Dubbed the 'Deadpool Killer' due to sharing his name with the comic book character, Wade Wilson is a convicted criminal who has various felonies, including murder, theft, and burglary.
Who is Wade Wilson?
Wade Wilson was born in Tallahassee, Florida on 20th May 1994. After being given up for adoption at birth, he was raised by adoptive parents Candace and Steve Wilson. He attended Deerlake Middle School followed by Lawton Choles High School.
According to information given by anonymous former classmates, Wilson’s formative years were troubled and fuelled by drugs. His neurologist also suggested that head injuries during his youth may have contributed to his altered state of mind.
Wilson has committed aggressive and violent crimes, which began in 2012. These range from child cruelty to sexual assault, but his most prolific crimes were the murders of Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz.
Wilson is also known for his aggressive appearance. He has multiple facial tattoos, including a Nazi swastika symbol and slits on the corners of his mouth. He is also infamous for his stony-faced, emotionless demeanour during the trial for the murder of the two women.
The murders of Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz
35-year-old Kristine Melton and 43-year-old Diane Ruiz became the victims of Wade Wilson’s crimes within hours of one another on 7th October 2019.
The evening before, Wilson visited a live music bar in Fort Myers where he met Kristine. She was with her close friend Stephanie Sailors at the time, and they all stayed at the bar together until closing time.
Kristine, Wilson and Stephanie travelled to Kristine’s home in Cape Coral. After Stephanie left, Wilson strangled and killed Kristine in her sleep. She was found by police performing a welfare check, as her car was found in Fort Myers.
A few hours after killing Kristine, Wilson stole her car and happened upon Diane Ruiz. Diane was on her way to her 10am bartending shift. Wilson pulled over and asked her for directions to lure her into the car.
When Diane tried to exit the car, Wilson viciously beat her and strangled her. He then pushed her out of the vehicle and began running her over while she was still alive. Wilson ran Diane over approximately 10 times before dumping her body in a nearby field. It was three days until her body was found.
Melissa Montanez
One woman was lucky to get away with her life: Wilson’s then-girlfriend Melissa Montanez. Melissa testified in court during the trial against Wilson in June 2024. She told the court she had been with Wilson at the bar on 6th October but hadn’t wanted to leave when he did. She says that he took her car without her permission and left.
Wilson began calling Melissa the next morning before visiting the business she owns in Fort Myers. He showed up in Kristine’s Nissan Versa. Wilson tried to get Melissa into the car. When she resisted, he physically attacked her and tried to strangle her before dragging her upstairs.
He continued to beat her, but Melissa stated that he suddenly seemed alarmed by the blood. He ran away, leaving in Kristine’s car. Reports from 911 calls corroborate Melissa’s story, with multiple witnesses seeing a man dragging a woman.
Wilson’s sentencing
Wilson was found guilty of several charges, including two counts of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to death on 27th August 2024.
Opinion was divided during Wilson’s trial. Some felt he had severe mental health issues that had never been addressed. Others considered him a ruthless killer with no remorse.
