If you consider yourself to be a fan of true crime or have a curious fascination in delving into the psychology behind why certain individuals commit heinous crimes, the chances are high that you’ve heard of Wade Wilson.
Or perhaps you better recognize him by his monicker, the ‘Deadpool Killer’, a nickname originating via the fact that he has the same name as the popular Marvel character, Deadpool.
The 30-year-old, of Fort Myers, Florida has a rather unique look these days, and one that’s made him all the more compelling to people across the world.
Wilson was found guilty of the first-degree murders of Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz in June 2024. Two months later, a judge sentenced him to death for both killings.
The murders began after Wilson met Melton during a night out at a bar in Cape Coral on October 6, 2019. The pair later returned to her home alongside one of Melton’s friends. After the friend left, Wilson strangled the 35-year-old woman to death before stealing her car.
Police said Wilson later encountered Ruiz. According to investigators, he claimed she approached him asking for directions before getting into the vehicle.
“That’s all it took,” Wilson told police, according to UNILAD.
He later admitted he strangled Ruiz inside the car.
“I could tell she wanted to get out, so I was like, I’m just going to kill her real quick. Grabbed her by the neck and choked her,” he said.
On June 25, 2024, jurors voted in favour of the death penalty for both murders, with 10 of 12 jurors recommending execution for the murder of Ruiz, and nine of 12 for Melton.
Despite his horrifying crimes, it’s been reported that Wilson received attention from hundreds of women who attempted to contact him in prison.
There’s also been buzz online regarding his unusual appearance, namely the fact that his face is now covered in tattoos. When Wilson was first arrested in 2019, the tattoos didn’t go past his chin.
These days most of his face has been inked, and the reported symbolism behind the tattoos is disturbing to say the least.
Wilson’s initial mugshot in 2019 showed the then-25-year-old with ink up to his jawline, including the phrase “bred for war” scrawled beneath his chin. Later that same year, he appeared in court with a swastika tattooed on the right side of his face.
Five years on, the transformation of his face is eye-catching, if not wholly unsettling. The killer now has the words ‘HA HA HA’ inked beneath his left eye, as well ‘why so serious’ – a quote made famous by the maniacal Joker in Christopher Nolan’s second Batman film, The Dark Night.
On top of that, Wilson has also tattooed the area around his mouth to give the appearance of having been sewn shut, while commenters have speculated the ‘NMM’ tattoo on left half of his jaw is in tribute to the Marvel character Deadpool, who receives a similar tattoo in the comics.
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