The Handsome Devil

Wade Wilson's Double Murder Investigation

Cape Coral, Florida - October 7, 2019

The Last Normal Moment

The night of Sunday, October 6, 2019, began like any other in the vibrant social scene of Fort Myers, Florida. Kristine Melton, a beloved 35-year-old waitress, was enjoying an evening out with a friend, Stephanie Sailors, at a local bar known as Buddah LIVE. It was here that they encountered Wade Steven Wilson, a 25-year-old man with a troubled past and a charismatic, albeit unsettling, presence. The atmosphere was casual, the air warm with the lingering heat of a Florida autumn evening.

As the bar closed in the early hours of Monday, October 7, the trio, along with another acquaintance, Jayson Shepard, continued their evening at Shepard's home. The hours passed uneventfully, a final, fleeting moment of normalcy before the horror began. In the morning, Wilson, Melton, and Sailors drove to Melton's duplex in Cape Coral. Shortly after Sailors departed, the scene of casual camaraderie dissolved into a nightmare. In the quiet solitude of her own home, Kristine Melton was allegedly strangled to death as she slept. The killer then stole her black Nissan Altima, vanishing into the early morning light of Cape Coral.

The Heart of the Community

Kristine Ann Melton was the glue that held her family and friends together. Originally from Illinois, she had moved to Cape Coral and established a life working as a waitress. Her cousin, Samantha Catomer, testified during the trial that Melton possessed a quick wit and a personality that made everyone around her feel safe and understood. She was a godmother to her cousin's child, a devoted cat owner, and someone who loved to dress up, with Halloween being her favorite holiday. Her life was a tapestry of small, precious moments, tragically cut short at the age of 35.

Diane Ruiz, 43, was a dedicated mother and a hardworking bartender at the Moose Lodge in Cape Coral, a job she had held for five years without missing a single shift. She was engaged to be married and was known for her caring nature. On the morning of October 7, just hours after the first murder, Ruiz was walking to work for her 10:00 a.m. shift. Her routine walk, a symbol of her dependable nature, became the point of her fatal encounter. She was a woman with a future, a family, and a community that relied on her, and her sudden disappearance sent a chilling wave through the city.

The Confession and the Capture

The case shifted dramatically on the morning of Tuesday, October 8, 2019. After allegedly killing Kristine Melton and stealing her car, Wilson encountered Diane Ruiz walking to work. He allegedly lured her into the stolen vehicle by asking for directions to a nearby school. When Ruiz attempted to exit the car, Wilson allegedly attacked her, beating and strangling her. The brutality did not end there; he then pushed her out of the car and allegedly ran her over repeatedly, between 10 and 20 times, before leaving her body in a remote field.

Later that day, Wilson's biological father, Steven Testasecca, received a chilling phone call. Wilson allegedly confessed the horrific details of the two murders to his father. Testasecca, in a profoundly difficult act, contacted the authorities. This pivotal moment led to Wilson's arrest at a Cape Coral residence where he had allegedly broken in by prying open a window. He was initially arrested on charges of burglary, criminal mischief, and petit theft, but the confession to his father provided the crucial link to the two missing women and the stolen vehicle. The arrest of the "person of interest" was the major turning point that transformed two separate missing persons and death investigations into a single, cohesive double homicide case.

The Relentless Pursuit of Truth

The investigation into the disappearance of Diane Ruiz and the death of Kristine Melton was a multi-agency effort, primarily led by the Cape Coral Police Department (CCPD) with support from the Lee County Sheriff's Office. Before Wilson's arrest, the search for Ruiz was extensive. The CCPD issued a missing endangered woman report for Ruiz on Monday, October 7. Detectives went door-to-door in the neighborhood where Ruiz was last seen, seeking any information. The search focused on the wooded areas and dirt roads of Northwest Cape Coral, utilizing helicopters, K9 units, and drones to scour the dense terrain.

The community reaction was immediate and profound. Neighbors were shaken by the realization that a body could be hidden so close to their homes. A candlelight vigil was held for Diane Ruiz while she was still missing, a testament to the hope and fear gripping the community. The search concluded on Thursday, October 10, when Ruiz's body was discovered in a field, just blocks from her workplace. The discovery, though grim, confirmed the worst fears and provided law enforcement with the evidence needed to solidify the case against Wilson.

The Official Record

The official findings of the case, confirmed through court proceedings and law enforcement statements, establish a clear, albeit horrifying, sequence of events.

Charges and Conviction

Wade Steven Wilson was indicted by a Lee County grand jury on November 19, 2019, on two counts of first-degree premeditated murder, along with charges of battery, burglary of a dwelling, and petit theft. In June 2024, a Lee County jury found him guilty on all counts.

Cause of Death

The medical examiner's testimony confirmed that Kristine Melton died from strangulation. Diane Ruiz suffered strangulation injuries and extensive blunt-force trauma consistent with being run over by a vehicle multiple times.

Custody and Sentencing

Following his conviction, the jury recommended the death penalty. On August 27, 2024, a judge sentenced Wilson to two death sentences. He is currently incarcerated on death row at the Union Correctional Institution in Raiford, Florida.

Confirmed Evidence

The stolen black Nissan Altima belonging to Kristine Melton was a key piece of evidence. Furthermore, Wilson's confession to his biological father, Steven Testasecca, provided direct testimony linking him to both homicides.

The Unanswered Questions

Despite the conviction and sentencing, certain elements of the case remain unclear or were not fully established during the trial.

Motive

The primary motive for the murders remains officially unknown. The seemingly random and brutal nature of the attacks, particularly the second one, has led to much public discussion, but no definitive, confirmed motive was ever presented as fact.

Timeline Gaps

While the general sequence of events is known, the precise time between the murder of Kristine Melton and the encounter with Diane Ruiz is not publicly confirmed, leaving a small gap in the killer's movements on the morning of October 7.

Missing Evidence

The initial arrest was for a separate burglary, and while the confession was key, the full extent of physical evidence linking Wilson to the crime scenes, beyond the stolen car and the victims' injuries, is not fully detailed in public records.

The Principal Players