Home › Case Library › Wilson v. State (Florida capital appeal)
Awaiting decisionWilson v. State (Florida capital appeal)
Will the Florida Supreme Court affirm Wade Wilson's convictions and death sentences in full?
Where the case stands
Oral argument held Feb. 5, 2026 (Case No. SC2024-1345). Wilson is challenging only the legality of the death sentences (non-unanimous jury recommendation), not the convictions; counsel said he is preserving federal claims for the U.S. Supreme Court.
Background
Wilson was convicted in June 2024 of the October 2019 murders of Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz in Cape Coral and sentenced to death in August 2024 on jury recommendations of 9-3 and 10-2. The trial went globally viral and his mandatory direct appeal is now before the Florida Supreme Court.
Charges
- Two counts of first-degree murder (Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz), death sentences imposed Aug. 2024 on 9-3 and 10-2 jury votes
The arguments
Prosecution/State: The death sentences are valid under Florida's 2023 statute requiring only an 8-4 jury recommendation, which the Florida Supreme Court upheld against the same constitutional attack in December 2025.
Defense: Florida's 8-4 non-unanimous death-recommendation law violates the U.S. and Florida constitutions and cannot be applied retroactively to 2019 crimes; counsel has said the fight is aimed at the U.S. Supreme Court.
The record
- Televised trial record. The 2024 guilt and penalty phases were carried gavel-to-gavel and remain archived by Court TV.
- Jury votes. Death recommendations of 9-3 and 10-2 under the 2023 8-4 statute — the retroactivity and constitutionality target of the appeal.
- December 2025 precedent. The Florida Supreme Court upheld non-unanimous death recommendations in December 2025, rejecting the lead argument Wilson raises.
The line-setting read at the time this market opened
At argument Wilson's counsel conceded the court's December 2025 opinion already covered his main points and said the real target is U.S. Supreme Court review — affirmance is widely expected; the open question is timing and whether any count draws relief.
Awaiting decision — The Florida Supreme Court's opinion on the direct appeal; no deadline and no ruling date announced. The ruling is posted here, and on the board, the moment it's confirmed by two or more independent news organizations.
Sources
Public record
- Court TV coverage hub — trial video and appeal updates
- Florida Supreme Court public docket — Wade Steven Wilson v. State of Florida
- Appellant's brief PDF from the Supreme Court docket
About this library
Every case on Bet! GUILTY or NOT? is a real, currently pending or recently decided court matter. This library carries the casebrief and the sources for every case on the docket — open or decided. Browse the full docket library.