Florida killer Wade Wilson's father Steven Testasecca was key to his arrest

The father of a Fort Myers man facing the death penalty in a 2019 Cape Coral double-murder was paramount to his capture and arrest.

In June, Wade Wilson, 30, was found guilty of the Oct. 7, 2019 murders of Kristine Melton, 35, and Diane Ruiz, 43.

Wilson, who shares his name with the alter ego of Marvel character Deadpool, met Melton at a Fort Myers bar and eventually accompanied her to her home where he choked her to death as she slept in her bed and stole her car.

A short time later, Wilson saw Ruiz walking along a Fort Myers road and asked her for directions. He lured her into the car, choked and beat her when she tried to exit, then pushed her out of the car and ran her over repeatedly.

After the murders, Wilson called his biological father several times confessing to the crimes in gruesome detail. After initially dismissing Wilson's calls and attributing the admissions to Wilson being a "good storyteller," Steven Testasecca, 46, contacted police.

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 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.

Wade Wilson called father 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 Wilson's biological mother 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?

On June 12, 2024, Wilson was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder, grand theft, battery, burglary and petty theft.

During the penalty phase of the trial, the jury voted 9-3 and 10-2 in favor of the death penalty for the two murders.

Judge Nicholas Thompson will decide whether to impose the death sentence. Sentencing is scheduled for July 23.

If Thompson confirms the death penalty, Wilson will join the 276 men on death row at Union Correctional Institution.

Wilson masterminded escape attempt from jail

Wilson, who shares his name with the alter ego of the Marvel character Deadpool, racked up additional charges while awaiting his murder trial in the Lee County Jail.

In 2020, Wilson and his cellmate were accused of tampering with a window in their cell in an attempt to escape. Wilson, who was reportedly the primary planner and instigator of the escape effort, also tried to set up a getaway car.

Deputies searched the 10x10 cell Wilson and his cellmate were housed in and found the window tampered with. The metal frame holding the window had been removed and there were several cracks in the thick security glass.

Wilson was charged with attempted escape and criminal mischief.

Court records in the case connect Wilson to the prison-based white supremacy gang "Unforgiven."

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This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Wade Wilson murders: Father Steven Testasecca key to killer's capture