taking the matter to the U.S. Supreme Court after the Florida proceedings.

WILSON REMAINS ON DEATH ROW

Despite the attention surrounding his case, Wilson has not been given an execution date.

He remains incarcerated in Florida’s death-row system while his legal proceedings continue. A May 2026 report from PEOPLE likewise described Wilson as serving two death sentences and said his appeals remained part of the ongoing legal process.

The fact that an execution date has not been scheduled is significant: a death sentence does not automatically mean an execution will occur immediately. Capital cases can remain in the appellate system for years.

THE CASE’S UNUSUAL ONLINE FAME

Wilson’s case has also developed a large online following.

His name became associated with the fictional Marvel character Deadpool because of the identical name. That connection, combined with photographs of Wilson and widespread coverage of the 2024 trial, helped turn the case into a major true-crime story online.

In 2026, the case received another wave of attention after the documentary “Handsome Devil: Charming Killer” was released and Netflix featured the case in the second season of “Worst Ex Ever.”

The renewed attention has brought the 2019 killings back into public discussion years after they occurred.

THE TWO WOMEN AT THE CENTER OF THE CASE

While Wilson’s legal proceedings and online notoriety have attracted substantial attention, the criminal case ultimately concerns the deaths of two women.

Kristine Melton, 35, was killed in Cape Coral on October 7, 2019.

Diane Ruiz, 43, was killed later that same day.

Their deaths led to a years-long criminal prosecution that culminated in Wilson’s convictions and two death sentences.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

The Florida Supreme Court remains an important part of the legal process surrounding Wilson’s death sentences.

The court’s February 2026 proceeding addressed Wilson’s direct appeal, which raises multiple issues concerning the death penalty. The official court-related record identifies the case as Wade Steven Wilson v. State of Florida, SC2024-1345.

Wilson’s attorneys have also indicated that they intend to pursue further review if necessary.

For now, however, Wade Wilson remains on Florida’s death row, serving two death sentences for the 2019 killings of Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz.

His case continues through the appellate system, while the legal fight over whether those death sentences should stand remains unresolved.