Wade Wilson was charged in the deaths of two women in 2019 after he allegedly killed one and stole her car, which he then allegedly used to repeatedly drive over his second murder victim — among other violent crimes.
A man may have covered his extensive facial tattoos for his two-week trial, but it did nothing to help sway the jury his way. Wade Wilson, 30, was found guilty of murder following just two hours of deliberation.
According to CrimeOnline, Wilson was attempting to cover up swastika tattoos, as well as skeletal markings around his mouth and other markings along his jawline and up the side of his face.
Circuit Judge Nicholas Thompson allowed Wilson to cover his tattoos and wear street clothing, but denied several other motions by his attorney. He did not testify in his own defense.
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Wilson’s legal team reportedly asked the judge to try each charge separately and bar victim impact statements, among other complaints about changes to the state’s death penalty laws (only 8 jurors must vote in favor rather than unanimous now) and constitutionality of aggravating factors on some of the charges. The judge denied all these motions.
Heading into his trial, Wilson was facing six different counts, two for first-degree murder, one for grand theft, one for battery, one for burglary, and petty theft. All told there were five victims, and six guilty convictions.
Fox
According to the prosecution, Wilson murdered Kristine Melton, 35, in her home on October 7, 2019 after the two had taken drugs and slept together. He then allegedly stole her car. He then used her cell phone to contact another woman, Melissa Montanez, 41, reportedly his girlfriend. After meeting up with her, Wilson allegedly assaulted her and fled in Melton’s car.
He then encountered Diane Ruiz, 43, in Cape Coral while asking for directions, according to the case, and murdered her by strangulation, running her over repeatedly with Melton’s car “until she looked like spaghetti,” per what his father said Wilson told him during the trial.
According to Gardiner, Ruiz’s body was found only because vultures were circling it. She was found dead in Melton’s car, abandoned in a field near her home. Her family had to ID her by tattoos on her back due to advanced decomposition, per the prosecution.
After murdering Ruiz, Gardiner told the jury, Wilson went into a restaurant covered in blood and told the owner, described as an acquaintance, that he’d killed two women. But when the owner called 911, the prosecution noted, Wilson fled. They then argued he broke into the home of a couple who were out of town, completing his deadly crime spree.
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“This was premeditation all day long,” argued fellow ASA Sara Miller. “This is a man with no respect for women, with no respect for human life.”
Miller also repeated what Wilson allegedly told police after is arrest: “I choked her out until she couldn’t breathe anymore. It came across my mind to murder, just kill, kill, kill.”
“Despite his bragging and his boasting, he got excitement he wants to feel,” Gardiner argued. “This case was nothing more than a graphic, vulgar display of power.”
According to Assistant State Attorney Andreas Gardiner, “This case was about killing for the sake of killing.”
Wilson was reportedly expressionless as the guilty verdicts were read. “There is no situation where he’s going to be walking the streets. An animal like this needs to be put away,” Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore told local Fox affiliate WFTX.
With two counts of murder, the death penalty will be on the table when the jury reconvenes on June 20 for the penalty phase and the prosecution is seeking it. He could also be sentenced to life without parole. Regardless of jury recommendation, it is Judge Thompson who will decide Wilson’s fate.
