Jury recommends death penalty for man convicted in Cape murders
A jury has recommended the death penalty for a man recently found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder in the killings of two Cape Coral women.
The jury’s death penalty recommendation for Wade Wilson, 30, who was found guilty for the murders of Kristine Melton, 45, and Diane Ruiz, 43, came in the penalty phase of the trial Monday. Wilson was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder by the same jury on June 12.
Wilson was also convicted of grand theft of a motor vehicle, battery, burglary of a dwelling, and first-degree petit theft.
The Cape Coral Police Department and the Fort Myers Police Department investigated the crimes which led to the identification and arrest of the defendant.
“A long time coming,” Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore said. “The first step in this process was the guilty verdict, and then step number two was the sentencing. I had a really good feeling that this was going to be the outcome, just from the solid prosecution by Amira Fox’s team, the overwhelming evidence, the work done by our detectives and forensics personnel, and the heinous nature of the crime. I hope this is the beginning of the peace process for the families of Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz.”
According to the State Attorney’s Office of the 20th Judicial Circuit, the state will be requesting that Judge Nick Thompson impose a sentence of death.
Thompson set the case for an evidentiary hearing, known as a Spencer hearing, for July 23. At this hearing the parties can present further evidence and make legal argument as to the sentence, according to the SAO.
Melton was found dead in her home on Oct. 7, 2019, the same day Ruiz was reported missing. On Oct. 12, 2019, Ruiz’s body was found in the area of Northwest 4th Avenue and Northwest 1st Street in Cape Coral.
According to the SAO, Melton was strangled to death by Wilson who attacked her as she slept in her bed. He then stole her car from her Cape Coral home and went to see his girlfriend and attacked her. She immediately contacted law enforcement.
Details from the SAO stated a short time later, Wilson saw Ruiz walking along a street in Cape Coral. He pulled over and lured her into the car as he asked for directions. He then beat and strangled her, eventually pushing her out of the car, and repeatedly ran her over.
Assistant State Attorneys Sara Miller and Andreas Gardiner, both of the State Attorney’s Office Homicide Unit, prosecuted the case.
In December 2019, the State Attorney’s Office filed a “Notice Of Intent To Seek Death Penalty” against Wilson for each of the two victims in the case. He was indicted on by a Lee County Grand Jury on Nov. 19, 2019.
The Grand Jury also indicted Wilson for one count each of battery, grand theft of a motor vehicle, burglary of a dwelling and first degree petit theft.
To reach CJ HADDAD, please email cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com