Wade Wilson entered the courtroom for his sentencing after being found guilty of the murders of two women in 2019 Andrew West/The News-Press / USA TODAY NETWORK Wade Wilson sat in a Lee County, Florida courtroom on Tuesday Andrew West/The News-Press / USA TODAY NETWORK Wade Wilson strangled Kristine Melton, 35, to death after meeting her at a bar Facebook/kristine.melton.79
Wilson , dubbed the “Deadpool killer” for sharing the name of Marvel’s anti-hero , declined to address the court when presented with the chance.
“Not today. Later, when I come back, I will. But not today, no, thank you,” the convicted killer told the judge as he shook his head and had a slight grin on his face.
He was chained around his waist and ankles and wore a bright red prison jumpsuit and orange flip-flops while he sat emotionless beside his legal team as the judge imposed his sentence.
He also dawned a smug smirk while the judge read through his crimes.
Due to the totality of the evidence, the judge said “the court finds no basis to override the jury’s verdict.”
Wilson was sentenced to death for both first-degree murders.
He was also sentenced to five years in prison for grand theft of a motor vehicle, one year for battery, 15 years for the burglary of a home, and one year for petty theft.
The judge will be discussing Wilson’s position on death row at a later date.
‘JOYFUL CHILD’
The adoptive parents of Wilson pleaded with the court to spare his life, remembering him as a “joyful child” whom they still love.
“It’s been five years since the worst of this began. You can’t possibly understand how sorry we are for the families affected by this tragedy,” they wrote in a letter read by one of Wilson’s attorneys.
“We cannot change the past, but we wish we could. It’s easy to recognize the victims and their families and to feel profound sympathy for all they suffered and lost.
“But one group that isn’t often recognized as those also suffering is the family of the accused.”
The letter continued, “Wade was a joyful child, loved his parents and sisters, and was loved immensely in return.
“Then his addiction was added to mental illness, became frankly paranoid and delusional, and his sense of loss became increasingly sharp.”
The adoptive parents blamed the city’s health system for “putting a tiny Band-Aid” on Wilson’s mental health and “sending him back out to the world without a diagnosis.”
“The system failed him, and on that fateful day in 2019, we lost the last piece of the son we loved and all the hopes for his future,” they added.
“But despite everything, Wade is still our son, and we love him.”
Wilson showed no emotion as the letter was read out loud.
Wilson was born to drug-addicted teen parents and began showing problems around the age of 12.
Wade Wilson case - An overview
Who: Wade Wilson, 30, from Fort Myers, Florida.
Crime: On June 12 found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder, grand theft, battery, burglary, and petty theft.
Victims:
Kristine Melton, 35, worked as a waitress and lived with her friend in Cape Coral, Florida.
Diane Ruiz, 43, was an engaged mother of two who worked as a bartender in Cape Coral.
When: Both women were killed on October 7, 2019. Wilson was 25.
How :
Melton was strangled in bed as she slept after meeting Wilson at a bar with her friend Stephanie Sailors. After murdering Melton and wrapping up her bruised and broken body, he stole her car.
Hours later, he targeted Ruiz who was walking to work. He lured her into the car after asking for directions to a local school. They then fought in the vehicle, the mother attempted to flee and he strangled her, beat her, and repeatedly ran her over.
Defense: Mental illness and drug addiction. Forensic psychiatrist Dr. Mark Mills claimed Wilson suffered from “some kind of psychotic disorder.”
Jury Ruling: On June 25, the jury voted 9-3 and 10-2 in favor of the death penalty for the two murders.
Wilson’s Legal Team: Wilson’s legal team filed a motion on July 3, asking for a new trial or acquittal on the murder charges.
The motion was denied on August 15, 2024.
Sentence: Judge Nicholas Thompson was originally scheduled to sentence Wilson on July 23.
A defense motion was filed for a delay over scheduling conflicts for mental health expert witnesses.
The motion was granted, and the sentencing was delayed until Tuesday, August 27.
Wilson will have two sentencing hearings that day:
Spencer Hearing: This provides defendants with the opportunity to appeal directly to the judge.
Wilson’s Spencer Hearing is scheduled for 9 am ET.
Final Hearing: Judge Thompson will provide his final sentencing decision at 2 pm ET.
Wilson will be sentenced to life in prison, or sentenced with the death penalty.
‘DEADPOOL KILLER’
Wilson was convicted of killing Melton and Ruiz within a six-hour period on October 6, 2019, and boasting about the act.
Melton, 35, and her friend, Stephanie Sailors, met Wilson at a live music bar.
The trio went back to Melton’s Cape Coral home and after Sailors left, Wilson brutally killed her.
Wilson stole Melton’s car and saw Ruiz walking along a street later that morning and lured her into the vehicle before beating and strangling her.
He then pushed Ruiz out of the car and ran her over nearly 20 times.
Security footage shows Wilson erratically driving into a parking lot hours after he killed the two women.
After parking, Wilson left the car and entered inside a store before disappearing from view.
The business owner testified in court that Wilson confessed to killing someone once he was inside.
The witness added that Wilson appeared frantic and chaotic in the store.
Wilson repeatedly told the store owner he needed a “ticket, any kind of ticket” or “bus money.”
When the prosecution asked him to elaborate, the owner added that Wilson said, “No you don’t understand Josh, I killed people last night.”
FRANTIC REACTION
Wilson continued spiraling after the murders and broke into a stranger’s home after the killing spree.
It was there that he contacted his birth father, Steven Testasecca , who also testified on the stand.
Testasecca admitted on the stand that Wilson confessed to the murders and even relented, “I’m a killer.”
“He [told me he] needed help, he had done something he couldn’t take back,” he added.
When referring to Ruiz’s death, Wilson told his birth after, “I choked that b***h.”
“He said he rolled her out of the car, got back in, and ran her over until she looked like spaghetti,” Testasecca recalled.
Wilson pleaded with his birth father to call him an Uber, but Testasecca decided to call US Marshals instead in fear that he would kill again.
“I didn’t want him to do anything stupid and get killed. I told him to put his hand up and go outside,” he testified.
VIOLENT SPREE
The vicious brutal murders came after Wilson attacked his ex-girlfriend Melissa Montanez in the parking lot of her business, Mila Spa.
Montanez told police that Wilson had stolen her car and she wanted it back.
Authorities found Wilson in her car in a parking lot and body cam footage revealed their tense confrontation.
“I’m going to detain you, not arrest you right now, OK? I can’t have any problems, you understand me?” the officer told Wilson.
Wilson refused to oblige and sped off out of the parking lot.
‘HEINOUS, ATROCIOUS, AND CRUEL’
On June 12, a jury found Wilson guilty in the deaths of Melton and Ruiz.
Judge Thompson sided with the jury and called Wilson’s crimes, “heinous, atrocious and cruel.”
Wilson’s sentencing was anticipated for July, but the defense asked for more time to conduct brain scans.
Wilson’s attorneys argued that he should be spared from the death penalty and Dr. Mark Rubino testified that the killer suffered from brain damage that could result in impulsive behavior.
Medical Examiner Dr. Thomas Coyne testified for the prosecution that he disagreed with Rubino’s findings.
The judge ultimately sided with the state and Wilson now faces the death penalty for his crimes.
Hours later, Wilson killed Diane Ruiz, 43, before running her over Fox 4 Wilson’s family addressed the court in an emotional letter Law & Crime Network
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