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By Erin Keller
Reporter (Live News)
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Convicted murderer Wade Wilson reportedly has no shortage of reading material in his Florida jail cell while he awaits either being put to death or spending life in prison.
Wilson, 30, will be sentenced on July 23 for the double murders of Kristine Melton, 35, and Diane Ruiz, 43, which he allegedly committed in October 2019.
His lawyers filed a motion last week to either give Wilson a new trial or acquittal for Melton's murder, but it is unclear if that will be heard.
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The Lee County Sheriff's Office confirmed to Newsweek on Friday that Wilson has received 3,903 messages since June 12 – the day he was found guilty of the murders.
Inmates can receive inquiries through a monitored messaging account, and Wilson has also received 65 letters in the mail.
The office reports Wilson has accepted 279 connection requests and has also been sent 754 photos – 163 of which were rejected due to "their inappropriate nature."
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Letters of support
Court orders filed Thursday include letters from Wilson's supporters to Judge Nicholas Thompson. These letters can not be used to influence the judge's sentencing, per the docs.
Florida law requires at least eight jurors to vote for the death penalty. Ten out of the 12 jurors at the Lee County Courthouse in Fort Myers voted for the death penalty last week for Ruiz's murder. Nine out of 12 jurors voted the same for Melton's murder.
A letter dated June 28 from Heidi Cox, whose return address is listed in California, asked the judge to sentence Wilson to life in prison without parole rather than the death penalty.
"As someone who cares unconditionally for Wade, I have deeply reflected on the gravity of the situation and the impact of your decision. While I understand the severity of the crime committed, I believe that a life sentence would allow Wade the opportunity to reflect, repent, and contribute positively within the confines of prison," Cox wrote in the letter.
"Furthermore, a life sentence would provide his family along with myself, the chance to maintain a relationship with Wade," she continued. "It would allow us to visit, correspond, and continue to offer emotional support—a privilege that would be lost with the death penalty.
Cox asked the judge to "consider the broader implications of your decision on both Wade's life and our family's well-being."
"Choosing life without parole would not only uphold justice but also preserve our humanity in a difficult time," she wrote. "We are committed to supporting Wade through this journey of atonement and rehabilitation, wherever it may lead."
Another letter from someone named Lindsay Brann of Canada claims while she has no credentials to speak up on this," she would like Thompson to consider Wilson's issues with mental health and get him treatment.
"I am not saying he shouldn't serve time for the crimes he committed but I am not certain that the death penalty would be the best option," she wrote. "This will still leave Mr. Wilson in a prison system for potentially years waiting and he will still have mental health issues, it won't fix the problem or the person and it won't bring back the two woman (sic) he killed."
A third letter dated July 8 is from "a group of concerned citizens who observed several aspects of Mr. Wilson's trial that raised significant legal and procedural concerns." The author, Marion Worth, outlined 17 concerns, ranging from the effects of Wilson's upbringing to his notorious appearance.
"Mr. Wilson's face tattoos likely resulted from the need to survive in a hostile jail environment. The prosecution's direct attack on Mr. Wilson for his tattoos was an unfair tactic to prejudice the jury against him."
Earlier this week, Richard Gabriel, president of the Los Angeles-based litigation consulting company Decision Analysis, Inc., told Newsweek about how Wilson's appearance could have impacted the jury.
"Appearance always has a subliminal effect on the jury. Jurors are always looking at a criminal defendant and evaluating whether he or she looks like the kind of person that would have committed the accused crime," Gabriel said in an email.
Wilson's attorney Kevin Shirley also addressed his client's unsettling appearance.
"Mr. Wilson is very intimidating but he also appreciates good representation," he told Newsweek in an email. "Once he realized what we were doing for him he was not adversarial and never has been with the rest of our staff."
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