Wade Steven Wilson (born May 20, 1994) is an American criminal convicted of the 2019 murders of Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz in Cape Coral, Florida. Due to sharing the name of the Marvel character better known as Deadpool, Wilson has been referred to in the media as the "Deadpool Killer".[2] Wilson was sentenced to death in 2024 after being found guilty of first-degree murder, among other charges.[3][2][4][5] Prior to the murders, Wilson had a criminal history dating back to 2012, including convictions for burglary, grand theft, and firearms offenses.
Wade Wilson | |
|---|---|
 One of Wilson's mugshots, taken in 2024 at the Union Correctional Institution | |
| Born | Wade Steven Wilson May 20, 1994 |
| Other names | Deadpool Killer |
| Conviction(s) |
|
| Criminal charge | Six charges, including murder[1] |
| Penalty | Death |
| Details | |
| Victims | 2 convicted |
| State(s) | Florida |
Date apprehended |
|
Life and early crimes
editWade Steven Wilson[6] was born on May 20, 1994 to teenage parents,[7] and was adopted by Steve and Candace Wilson and raised in Tallahassee, Florida, where he was attending Chiles High School. During his youth, Wilson was often described as "troubled" and was reportedly involved in minor criminal activities and substance abuse. He also sustained several head injuries during his childhood and adolescence, which he later cited as contributing to his feelings of instability.[8][9][7] His encounters with the law began in 2012 in Leon County where he was involved in various incidents, including burglary, assault, and firearm-related offenses. In November 2013, Wilson was sentenced to prison for burglary and grand theft, serving until September 2014. In 2015, he faced charges of sexual battery and kidnapping after a woman accused him of assaulting her in his vehicle following a party. However, he was acquitted of these charges by a jury. By 2017, Wilson was incarcerated again for stealing firearms, serving until July 2018. Later in 2018, he was mentioned in connection with the case of Denise Williams, who was convicted of conspiring to murder her husband. During this time, Wilson allegedly attempted to fabricate evidence and even offered to kill Williams. In February 2019, his former girlfriend reported an incident in which he allegedly assaulted and strangled her. Although she initially accused him of kidnapping and rape, investigators did not pursue these charges due to a lack of evidence and an existing no-contact order. On July 1, 2019, Wilson was arrested again for battery. [10][7]
Murders
editOn October 7, 2019, Wilson committed two murders within hours.[11] The first victim, Kristine Melton, was strangled in her home after Wilson had met her at a live music bar. Later that day, Diane Ruiz, a mother of two and a bartender, was strangled and subsequently run over multiple times after being lured into Melton's car under false pretenses.[3][12][13] He called his biological father, Stephen Testasecca, soon afterwards and confessed to murdering the women.[14] Testasecca and his wife called the police[15] and Wilson was arrested the following day.[3] He told detectives that he would be willing to "do it again".[16]
Legal proceedings and public reaction
editDuring legal proceedings, evidence of Wilson's mental health was presented, including testimony about his brain injuries. A neurologist testified that brain scans showed trauma and impairment which might explain some of Wilson's impulsive behaviors. However, experts for the prosecution argued that drug abuse was a more significant factor in his actions.[9] The defense claimed that Wilson's drug abuse could have impaired his judgment at the time of the crime.[2]
Wilson's father, Stephen Testasecca, testified against him in court, recounting details of his confession over the phone. Testasecca stated that his son ran over Ruiz after realizing she was not yet dead, and also could not explain his motives beyond "I just wanted to do it." More than the required 8 out of the 12 jurors recommended the death penalty for Wilson (9 for the murder of Melton and 10 for the murder of Ruiz).[15] Having the power to take or disregard the jury's suggestion, judge Nicholas Thompson imposed two death sentences.[6] Wilson is appealing the decision to the Supreme Court of Florida.[17]
Wilson's sentencing was marked by public interest and controversy, including numerous messages from individuals pleading for clemency.[18] His case raised questions about the intersection of mental health, criminal behavior, and the justice system.[19][20] The case attracted extensive media coverage, partly because of Wilson's common name with the well-known fictional character, Wade Wilson, the "secret identity" of the Marvel character Deadpool. Public reactions were mixed, with some expressing sympathy due to his mental health issues, while others focused on the brutality of his crimes.[19]
Incarceration
editIn jail, while awaiting trial for the murders, Wilson applied multiple tattoos on his face, including a swastika[15] under his right eye, and another one on the side of his head.
