He was young, tattooed, and he showed up in court with a smile that made people uneasy. He went viral on social platforms. He made a call to his father and said something chilling. >> Was it that bad, son? >> It was that bad, Dad. I mean, I ran over her with a car 100 times. You know, >> that confession captured on jail audio set a chain of events that would end with a guilty verdict and a jury recommending the death penalty. But what he did next will leave you speechless. This is the story of Wade Steven Wilson, one of Florida's most notorious convicts. Wade Steven Wilson was born in 1994 and grew up in Florida. Those who looked back at his early years painted a picture of a troubled youth, run-ins with the law, substance problems, and a series of escalating offenses that would carry him into adulthood. Over time, his life accumulated a patchwork of arrests and releases. Each one a prelude to something darker. But what made the case explode across social platforms was the stark public image that accompanied his later court appearances. A heavily tattooed man, sometimes appearing unfazed, sometimes smirking. Clips of those moments were clipped and shared on Tik Tok and elsewhere. On October 6th to 7th, 2019, two women, strangers to each other, lives were taken in Cape Coral, Florida. The prosecution later said that the attacks happened within hours of each other. The first victim was 35-year-old Christine Melton. She was found in her Cape Coral home, asleep after a night out at a bar. Investigators say she was strangled, tied, and then left behind when the suspect took her car. Just hours later, 43-year-old Diane Ruiz was walking along a roadway when she was lured into that very car. Once inside, according to the testimony, she was attacked again, this time beaten and strangled. Then the suspect returned to the vehicle and drove over her repeatedly. Strangulation was the cause of death in both cases. The final terrifying link between them. It was brutal. It was calculated. and it left no doubt in the minds of the detectives what had unfolded. As investigators closed in, Wade Wilson made a phone call that would change everything. It wasn't to a friend or an attorney. It was to his father, Steven Testeka. On that call made before his arrest, Wilson began to describe what had happened in disturbing detail. >> Was it that bad, son? >> It was that bad, Dad. I mean, I ran over her with a [ __ ] car a 100 times, you know. >> Did you stab that first girl? Did I stab her? No, >> you choked her. >> Yeah, I just choked her. Yeah, that's it. >> Okay. So, the blood you had all over you was from the second girl. >> It might have been. It might have been. Yeah. Either that or it was my own Either that or it was my own blood because I had climbed a couple fences and stuff like that and I had got blood. I had cut myself. >> At one point, Wilson spoke in a chilling tone, describing one of the women in a way that revealed both cruelty and detachment. The words were so unsettling that his father immediately ended the call and contacted law enforcement. That decision, a father, turning in his own son, became one of the most defining moments in the case. After Wade Wilson's arrest, his father, Steven Tesca, went to visit him at the Lee County Jail. The meeting was tense, a painful confrontation between a father and son. Steven tried to understand why why his son, who had once been charming, athletic, and full of potential, had gone down such a dark path. Wade, however, showed little emotion. At moments, he appeared to smirk, even joke behavior that would later disturb many who watched the footage. >> What I don't understand, you know, and I don't whatever. Was that Was that just random as [ __ ] >> Yeah. >> Yeah, I knew it. I knew it was. >> Yeah, it's, you know, You lost your goddamn mind. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. You lost your mind, son. What I'm saying, he resists. Everybody in the state, not county. Everybody in the state thinks you're a monster. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, yes. Yes. You did some monster [ __ ] >> But you know what? You can show them that when you [ __ ] got your [ __ ] back together up here. >> Yeah. >> You You had remorse and you fixed it, son. Okay. So, God, I love you. >> I'm not going to leave your side. I'm not going to [ __ ] throw you to the woods. >> All right, man. Not going to leave me, Dad, in here. >> I'm not going to leave you. Why would you leave? >> Well, I don't know, man. You know, when I called you before, you know? >> Yeah, because you call me in the middle of the day when I'm call, >> you know. >> All right. >> But listen, I know I'm not going to leave you. >> All right, man. That's the biggest thing I worry I worry about that cuz that happened last time. That's what I worry. How long do you think you're going to get me in prison for? Right. >> Yeah, for sure. Okay. I'm sorry. I'm going to be real with you for sure. >> Then the other thing that's going to hurt you is the brutality of it. >> Yeah, it's sick. >> Is it that bad with the first one, too? >> No, the second one's terrible, though. >> I know. >> Yeah. >> Is it true what you told me? >> Yeah. Oh, the second one's horrible. >> I know, dog. >> Yes. >> God damn it. >> I mean, yeah, it's not good. >> Yeah, >> that's for sure. >> I know. >> Later in court, Steven took the stand and recounted both the phone call and the jail visit. His testimony was raw and emotional. He told jurors how his son had described the ax in detail, how he had no choice but to tell the truth no matter how much it broke him inside. >> Uh, did Wade Wilson get in touch with you through phone call that day? >> Yes, ma'am. >> And what was it that he told you when he called? >> He just told me, you know, he did something. There was two people gone that would not be back. He He said, "I'm a killer." Um, you know, I just told him to call me back. I just thought it was another story. You know, >> when he talked about these two people who were no longer with us and that he was a killer, did he show any type of remorse? >> No, ma'am. >> So, let's start with the first girl. If you could tell the jurors, what did he tell you? >> He just said he met a girl at a bar. They went back to her house, hung out for a little bit, and then she fell asleep. >> What did he say happened after she fell asleep? >> He said he got on top of her and choked her. >> What name did he call her? >> Did he did he refer to her as derogatory term? >> He said, "I I