Judge denies six motions in Wade Wilson case, who faces death penalty for 2019 murders

A judge this month declined six attempts by a man charged with capital murder in the 2019 deaths of two women to avoid the death penalty and seek separate trials.

Lee Circuit Judge Nicholas Thompson between Jan. 11 and March 12 denied six motions filed in the capital murder case against Wade Wilson, 29, of Fort Myers.

Wilson is charged with the first-degree murder of Kristine Melton, 35; grand theft of Melton's car; battery on Melissa Montanez, 41; first-degree murder of Diane Ruiz, 43; burglary of a dwelling belonging to Kent Amlin or Fannie Amlin; and petty theft from Kent Amlin or Fannie Amlin.

Since January, Wilson has challenged recent changes to death penalty recommendations by jurors; sought separate trials for the different charges; sought to bar victim impact evidence at trial; and hoped three aggravating factors would be dismissed in his case, alleging unconstitutionality.

Melton and Ruiz were killed within days of each other in October 2019. Melton was found dead in her home; Ruiz’s body was found in a field days after her disappearance.

Wilson was indicted by a Lee County grand jury in November 2019. He has been at the Lee County Jail since October 2019.

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State prosecutors have said in court documents that on Oct. 7, 2019, Wilson stole Melton's car after killing her and visited Montanez in Melton’s car and use Melton’s cellphone to contact Montanez.

After Wilson attacked Montanez, Gardiner said, he fled in Melton's car and encountered Ruiz in Cape Coral, where police say he killed her and repeatedly drove over her body using Melton's car.

Wilson then entered a nearby business, where he confessed the homicides to an acquaintance. When the acquaintance dialed 911, Wilson fled on foot and broke into a nearby home, leading to the latter two of the six charges.

Authorities found Ruiz's body in Melton's car, along with both women's cellphones, according to court documents.

Wilson has at least twice faced additional charges since his initial incarceration at the Lee County Jail for the 2019 homicides. In April of last year, he faced charges in a narcotics scheme.

In October 2020, Wilson, along with a man accused in a domestic violence case, was thwarted in a bid to escape Lee County Jail.

Wilson and his cellmate at the time, Joseph Katz, 33, were both involved, authorities said.

The sheriff's office report said Wilson was the primary planner and instigator of the attempt.

Wilson is next due in court April 29 for a motions hearing.

Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Threads @tomasfrobeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran and Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews.