The father of Wade Wilson, a Fort Myers, Florida man sentenced to death for a 2019 double homicide in Cape Coral, played a key role in his capture and arrest.
In June 2024, Wilson was found guilty of killing Kristine Melton, 35, and Diane Ruiz, 43, on Oct. 7, 2019.
Prosecutors said Wilson met Melton at a Fort Myers bar, went to her home, and strangled her as she slept before stealing her car. Later that day, Wilson encountered Ruiz walking along a Fort Myers road. He lured her into the vehicle, attacked her when she tried to escape, and then ran her over multiple times.
After the murders, Wilson, who shares his name with the alter ego of Marvel character Deadpool, called his biological father, Steven Testasecca, confessing to the crimes in graphic detail. Initially dismissing the claims as fiction, Testasecca eventually contacted law enforcement, leading to Wilson’s arrest.
A 3-part documentary, “Handsome Devil: Charming Killer,” detailing the crimes, is set to premiere on Paramount+ Jan. 20, 2026.
Here’s what to know about Wade Wilson, his crimes and Steven Testasecca’s role in his capture and arrest:
Wade Wilson murders of Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz
Wilson, then 25 years old, met Kristine Melton, 35, and her friend Stephanie Sailors on Oct. 7, 2019, at Buddah LIVE, a Fort Myers bar.
After the bar closed, Wilson and the two women went to the home of Jayson Shepard where they stayed for several hours before leaving in the morning.
Wilson, Melton and Sailors then went Melton’s Cape Coral home. After Sailors left, Wilson strangled Melton to death as she slept in her bed and stole her car.
A short time later, Wilson saw 43-year-old Diane Ruiz walking along a Cape Coral street, asked her for directions to a nearby school and lured her into the car.
When Ruiz tried to exit the car, Wilson attacked her, beating and strangling her before pushing her out of the car and running her over 10 to 20 times.
After the murders, Wilson called his biological father, Steven Testasecca, several times, confessing to and narrating the gruesome details of the crimes.
Wade Wilson’s relationship with his father Steven Testasecca
Wilson’s parents were teenagers when his mother became pregnant and he was eventually placed for adoption, Steven Testasecca testified during the murder trial.
When Wilson was 18, he connected with his father who lives in Lakeland, Florida, and they stayed in “sporadic” contact.
His adoptive parents, Cindy and Steve Wilson, addressed the court in a letter read by one of Wilson’s attorneys during sentencing.
“Wade was a joyful child. Loved his parents,” they wrote. They said Wilson became delusional after his drug addiction began.
“The system failed him on that fateful day in 2019,” they wrote, “Please see it in your heart to not take our son.”
Wade Wilson called father, Steven Testasecca, after murders
On the day of the murders, Wilson called his father and told him he did something he couldn’t take back.
“I am a killer,” Wilson said, according to Testasecca’s testimony.
Testasecca, who was at work at the time of the call, said Wilson was a “good storyteller” and initially did not believe him. He told Wilson to call back later in the evening.
At least two other calls followed. It was not until a 10 p.m. call that Testasecca began to think what Wilson was saying could be true, he testified.
Wade Wilson reveals shocking details of murders in calls to father
Testasecca said Wilson confessed to choking Melton after she went to sleep.
Testasecca testified Wilson admitted to stopping Ruiz for directions before she got into the car and he choked her while he drove.
According to Testasecca’s testimony, Wilson said Ruiz was still breathing before he repeatedly ran her over.
“He was excited,” Testasecca said, adding Wilson said he wanted to make Ruiz “look like spaghetti.”
“He was wanting me to feel the same way he was feeling.”
Testasecca said Wilson did not show remorse.
Testasecca said he initially wanted to help Wilson, but his perspective changed when Wilson began delving into detailed recounts of the slayings.
“What if that was my mom?” Testasecca asked. “He would’ve done it again.”
How Wade Wilson was caught, arrested
Testasecca testified that during the latter calls in which Wilson detailed the killings, he put his phone on speaker with Testasecca’s wife listening in and relaying the information to law enforcement.
Testasecca asked Wilson for his location and told him he would send an Uber to his location.
Instead, Wilson’s location was relayed to police and he was arrested on Oct. 8, 2019.
Did Wade Wilson get death sentence in Florida?
During the penalty phase of Wilson’s trial, the 12 jurors had the option of recommending life in prison without parole or death.
Florida juries don’t have to be unanimous and can recommend death with as few as 8 votes.
On June 25, 2024, the jury voted 9-3 in Melton’s case and 10-2 in Ruiz’s case in favor of the death penalty.
On Tuesday, August 27, 2024, Judge Nicholas Thompson imposed the two death sentences.
Where is Wade Wilson now?
Wilson was back in court Aug. 29, 2024, two days after receiving two death sentences for the murders of Melton and Ruiz, to resolve unrelated drug and attempted escape charges he racked up while in custody in the Lee County Jail.
His move to death row was on hold while the criminal charges he accumulated in jail were pending.
As part of a plea agreement, Wilson pleaded no contest to charges of attempted trafficking in amphetamine or methamphetamine between 28 and 200 grams and conspiracy to traffic in amphetamine or methamphetamine.
Court records in the drug case connect Wilson to the prison-based white supremacy gang “Unforgiven.”
He received a 12-year sentence to run concurrently to the death sentences. Charges related to the escape attempt were dropped.
Just after 1:30 a.m. the next morning, Wilson was transferred from the Lee County jail to Florida’s death row at Union Correctional Institution.
Union Correctional Institution is located in Raiford, about 45 miles southwest of Jacksonville.
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This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Wade Wilson’s father Steven Testasecca was vital to FL killer’s capture
Reporting by Kim Luciani, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
