You’ve probably seen the headlines or the TikTok edits. Maybe you saw the face tattoos—the swastikas and the jagged stitches—and wondered how a guy who looks like a comic book villain ended up in a Florida courtroom. People keep searching for whether wade wilson is dead, and the answer is complicated by the fact that "dead" can mean two very different things in the American legal system.
He isn't physically dead. Not yet.
But as of 2026, Wade Steven Wilson is legally "dead man walking." He is sitting in a cell at Union Correctional Institution in Raiford, Florida. He’s on death row. In the eyes of the State of Florida, his life has a predetermined expiration date, even if the executioner hasn't flipped the switch just yet.
The Reality Behind Wade Wilson is Dead
The phrase wade wilson is dead usually pops up because of the sheer brutality of his crimes and the finality of his 2024 sentencing. This isn't a "whodunnit" case. Wilson was convicted of the 2019 murders of Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz in Cape Coral.
It was random. It was senseless.
According to trial testimony, he strangled Melton in her sleep after meeting her at a bar. Then, he stole her car and found Ruiz walking down the street. He lured her in, strangled her, and—in a detail that made even seasoned investigators nauseous—ran her over with the car until she "looked like spaghetti."
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When his father testified against him, he told the court that Wade said he did it "just because he wanted to." That kind of coldness is why the "Deadpool Killer" nickname stuck, and why so many people assume he’s already been executed.
Why He Isn't Gone Yet
If you’re looking for an execution date, you won't find one for next week. Florida’s legal system moves at a glacial pace, even for someone as notorious as Wilson.
- The Appeal Process: In 2025, Wilson’s legal team filed an initial brief with the Supreme Court of Florida. They are fighting the death sentence.
- The Jury Controversy: His sentence was unusual because it wasn't unanimous. Only 9 out of 12 jurors voted for death in one murder, and 10 out of 12 in the other.
- New Laws: Florida recently changed its laws to allow the death penalty without a unanimous jury. Wilson is one of the first people to fall under this new, lower threshold.
His lawyers are arguing that applying this new law to a 2019 crime is unconstitutional. They call it an ex post facto violation. Basically, they're saying the rules were changed in the middle of the game. Because of these complex legal battles, the Florida Supreme Court scheduled oral arguments for early 2026.
Life on Death Row in 2026
So, what is he doing while the internet wonders if wade wilson is dead? He’s living in a 6x9 foot cell. He spends most of his day alone.
There was a weird period where he was moved to Suwannee Correctional, which doesn't even have a death row unit, but as of late 2025, he was moved back to Union Correctional. That's the heavy-duty stuff. That’s where the state keeps the people it intends to kill.
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He’s become a bit of a cult figure, which is honestly pretty disturbing. Judge Nicholas Thompson, who handed down the death sentence, received hundreds of letters from "fans" asking for mercy. People sent him money. They made "Free Wade" petitions.
But the families of Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz aren't looking for mercy. Diane’s father, Felix Ruiz, famously told the court he would be there to watch Wade take his last breath. To those families, the fact that he is still breathing is a daily weight.
The Mental Health Factor
The defense tried to play the "diseased mind" card. They brought in neurologists who talked about brain scans and trauma. They showed pictures of his brain, claiming it was "impaired."
The prosecution didn't buy it. They argued it wasn't a brain injury; it was the drugs. Wilson had a history of substance abuse, and they argued he knew exactly what he was doing when he decided to kill two women for the sake of killing.
The jury, and eventually the judge, sided with the prosecution.
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What Happens Next?
The timeline for an execution in Florida is almost never short. Even with Governor Ron DeSantis pushing for faster results, the "direct appeal" phase can take years.
- Supreme Court Ruling: We are waiting for the Florida Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of his non-unanimous sentence.
- Death Warrant: If the court upholds the sentence, it goes to the Governor’s desk. He has to sign a death warrant.
- The Final Countdown: Once that warrant is signed, things move fast—usually within 30 days.
So, when people ask if wade wilson is dead, they are usually reacting to the news of his "death sentence." In the legal world, he is already a ghost. In the physical world, he’s a man in a jumpsuit waiting for a court to decide if his tattoos and his "diseased mind" are enough to keep him from the lethal injection gurney.
If you want to track the actual status of his case, you have to look at the Florida Supreme Court docket (Case SC2024-1345). That’s where the real story is written. The viral videos and the fan letters don't change the fact that he was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder.
He’s currently residing in Raiford, and unless a high-level court intervenes, his status on death row remains unchanged. The state has already labeled him as someone who has forfeited their right to exist in society.
To stay informed on this case, follow the official Florida Department of Corrections inmate population information or the Florida Supreme Court’s public case search. These are the only sources that will provide a confirmed execution date if and when one is set.