What’s next for Wade Wilson after the jury recommended the death penalty?

Wade Wilson’s life is now in the hands of a Florida judge after a jury recommended the death penalty following his conviction for two brutal murders.

Wilson, 30, killed 35-year-old Kristine Melton and 43-year-old Diane Ruiz within a few hours in October 2019. He is accused of paying both women for sex and then strangling them. He was convicted of this just last month.

Florida law requires at least eight jurors to vote for the death penalty. Last week, ten of the twelve jurors at the Lee County Courthouse in Fort Myers voted for the death penalty in Ruiz’s murder. Nine of the twelve jurors voted the same in Melton’s murder.

Wilson’s tattooed face barely moved as the jury’s decision was announced, but he appeared to swallow several times.

Judge Nicholas Thompson will make a final decision on Wilson’s fate on July 23. If Thompson does not sentence Wilson to death, he will serve a life sentence in prison.

On the jury’s recommendation, Assistant District Attorney Sara Miller issued the following statement:

“You know, you’re asking somebody to take another life and that’s why it’s always a difficult thing. I think in this case, given the horrific nature of this case, it was a justified act. Both murders were particularly heinous, cruel and gruesome. He inflicted pain and he showed complete indifference to her (Melton’s) life.”

“We’ve heard from many women who have been victimized by defendants but perhaps haven’t filed charges or haven’t found justice in the justice system for whatever reason,” Miller continued. “I think this victory really keeps a lot of people safe.”

Local news channel WINK News asked Wilson’s attorney Kevin Shirley if his client’s mild reaction was “swallowing in shock” or “everything kicking in.”

“I don’t know – Mr. Wilson is a pretty complex person. I don’t know if it had anything to do with the shock. Maybe it was a final realization that the whole thing is almost solved,” Shirley said.

Male inmates on Florida’s death row are housed at the Union Correctional Institution in Raiford. When a death warrant is signed, they are transferred to death row at Florida State Prison in Starke, where their cells are just a few rooms away from the execution chamber.

Death row inmates receive three meals a day and are allowed to shower every other day. They can be distinguished from other inmates by their orange T-shirts, while other inmates wear blue shirts and pants.

Who are Wade Wilson’s victims?

According to the News-Press, Melton was remembered during the trial as a cat lover and good friend. Her friend since high school, Stephanie Sailors, 41, testified that she and Melton lived in Colorado before moving to Cape Coral together and worked as waitresses at the same restaurant.

Melton’s cousin, Samantha Catomer, testified that Melton was her child’s quick-witted godmother who made everyone feel safe and understood, the outlet reported.

“Kristine will never experience being a mother, a role she was born for,” Catomer said tearfully.

Ruiz was reported missing on October 7. The bartender was walking to her job at a nearby bar when Wilson approached her in a car he stole from Melton’s house and asked for directions. Ruiz got into the car, where Wilson strangled her and “ran her over until she looked like spaghetti,” Wilson’s father said his son admitted during his testimony. Ruiz’s body was found in a field behind a Sam’s Club on October 10.

Ruiz was the mother of two sons: Brandon Cuellar, 29, and Zane Romero, 19.

Romero testified that his mother’s death occurred just days before his debut in the high school marching band, which she watched with great joy.

“I never saw her in the crowd,” Romero said. “My mother will never see my wedding.”

Her colleagues remember Ruiz as someone who never missed a shift in her five years at the bar. Her former colleague Linda Giancola remembered her late friend in an interview with NBC 2 last week.

“Diane was the heart of the bar,” Giancola said. “She was always there for everyone. She just had this personality that was really great. She had this really loud laugh that you could hear for miles.”

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