choked that bitch." >> Okay. Um, and what did he say he did after he choked her? He said he stayed in the house for a little while and then um he rolled her up and was going to try to put her in her trunk, but he couldn't lift her. >> Did he say why he was unable to put her in her trunk? >> He said that he felt like rigam mortise had started to set in. >> And does rigor mortise make your body stiff? >> You didn't know? >> I think so. Yeah. Um, so he just told you that that was the reason that he couldn't lift her and get her into her trunk. >> Yes, ma'am. >> And when he said her trunk, he it was the trunk of her car he was going to put her in. >> Yes, ma'am. >> So, what did he tell you he did when he couldn't get her body into her own trunk? >> He left her there and took her car. >> What did he say uh about the second girl? >> He said he saw her walking down the street and stopped and asked her for directions. and she got in the car with him. >> What did he say happened once she got in the car with him? >> He said he reached over and choked her. >> And did he tell you that he choked her while he was driving? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Now, what did he say happened after he choked her? >> He said he was looking for a place to put her body. >> Um, did he find a place where he eventually dumped her body? Yes, ma'am. >> What did he tell you about uh the situation when he got to the place where he was going to dump her body? >> He said that he pulled her out of the car and realized that she was still breathing. >> So, what did he tell you he did when he realized she's still breathing? >> He said he got back in the car and ran her over until she looked like spaghetti. The courtroom fell silent as Steven<unk>'s voice cracked. It wasn't just the story of a criminal case. It was the story of a father watching his own son self-destruct. That moment became one of the emotional turning points in the trial. A testimony that reminded everyone in the room that this case wasn't only about evidence and verdicts, but about the human cost of irreversible decisions. Despite the jail call and his admission, Wilson would raise different defenses in court. His legal team argued that a history of substance abuse, prior head injuries, and diagnosible mental health issues affected his impulse control and behavior. Neurological experts would later testify about possible brain trauma, while the defense painted a picture of a vulnerable man whose worst impulses had been fueled by drugs and a damaged brain. As the trial continues, Wade Wilson would walked into the courtroom with a demeanor that caught everyone's attention. He didn't look nervous or remorseful. Instead, he often appeared relaxed, even amused, occasionally flashing a smile, whispering to his attorneys, or glancing at the cameras with a look that some described as smug. But what truly sealed the case was his father's testimony. the moment when Steven Tesseka took the stand and told the court what his son had confessed during that phone call and their jail visit. Throughout the trial, his behavior became a point of public fascination. Suddenly, social media lit up. Women across Tik Tok and other platforms began sending messages declaring they could save him or be the one to change him. They were captivated by his looks, the charming smile, the athletic build, the confidence he exuded. Others commented how his lack of remorse seemed to contrast sharply with the devastating pain expressed by the victim's families, who sat just a few feet away. When closing arguments ended and the jury retired to deliberate, the courtroom was silent, heavy with anticipation. Hours later, when the jurors returned, every eye was on Wade Wilson. The four person stood and read the verdict. Guilty on all counts. We the jury finds us follow as to the defendant in this case. Count one, firstdegree murder, Christine Melton. The defendant is guilty of firstdegree murder. Firstderee murder, Diane Ru Ruiz. The defendant is guilty of firstdegree murder. >> Wilson sat motionless for a moment, then turned his head slightly, looking toward the gallery and smirked. There was no visible reaction of shock or grief. But it wasn't over. The same jury now had to decide his punishment. During the sentencing phase, prosecutors argued for the ultimate penalty, pointing to the brutality of the crimes and Wilson's complete disregard for life. His defense urged mercy, portraying him as a troubled young man spiraling out of control. Finally, the decision came down. The judge announced the sentence death. The totality of the circumstances warrants that the defendant, Wade Steven Wilson, be sentenced to death for each count of first-degree murder. Accordingly, it is ordered in the judge that the defendant Wade Steven Wilson be sentenced as follows. Count one, first-degree murder of Christine Melton. The defendant is hereby sentenced to death. >> For the first time in the entire trial, WDE's expression changed. The smirk faded. He looked down, blinked slowly, and for a moment, just a moment, appeared to grasp the reality of what was happening. As deputies moved to escort him out, his expression was bike and almost detached. Some believed he was still in denial. Others thought it was the first sign that he finally understood the weight of his actions. After the sentence was handed down, Wade Wilson was transferred to death row, a place where time moves slowly and silence feels endless. In the months that followed, he continued to make headlines. In interviews and letters, he insisted he was innocent, claiming that his confession had been misunderstood and that others were responsible. For the families of the victims, justice had finally been served, but no verdict could undo the pain. No sentence could bring back the lives that were lost. What stood out most to many observers wasn't just the brutality of the crimes, but Wilson's attitude throughout the process, his laughter, his calmness, his moments of defiance. Some saw it as arrogance. Others saw it as the face of someone completely detached from reality. And yet, behind every shocking trial, there are questions that never truly fade. Was Wade Wilson a heartless individual who knew exactly what he was doing? Do you believe he deserve the death penalty or should he have been given life to face what he's done every single day behind bars? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and watch this other true crime courtroom story on your screen. I'll see you there.