A murderer with Nazi face tattoos has been sentenced to death for the killing of two women, following a heartfelt plea from his parents.

A man with Nazi face tattoos, who brutally murdered two women, was sentenced to death on Tuesday in Lee County, Florida. Wade Wilson, 30, remained motionless in the courtroom as the sentence was announced, with cheers and applause erupting from the audience. Wilson had chosen not to speak before the court earlier that day.

In June, Wilson was found guilty of two counts of first-degree felony murder and two counts of first-degree premeditated murder for the deaths of Kristine Melton, 35, and Diane Ruiz, 43. He strangled both women within hours of each other on October 6, 2019, in Cape Coral.

The jury supported the death penalty with a 9-3 vote in Melton’s case and a 10-2 vote in Ruiz’s case. In Florida, a death penalty recommendation only requires the support of eight out of twelve jurors.

The jury also determined that the crimes were especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel, and that Wilson had a history of committing felonies, including offenses while in prison.

During a motion hearing on Tuesday morning, Wilson’s attorney, Lee Hollander, urged the court to impose two life sentences rather than the death penalty. Hollander asked County Circuit Judge Nicholas R. Thompson to consider whether his client was capable of understanding the criminal nature of his actions or if he was significantly impaired at the time of the offenses.

Hollander emphasized, “We’d ask the court to consider that death is irreversible,” a viewpoint that Assistant State Attorney Andreas Gardiner concurred with.

During the motion hearing, Assistant State Attorney Andreas Gardiner described Wilson’s actions as “not only ruthless and devoid of conscience but also as tragically reducing Ms. Melton and Ms. Ruiz to nothing more than memories and photographs.”

Prosecutors revealed that Wilson met Melton at a live music bar before murdering her at her home in Cape Coral, where her body was later found.

After leaving Melton’s residence, Wilson encountered Ruiz walking down a Cape Coral street. He approached her in a car stolen from Melton’s home, asked for directions, and when she entered the vehicle, he strangled her. Wilson then ran over Ruiz, causing severe injuries, the court was informed. The two women were not acquainted with each other.

During the trial, the jury was presented with evidence detailing the extensive injuries sustained by the victims. Melton had bruises on her face and body, hemorrhages on her neck, and contusions to her lungs, liver, bladder, and colon. Ruiz’s injuries included a fractured nasal bone, a laceration on her left breast, bruising on both sides of her body, and multiple rib fractures.

Judge Thompson had the final decision on whether to sentence the defendant to death or life in prison without parole. To impose a death sentence, he needed to evaluate both the aggravating factors identified by the jury and any mitigating circumstances.

“Considering the facts of the case, there is nothing in the defendant’s background or mental state to suggest that a death sentence would be inappropriate,” Thompson stated before sentencing Wilson to death.

Before the sentencing, three women sent letters to Judge Thompson pleading for Wilson’s life to be spared, citing his history of mental health issues, substance abuse, and perceived lack of parental support.

In her letter, Lindsay Brann, a mother from Alberta, Canada, wrote, “The records clearly indicate that Mr. Wilson suffers from severe mental health issues exacerbated by drug use,” according to Lee County Circuit Court records.

Wilson’s adoptive parents also submitted a letter describing him as “a joyful child” who “loved his parents,” and they claimed that he became delusional following his drug addiction. An expert testified that Wilson had used drugs the night before the murders.

Sara Miller, an assistant state attorney, noted that Wilson had been hospitalized in jail due to a fentanyl overdose.

During the motion hearing, Dr. Thomas Coyne, a neuropathologist and associate medical examiner, testified that he did not find any damage to Wilson’s skull or brain that would be considered a mitigating factor in the death penalty deliberations.

Dr. Mark Rubino, a neurologist, challenged this assessment. He reported observing signs of cognitive and emotional dysfunction in Wilson, which contributed to more erratic behavior and impaired judgment. Rubino suggested that a combination of Wilson’s brain injury and drug use at the time likely played a role in the murders.