Wade Steven Wilson was born on May 20, 1994, to teenage parents. He was adopted by Steve and Candace Wilson and grew up in Tallahassee, Florida. Wade attended Chiles High School during his youth. His early life was often described as troubled. Reports indicated that he was involved in minor criminal activities and substance abuse.

As a child and teenager, Wade suffered several head injuries. He later mentioned these injuries as reasons for his feelings of instability. Wade's encounters with the law began in 2012 in Leon County. His legal troubles included incidents of burglary, assault, and firearm-related offenses.

In November 2013, he faced serious consequences when he was sentenced to prison for burglary and grand theft. Wade served time until September 2014. He faced more serious charges in 2015 when a woman accused him of sexual battery and kidnapping. However, a jury acquitted him of these charges. By 2017, he was incarcerated again for stealing firearms, serving until July 2018.

Later in 2018, Wade was connected to the case of Denise Williams, who was convicted of conspiring to murder her husband. During the investigation, Wade allegedly tried to fabricate evidence and offered to harm Williams. In February 2019, an incident involving his former girlfriend was reported, where he was accused of assaulting and strangling her. Investigators did not pursue those charges due to a lack of evidence.

On October 7, 2019, Wade Steven Wilson committed two murders within hours. His first victim was Kristine Melton. After meeting her at a live music bar, he went to her home and strangled her. Later that day, he targeted Diane Ruiz, a bartender and mother of two. He lured her into Melton's car under false pretenses and then strangled her as well. Afterward, he ran over her multiple times.

Wilson called his biological father, Stephen Testasecca, and confessed to the murders. Testasecca and his wife informed the police. Wilson was arrested the following day. During questioning, he stated that he would be willing to "do it again."

In court, evidence about Wilson's mental health and brain injuries played a crucial role. A neurologist testified that his brain scans showed trauma. However, the prosecution argued that drug abuse was a major factor in his behavior. Several jurors recommended the death penalty for Wilson after hearing testimonies, including one from his father. Judge Nicholas Thompson imposed two death sentences.

While in jail, Wilson made headlines for applying tattoos on his face. He also attempted to escape from prison with a cellmate in 2020. Wilson was described as the planner of this escape. In 2023, he pleaded no contest to smuggling drugs into prison and received a sentence of 12 years, which would run alongside his death penalty sentences. He survived a drug overdose at the jail, which led to an investigation into illegal drug trafficking within the facility. Four other people were charged in this case.