More than two years after Wade Steven Wilson was sentenced to death in Florida, his name has once again become the focus of intense public attention.

Known online as the “Deadpool Killer” because he shares his name with Marvel’s fictional character, Wilson remains at the center of a legal case that has not yet reached its final chapter. At the same time, a new wave of documentaries and renewed media coverage has brought the case back before an international audience.

Wilson was convicted in 2024 in connection with the 2019 deaths of Kristine Melton, 35, and Diane Ruiz, 43, in Cape Coral, Florida. A Lee County jury found him guilty of two counts of first-degree murder, and jurors later recommended death sentences. On August 27, 2024, Circuit Judge Nicholas Thompson formally imposed two death sentences.

But the courtroom proceedings did not end there.

THE DEATH SENTENCE TRIGGERED ANOTHER LEGAL BATTLE

Because Wilson received death sentences, his case entered Florida’s mandatory appellate review process.

The appeal, Wade Steven Wilson v. State of Florida, Case No. SC2024-1345, was docketed with the Florida Supreme Court on September 16, 2024. The court’s official case record currently lists the matter as OPEN.

One of the central issues raised by Wilson’s defense concerns Florida’s death-penalty law and whether the newer sentencing procedure could be applied to crimes committed before the law changed.

Wilson’s crimes occurred in 2019, while the sentencing procedure in effect at the time of his 2024 trial was different.

During the penalty phase, jurors recommended death by votes of 9–3 for Melton’s case and 10–2 for Ruiz’s case. Wilson’s attorneys challenged the legal basis for applying the newer procedure to his case.

The appeal raised multiple issues, and the Florida Supreme Court held oral arguments on February 5, 2026. The official Florida court video archive describes the proceeding as a direct appeal involving seven issues seeking reversal of Wilson’s death sentences.

The defense has also indicated that constitutional arguments could potentially be preserved for further review beyond Florida’s courts.

And despite the intense attention surrounding the case, the official docket shows that the appeal remains open. The most recent docket entry currently displayed is a May 7, 2026 order granting the withdrawal of one of Wilson’s attorneys as co-counsel.

THEN THE CASE RETURNED TO THE PUBLIC SPOTLIGHT

The renewed attention isn’t coming only from the courthouse.

In January 2026, Paramount+ released the three-part documentary “Handsome Devil: Charming Killer,” examining Wilson’s arrest, trial, death sentence and the extraordinary online attention surrounding his case.

The documentary premiered on January 20, 2026, with episodes titled “The Manhunt,” “Wade’s Wives,” and “The Death Penalty.” Paramount+ says the series explores how Wilson became the subject of intense online fascination following his arrest and trial.

The series also looks at the people connected to the case, using interviews and previously recorded material to revisit the investigation and courtroom proceedings.

Then came another major wave of attention.

Netflix’s “Worst Ex Ever” returned with a second season in 2026, featuring an episode titled “Dating the Deadpool Killer.” The episode revisits Wilson’s story through the perspective of Kelly, a woman who had been in a relationship with him.

Together, the documentaries have introduced the case to viewers who may not have followed the original 2024 trial.

THE NICKNAME THAT HELPED MAKE THE CASE GO VIRAL

The phrase “Deadpool Killer” is not an official designation.

It became an internet nickname because the real-life Wade Wilson shares his name with the fictional alter ego of Marvel’s Deadpool.

That unusual coincidence, combined with Wilson’s distinctive appearance and extensive facial tattoos, contributed to the extraordinary level of attention surrounding his courtroom appearances.

But the online fascination became a story of its own.

The Paramount+ documentary specifically examines how Wilson’s case evolved beyond traditional crime coverage and became a social-media phenomenon.

The attention surrounding his appearance and online image has also generated controversy, particularly because some people publicly expressed fascination or support for a man convicted in a double-murder case.

That contrast — between the seriousness of the underlying case and the unusual internet attention surrounding Wilson — has become one of the defining elements of the story.

BEHIND THE VIRAL NAME ARE TWO VICTIMS

For all the online discussion surrounding Wilson’s name, appearance, legal arguments and documentaries, the case ultimately concerns the deaths of Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz.

Their names remain central to the court proceedings and to the events that led to Wilson’s convictions and death sentences.

The renewed media attention has therefore brought back not only the story of the defendant, but also public discussion about the women whose deaths led to the case.

WHERE THE CASE STANDS NOW

As of September 2026, Wilson remains on Florida’s death row, while his Florida Supreme Court case is still listed as open.

There is also no publicly announced execution date reflected in the current Florida Supreme Court docket reviewed for this article.

That distinction matters.

A death sentence does not automatically mean an execution is imminent. The appellate process continues after sentencing, and Wilson’s case is still moving through the courts.

For now, the legal record shows:

• Wilson was convicted in 2024 of two counts of first-degree murder.
• He received two death sentences on August 27, 2024.
• His mandatory appeal is pending before the Florida Supreme Court.
• Oral arguments were held on February 5, 2026.
• The official docket currently lists the case as OPEN.
• The latest docket activity shown is a May 7, 2026 attorney-withdrawal order.
• No execution date is publicly listed in the current court record.

The trial may be over, but the legal story is not.

And as documentaries continue to revisit the case, the name Wade Wilson has once again become one of the most recognizable names in the true-crime conversation.

For the families affected, however, this is far more than a viral nickname or a documentary storyline.

It is a case that began with two women whose lives were lost, continued through a highly publicized trial, and now remains in the hands of the appellate courts.

The next chapter will be determined not by social media, documentaries, or public fascination — but by the courts.