You’ve probably seen the face on your TikTok feed. It’s hard to miss. The swastika under the eye, the stitched-up "Joker" mouth, and that unsettling, smirking nonchalance in a Florida courtroom. But if you think you know the whole story just from a thirty-second viral clip, you’re likely missing the darkest parts of the reality. Wade Wilson known for being dubbed the "Deadpool Killer" isn't just a true crime curiosity—he’s a man who has fundamentally changed how the death penalty is applied in the state of Florida.
Honestly, the nickname itself is a bit of a fluke. He shares a name with Marvel’s merc-with-a-mouth, but there is zero charm or heroism here. We are talking about a brutal 2019 spree that left two women dead in Cape Coral. And while the internet obsessed over his "soulled" eyes and whether he wore makeup to cover his tattoos, the legal machinery was grinding toward a landmark sentencing that still has lawyers arguing in 2026.
The Spree That Changed Everything
It happened on October 7, 2019. It wasn't some grand plan. It was just senseless. Wilson met Kristine Melton, 35, at a live music bar called Buddha LIVE in Fort Myers. They went back to her house. While she slept, he strangled her in her own bed.
He didn't stop.
He took Melton’s car and drove until he saw 43-year-old Diane Ruiz walking to her job at a bar. He lured her into the car by asking for directions. When she tried to get out, he strangled her. Then, in a detail that still makes seasoned detectives nauseous, he pushed her out of the vehicle and ran her over repeatedly. He later told his biological father he did it until she "looked like spaghetti."
Why? That’s the question that haunted the trial. When his father, Steven Testasecca, asked him why he did it, Wilson didn’t have a motive. He just said he "wanted to do it." That lack of remorse—that pure, vacuum-sealed absence of empathy—is why the prosecution pushed so hard for the ultimate penalty.
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The Viral Courtroom and the Tattoo Controversy
By the time the trial actually rolled around in June 2024, Wilson looked nothing like the man arrested in 2019. He had spent his time in jail tattooing almost every inch of his face. We’re talking about a swastika, the "Why So Serious" style mouth scars, and various occult symbols.
It became a media circus.
Wilson actually won a motion to have a professional makeup artist cover the tattoos so they wouldn't prejudice the jury. But then, in a weird power move, he just... didn't do it. He showed up to court with the ink on full display. Some experts think he wanted the "monster" persona. Others think he just didn't care anymore.
What the Defense Tried to Say
The defense didn't have much to work with, so they went for the "diseased mind" angle. They brought in a neurologist, Dr. Mark Mills, who talked about Wilson's history of concussions—four of them—and how his brain was basically "mush." They argued he was "whacked out of his mind" on drugs and suffering from untreated psychotic disorders.
The prosecution wasn't having it.
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Assistant State Attorney Andreas Gardiner argued that being a drug addict and a "creep" isn't the same thing as being insane. They pointed out how calculated he was. He called his dad. He fled. He knew exactly what he had done.
The Landmark 8-4 Ruling
This is the part that actually matters for the history books. In 2023, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law that changed how the death penalty works. Previously, a jury had to be unanimous to recommend death. Now? You only need 8 out of 12 jurors.
Wade Wilson was one of the first major tests of this law.
- For Kristine Melton: The jury voted 9-3 for death.
- For Diane Ruiz: The jury voted 10-2 for death.
Under the old rules, Wilson would have received life in prison. Because of the new 8-4 threshold, Judge Nicholas Thompson was able to sentence him to death on August 27, 2024.
Where the Case Stands in 2026
If you think the story ended with that sentencing, you haven't been following the Florida Supreme Court. As of early 2026, Wilson’s legal team is still fighting. They filed an appeal arguing that applying the 2023 law to a 2019 crime is an "Ex Post Facto" violation. Basically, they're saying you can't change the rules of the game after the crime was committed to make the punishment harsher.
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Oral arguments for this appeal were scheduled for February 5, 2026. It’s a massive deal because if the court sides with Wilson, it could upend dozens of other death row cases in Florida.
Currently, Wilson is sitting in Union Correctional Institution in Raiford. He’s not the TikTok celebrity some of his "fans" (and yes, there are weirdly enough "hybridistophilia" fans out there) want him to be. He’s a convicted double murderer waiting to see if a technicality in the law will save him from the needle.
Understanding the "Deadpool Killer" Label
People often ask if he was obsessed with the character. Honestly? Not really. It’s just a name thing. The media latched onto it because it makes for a better headline. But the reality is much more mundane and much more tragic. Two families are broken because a guy with a history of burglary and battery decided he wanted to see what it felt like to kill someone.
It wasn't a movie. There were no quips. There was just a stolen car, a dark field behind a Sam’s Club, and two women who never came home.
Practical Realities of the Case
- Sentencing: Two death sentences plus 21 years for other charges (theft, battery).
- Location: Death Row at Union Correctional Institution.
- Legal Status: Under mandatory review by the Florida Supreme Court (2026).
- The "Fans": Law enforcement has warned about scammers setting up "Save Wade" funds that are actually just pocketing the money.
If you’re following this case, the next big thing to watch isn't another viral video of him smirking. It’s the ruling from the Florida Supreme Court regarding the jury unanimity law. That decision will determine not just Wilson’s fate, but the future of capital punishment in Florida for the next decade.
Keep an eye on the Florida Supreme Court docket for case number SC2024-1345. The transcripts from the upcoming oral arguments will likely provide the clearest picture yet of whether the "8-4" sentencing will actually hold up under constitutional scrutiny. For those tracking the victims' legacy, the Ruiz and Melton families continue to advocate for the finality of the sentence, often attending hearings to ensure the focus remains on the lives lost rather than the tattoos of the man who took them.