Wade Wilson Execution Date: What We Know as the Florida Killer Awaits Death Row

As true crime keeps blurring the line between courtroom reality and viral spectacle, Wade Wilson’s case sits right at that intersection. The Florida man convicted of two brutal murders in 2019 now lives both on death row and at the center of a new Paramount+ docuseries.

As viewers dive into the series, many are becoming increasingly curious about Wilson's case. He's been sentenced to death, but his execution date is still a mystery.

Florida has not publicly set an execution date for Wade as of January 21. In Florida, the state cannot carry out an execution until the governor signs an execution warrant. That warrant is what officially sets the execution time frame. Until then, Wade remains on death row as his appeals move through the courts. Still, the details of his crimes continue to haunt the public.

Prosecutors said Wade first killed 35-year-old Kristine Melton after meeting her at a bar and returning to her home, according to People. They told the jury he strangled her while she slept, then stole her car. Hours later, according to the state, Wade encountered 43-year-old Diane Ruiz as she walked to work.

Prosecutors said he convinced her to get into the stolen vehicle and then attacked her. They said he beat and strangled Ruiz, pushed her from the car, and ran her over multiple times. The judge later described the killings as “heinous, atrocious, and cruel,” calling the second murder “cold, calculated, and premeditated.”

Police arrested Wade quickly after the killings, in part because of his own father. Court testimony revealed Wade called his biological father, Steven Testasecca, and admitted what he had done. According to Fox 4, Steven told the court his son said, “There was two people gone that would not be back. I’m a killer.” His father then contacted the police and helped persuade Wade to turn himself in, creating one of the most chilling moments in the case.

During the trial, the defense tried to pull the case away from pure premeditation. Attorneys argued that Wade’s mental state and drug use deserved serious consideration. According to Court TV, the defense called neurologist Dr. Mark Rubino, who testified that imaging and cognitive testing suggested Wade “may suffer from brain damage” that could contribute to impulsive behavior and poor judgment.

While the legal system determined his fate in court, parts of the internet took a very different approach. His mugshot went viral, and disturbingly, some people fixated on his appearance and even romanticized him. That cultural moment became the focus of the Paramount+ docuseries Handsome Devil: Charming Killer, which premiered in January.

The three-part series explores the murders, the trial, and the strange wave of attention Wade attracted online. It walks viewers through the manhunt, the courtroom drama, and the death penalty sentence. At the same time, it examines how and why people began calling a convicted killer “handsome” and turning him into a viral figure.