Wade Steven Wilson’s story is one that defies simple interpretation. It involves early-life instability, repeated run‑ins with law enforcement, shocking acts of violence, and a disturbing cultural aftermath that says as much about society’s fascination with true crime as it does about the perpetrator himself. Born on May 20, 1994, Wilson would become known to the world not as a comic‑book anti‑hero, but as the real‑life “Deadpool Killer” – a moniker that underscored both the macabre public interest in his crimes and the media’s uncomfortable blending of pop‑culture with brutal reality.
Early Years and the Making of a Criminal
Wilson’s early life was marked by instability. Born in Florida to teenage parents and quickly placed for adoption, his childhood was described by some close to the case as troubled and turbulent. Raised in the environment of Tallahassee, Wilson attended Chiles High School, where he struggled academically and behaviorally, facing repeated suspensions and early brushes with delinquency.
By 2012, at just 18 years old, Wilson’s life had already shifted into the criminal realm. Over the next several years, public records show a pattern of arrests for a wide array of offenses: burglary, grand theft, weapons violations, assault, and other violent encounters. These were not isolated minor offenses but the actions of someone increasingly familiar with incarceration. At times, his behavior in custody – including an attempted jail escape in 2020 – showed that the threat he posed was not limited to the outside world.
Psychological insights into Wilson’s early life paint a complex picture. He later claimed – and some medical testimony at his trial supported – that repeated head injuries and long‑standing emotional instability contributed to his behavior, though experts warned against simplistically attributing violent crime to trauma alone.
The Murders That Shocked a Community
The defining crimes of Wilson’s life occurred on October 6, 2019, in Cape Coral, Florida. Between late afternoon and early evening, Wilson murdered two women in cold blood – actions so brutal and senseless that they stunned investigators and later dominated national true‑crime coverage.
Wilson first met Kristine Melton, 35, at a local bar. According to police testimony and later trial evidence, he brought her to her home and strangled her to death while she slept. Just hours later, while driving Melton’s stolen vehicle, he encountered Diane Ruiz, 43. Wilson lured Ruiz into his car under false pretenses, strangled her, and then inflicted further violence by repeatedly running her over with the vehicle — a level of brutality that led prosecutors to label the killing “cold, calculated, and premeditated.”
Wilson was quickly apprehended after placing several phone calls to his biological father, confessing in disturbing detail to what he had done. His father, alarmed and shaken, immediately contacted law enforcement, leading to Wilson’s peaceful surrender that evening.
Trial, Conviction, and Sentencing
Wilson’s trial in June 2024 was swift and decisive. A Lee County jury found him guilty on all charges, including two counts of first‑degree murder, burglary, battery, and theft. The nature of his actions and the sheer violence involved led the jury to recommend the death penalty — a sentence that was formally imposed in August 2024.
In imposing two death sentences, the presiding judge described Wilson’s crimes as “heinous, atrocious, and cruel,” underscoring that the second murder — of Ruiz — was particularly deliberate, carried out after he had already taken a life earlier that day.
Even after sentencing, Wilson’s case continued to make headlines. While awaiting transfer to a Florida death row facility, he faced additional charges related to drug trafficking and attempted escape, which were resolved as part of a plea agreement in August 2024. He was given a concurrent sentence for the drug charges but remained on death row.
Life on Death Row and the Media Aftermath
Following his conviction and sentencing, Wilson was transferred to the Union Correctional Institution in Raiford, Florida — one of the state’s primary death row facilities. Reports throughout 2025 and 2026 documented his physical deterioration and the ongoing legal battles surrounding his case. Although execution dates in Florida can often be years away due to appeals, Wilson’s current status remains as a death‑row inmate, with official records showing his continued incarceration and appeals process as of early 2026.
Unsettlingly, his case also sparked a bizarre cultural reaction. During and after the trial, Wilson’s distinctive appearance — marked by heavy facial tattoos and a striking presence — caught social media attention in ways that alarmed law‑enforcement and observers. Some people, primarily women on platforms like TikTok and Reddit, developed what has been termed a fan following, expressing romantic fascination or even loyalty to Wilson despite his admitted murders. These reactions were significant enough to become a subject of wider media discussion and even motivated the creation of a documentary series.
Handsome Devil: A Documentary and the Cult of Infamy
In early 2026, the streaming service Paramount+ premiered a documentary titled Handsome Devil: Charming Killer, focusing on Wilson’s crimes and the cultural explosion around his case. Rather than merely recounting the events of October 2019, the series explored the unsettling phenomenon of Wilson’s internet notoriety – particularly how his courtroom demeanor and physical appearance drew unexpected public attention, overshadowing the victims’ stories for some viewers.
Directed by Brian Ross and Rhonda Schwartz, the documentary combined police footage, interviews with family members, prosecutors, and psychological experts, and commentary from true‑crime analysts. Criticism of the series focused on whether such media coverage inadvertently glamorized or amplified Wilson’s infamy, raising ethical questions about how real crimes are portrayed in entertainment media.
Societal Reflections: Why Wilson’s Case Resonates
Wilson’s story – especially the social media attention it garnered – highlights a broader societal issue. True crime has become one of the most consumed genres in modern media, and cases like Wilson’s often blur the lines between objective reporting and voyeuristic fascination.
Psychologists and media critics argue that the public’s reaction to Wilson – including the loyalty pledges from strangers and relentless internet commentary – reflects a deeper cultural trend: the attraction to violence and notoriety in the digital age. Rather than focusing solely on victims and justice, online discourse can sometimes turn perpetrators into characters or symbols, divorced from the real human tragedy involved.
The unsettling reality is that for some, infamy itself becomes a form of celebrity. This challenges traditional notions of criminality and punishment, and raises questions about media ethics, public empathy, and the cultural contexts that shape how we engage with violent crime. Wilson’s case, uniquely amplified by the coincidence of his name and his striking image, serves as a cautionary example of these dynamics.
The Knowledge Base 
Leave a comment