Wade Wilson sentenced to death: Florida death penalty explained

Wade Wilson , the Florida man convicted of killing two Cape Coral women in 2019, is headed to Florida's death row .

Wilson, 30, was found guilty on June 12 of the murders of Kristine Melton , 35, and Diane Ruiz , 43. Thirteen days later, on June 25, the jury recommended the death penalty .

Lee County Circuit Judge Nicholas Thompson agreed with the jury's recommendation and imposed the death penalty , one for each murder, during sentencing on Aug. 27 .

Wilson is currently being held in the Lee County Jail, but will be transferred to Florida's death row once unrelated charges , including an escape attempt , are resolved.

Here's what to know about the death penalty in Florida, Wade Wilson's crimes and victims:

Capital felonies eligible for Florida death penalty

Capital felonies, including first-degree murder and rape, are punishable by death or life imprisonment in Florida.

Punishment is decided during the penalty phase of a trial where aggravating and mitigating circumstances are considered.

Jury votes don't have to be unanimous for death penalty in Florida

Florida juries were required to vote unanimously for a death sentence recommendation until April 2023 when Gov. Ron DeSantis lowered the threshold by signing into law a bill allowing juries to recommend death with as few as 8 votes .

Wilson's jury voted 9-3 in Melton's murder and 10-2 in Ruiz's murder in favor of the death penalty.

Methods of execution: Florida death row inmates have choice

Persons sentenced to death in Florida can choose between two execution methods.

Death sentences are executed by lethal injection by default, but the person sentenced has one opportunity to choose death by electrocution instead.

Once the Florida Supreme Court affirms the sentence, the condemned must deliver a written request for electrocution to the warden within 30 days.

Where is Florida's death row at Union Correctional Institution?

Wilson will be housed with Florida's other male death row inmates on death row at Union Correctional Institution in Raiford, 45 miles southwest of Jacksonville.

Where are Florida executions carried out?

Florida executions – by lethal injection and electric chair – take place at the execution chamber at Florida State Prison in Raiford.

The executioner is a private citizen who is paid $150 per execution. Florida law allows for the executioner to remain anonymous.

Wade Wilson murders

Wilson, then 25, met Kristine Melton , 35, and her friend Stephanie Sailors on Oct. 7, 2019, at Buddah LIVE, a Fort Myers bar.

After the bar closed, Wilson and the two women went to the home of Jayson Shepard where they stayed for several hours before leaving in the morning.

Wilson, Melton and Sailors then went Melton's Cape Coral home . After Sailors left, Wilson strangled Melton to death as she slept in her bed and stole her car.

A short time later, Wilson saw 43-year-old Diane Ruiz walking along a Cape Coral street, asked her for directions to a nearby school and lured her into the car.

When Ruiz tried to exit the car, Wilson attacked her, beating and strangling her before pushing her out of the car and running her over 10 to 20 times.

After the murders, Wilson called his biological father Steven Testasecca several times confessing to and narrating the gruesome details of his crimes.

After initially dismissing the calls and attributing the admissions to Wilson being a "good storyteller," Testasecca, 46, put his phone on speaker with Wilson's biological mother listening in and relaying information to police.

Testasecca asked Wilson for his location and told him he would send an Uber to him. Instead, his whereabouts were provided to police who arrested Wilson on Oct. 8, 2019 .

Wade Wilson victims Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz

Kristine Melton grew up in Illinois and moved with a friend to Cape Coral where she worked as a waitress.

She reportedly was godmother to her cousin Samantha Catomer's child, owned a cat and lived in a Cape Coral duplex.

Melton loved to dress up and her favorite holiday was Halloween, Catomer testified during Wilson's trial.

Melton had a quick wit, made everyone around her feel safe and understood and "was precious, not just to me, but to everyone who knew her," Catomer said.

Melton was 35 years old when she met Wilson at Buddah LIVE, a Fort Myers bar. After leaving the bar and spending several hours at the home of Jayson Shepard, Melton, Sailors and Wilson went to Melton's duplex.

After Sailors left, Wilson strangled her to death in her sleep.

Diane Ruiz , 43, a mother and engaged to be married, was described as caring and hardworking.

She worked as a bartender at the Moose Lodge in Cape Coral and never missed a shift in five years.

Ruiz was walking to work for her 10 a.m. shift when she encountered Wilson.

A short time after killing Melton, Wilson saw Ruiz walking along a Cape Coral street and lured her into the car after asking her for directions.

When she tried to leave, Wilson beat and strangled Ruiz, pushed her out of the car and ran her over repeatedly.

Her body was found in a field three days later.

Contributing: Tomas Rodriguez, Fort Myers News-Press

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Wade Wilson sentenced to death: Florida death penalty explained