'Deadpool killer' makes chilling request to court after being sentenced to death
A convicted murder who has been nicknamed the 'Deadpool killer' made a chilling request to the court as he received his sentence.
The 30-year-old Florida man earned his nickname because he shares the same name as Ryan Reynolds' character in Deadpool, Wade Wilson.
Wilson appeared in a Florida court yesterday (August 27) after being found guilty of killing two women, Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz, on October 6 2019.
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Kristine, who was just 35, was found dead at her home in Cape Coral after being strangled.
Wilson was found to have stolen Kristine's car after ending her life, and used her phone to call his girlfriend, Melissa Montanez.
The court heard how Wilson assaulted Melissa, who refused to get into the car with him. He was still in Cape Coral when he ran into Diane, who asked him for directions.
Wilson invited Diane into the car, and when she attempted to get out Wilson strangled her and threw her from the vehicle. He then ran over Diane with the car.
At the sentencing, Circuit Judge Nicholas Thompson told the court the evidence proved the murders were 'heinous, atrocious and cruel'.
Arguing in his defence, Wilson's lawyers claimed he suffered brain damage from drug addiction, and had experienced abandonment issues after being given up for adoption by his biological parents.
However, the defence wasn't enough to stop the two first-degree murder convictions. Wilson was also found guilty of grand theft, burglary of a dwelling, battery, and petit theft.
Jurors recommended the death penalty for his crimes, and when handing Wilson his sentence Thompson said he had 'no basis' to overrule their recommendation.
Onlookers in the court cheered when they heard Thompson give Wilson the death sentence, but the killer had a request to make in relation to his time on death row.
Speaking in the court, Wilson's lawyer said: "I understand he has other cases pending here and elsewhere... but Mr Wilson asked me to ask the court within whatever authority you have to get him to death row as soon as possible."
The judge advised that the earliest Wilson's other cases - drug charges and an attempted prison escape - could be seen was September 16, with the date of his execution as yet unconfirmed.
When it does come time for Wilson's execution, Kristine's cousin, Samantha, made clear that she would be there to watch.
Speaking in a press conference, she said: "This will not be the last that Wade Wilson sees of us in a courtroom."
Diane's father also expressed plans to watch Wilson's execution, pointing out he never had chance to tell his daughter he loved her before her life was cut short.
Emily Brown