Wade Steven Wilson (born May 20, 1994) is an American criminal convicted of the 2019 murders of Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz in Cape Coral, Florida.

[3][2][4][5] Prior to the murders, Wilson had a criminal history dating back to 2012, including convictions for burglary, grand theft, and firearms offenses.

[8][9][7] His encounters with the law began in 2012 in Leon County where he was involved in various incidents, including burglary, assault, and firearm-related offenses.

Although she initially accused him of kidnapping and rape, investigators did not pursue these charges due to a lack of evidence and an existing no-contact order.

Later that day, Diane Ruiz, a mother of two and a bartender, was strangled and subsequently run over multiple times after being lured into Melton's car under false pretenses.

[17] Wilson's sentencing was marked by public interest and controversy, including numerous messages from individuals pleading for clemency.

Public reactions were mixed, with some expressing sympathy due to his mental health issues, while others focused on the brutality of his crimes.

[19] In jail, while awaiting trial for the murders, Wilson applied multiple tattoos on his face, including a swastika[15] under his right eye, and another one on the side of his head.

[21] In 2023, he pleaded nolo contendere to smuggling drugs into prison, in exchange for having charges relating to an alleged escape attempt dropped.