“‘Deadpool’ murderer looks nothing like before in new images from behind bars.”
Wade Wilson — the convicted murderer infamously dubbed the “Deadpool killer” for sharing his name with the Marvel antihero — looks almost unrecognizable in a series of recently released prison photos. Once known for his neatly styled hair, crisp suits, and efforts to conceal his tattoos during court appearances, Wilson now appears bloated, disheveled, and visibly deteriorated behind bars.
The 31-year-old was sentenced to death in 2024 for the horrific murders of two women in Cape Coral, Florida — Kristine Melton, 35, and Diane Ruiz, 43 — crimes that stunned the community and left even seasoned investigators shaken. According to prosecutors, Wilson strangled Melton in her home before stealing her car. Just hours later, he encountered Ruiz, who had merely asked him for directions. He then lured her into the stolen vehicle, strangled her, threw her from the car, and ran her over multiple times.
During the trial, prosecutors cited Wilson’s own chilling words as evidence of his intent: “It came across my mind to murder, just kill, kill, kill.” The confession, coupled with graphic forensic evidence, led jurors to convict him on two counts of first-degree murder, along with burglary, battery, and grand theft. Ten of the twelve jurors voted for the death penalty.
Now imprisoned at Florida’s Union Correctional Institution, Wilson’s transformation paints a stark picture of decline. His hair, once slicked back and carefully groomed, now hangs in unwashed curls. His skeletal Joker-style tattoo — stretching across his mouth like a haunting grin — remains visible, making his altered appearance even more unsettling.
Observers say the new images mark a haunting contrast to the composed figure who once tried to manipulate the courtroom with charm and presentation. Behind bars, the façade is gone. What remains is a man confronting the reality of his crimes — and the grim finality of a life on death row.