Wade Wilson Found Guilty of Brutal Murders of Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz, Jury Recommends Death Penalty
A Lee County jury has delivered a guilty verdict against Wade Wilson for the heinous murders of two Cape Coral women, Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz, in October 2019. The jury recommended the death penalty for Wilson after deliberating for just over an hour and a half. Nine of the twelve jurors recommended the death penalty for the murder of Kristine Melton, and ten recommended the death penalty for the murder of Diane Ruiz.
Wade Wilson was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder, grand theft, battery, burglary, and petit theft. The conviction and recommended sentence bring closure to the community still reeling from the loss of the two women. Kristine Melton, 35, and Diane Ruiz, 43, were strangled during a cross-county crime spree that shook the community to its core.
The events of that fateful night were reconstructed through testimony from key witnesses, including Melissa Montanez, Wilson’s then-girlfriend, and Stephanie Johnson, a friend of Kristine Melton. Montanez testified that Wilson took her car without permission after she refused to leave a bar with him. Johnson recalled meeting Wilson at the bar and described him as friendly and charming.
The prosecution presented evidence that Wilson met Kristine Melton and Stephanie Johnson at the bar and later attempted to drive them to Melton’s home in Cape Coral. After struggling to operate the stolen car, Wilson strangled Melton to death, leaving her body to be discovered later that evening.
The crime spree continued the next morning, with Wilson strangling Diane Ruiz to death. The harrowing details of Wilson’s crimes and the evidence presented in court led the jury to their decision, bringing a sense of closure to the community.
The recommended death penalty reflects the severity of Wilson’s crimes and the impact they had on the victims’ families and the community. The conviction and sentence serve as a reminder that justice will be served for heinous crimes, and those responsible will be held accountable.
In the words of the prosecution, “The jury’s recommendation of the death penalty reflects the gravity of Wade Wilson’s crimes and ensures that he will face the ultimate punishment for his heinous actions.” The community can now begin to heal, knowing that justice has been served for Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz.
The guilty verdict and recommended death penalty bring an end to a tragic chapter in the community’s history. The memory of Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz will live on, and their families can now find some solace in the knowledge that justice has been served.
Wade Wilson’s guilty verdict and the recommended death penalty serve as a reminder that justice will always prevail, even in the face of heinous crimes. The community can now begin to heal, knowing that those responsible for such atrocities will be held accountable.