In 2020, Wilson and his cellmate were accused of tampering with a window in their cell in an attempt to escape. Wilson, who was reportedly the primary planner and instigator of the escape effort, also tried to set up a getaway car.[21]
In 2023, he pleaded nolo contendere to smuggling drugs into prison, in exchange for having charges relating to an alleged escape attempt dropped.[22] He was sentenced to a fine and 12 years in prison, to be served concurrently with his death penalties.[23]
Wilson survived a drug overdose at Lee County Jail in 2023. The incident prompted an investigation by the Lee County Sheriff's Office. Investigators uncovered a conspiracy to traffic illegal drugs into the jail. Four others were also charged in the incident.[24]
References
edit- ^ Luciani, Kim. "Florida killer Wade Wilson sentenced to death. What happens now?". The News-Press. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
- ^ a b c Quinn, Liam (July 26, 2024). "'Wade Wilson' Is Ryan Reynolds' 'Deadpool' Alter Ego. But Real-Life Man Killed 2 Women 'for the Sake of Killing'". People Magazine. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
- ^ a b c Stimson, Brie (2024-06-29). "Florida double murderer goes viral for 'smug, soulless' courtroom demeanor". Fox News. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
- ^ "Strangled Women Murder Trial: Penalty Phase Continues Tuesday". Court TV. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
- ^ "Who Is Wade Wilson? Jury Recommends Death Penalty for 'Deadpool Killer' After Being Convicted of Murder". Yahoo News. 2024-07-03. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
- ^ a b Alund, Natalie Neysa (2024-08-28). "'Heinous, atrocious and cruel': Man gets death penalty in random killings of Florida women". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
- ^ a b c Luciani, Mark H. Bickel and Kim. "New death row mug shot of convicted killer Wade Wilson reveals one change in how he looks". The News-Press. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
- ^ Reporter, Erin Keller (2024-08-08). "Wade Wilson's 'Troubled' Early Years: The Making of A Convicted Killer". Newsweek. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
- ^ a b Reporter, Erin Keller (2024-08-26). "Wade Wilson Update: Killer's Neurologist Reveals Chilling New Details". Newsweek. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
- ^ Luciani, Mark H. Bickel, Tomas Rodriguez and Kim. "Florida killer Wade Wilson's timeline: The troubled path that led him to death row". The News-Press. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Quinn, Liam. "Why Did a Florida Man Randomly Strangle 2 Women Within Span of Hours 'for the Sake of Killing?'". People Magazine. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
- ^ "Swastika-covered murder suspect reportedly left his victim 'looking like spaghetti'". The Independent. 2024-06-05. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
- ^ "Florida man with swastika face tattoo strangled two women hours apart". Toronto Sun. Jun 14, 2024.
- ^ Rodriguez, Kim Luciani and Tomas (2024-07-08). "Florida killer Wade Wilson's father Steven Testasecca was key to his arrest". The News-Press. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
- ^ a b c Biro, Elizabeth (2024-06-25). "Jury recommends death for Wade Wilson". WINK News. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
- ^ Quinn, Liam (2024-08-28). "Real-Life 'Deadpool' Namesake Wade Wilson Sentenced to Death for Murdering 2 Women". People. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
- ^ Senne, Sommer (2024-08-28). "How long will Wade Wilson be on death row?". WINK News. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
- ^ Witulska, Natalia. "Wade Wilson: The unsettling trend of romanticising serial killers". www.msn.com. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
- ^ a b Helling, Steve; Keane, Isabel (2024-07-17). "Letters to judge beg him to spare the life of Wade Wilson". New York Post. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
- ^ White, Steven. "MSN". msn.com. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
- ^ Luciani, Kim (2024-07-02). "Florida killer Wade Wilson accused of masterminding escape attempt from jail". The News-Press. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
- ^ Stones, Summerleigh (2024-08-29). "Wade Wilson pleads no contest in other pending cases days after receiving death penalty". WBBH. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
- ^ Rodriguez, Tomas (2024-08-29). "Wade Wilson pleads to jail crimes Thursday, clears way for transfer to Florida death row". The News-Press. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
- ^ Keller, Erin (2024-10-02). "Florida killer Wade Wilson begins journey to death row, leaves Lee County jail for Raiford". Newsweek. Retrieved 2024-10-07.