Netflix’s Worst Ex Ever Revisits the Chilling ‘Deadpool Killer’ Case — The Real Story Behind the Marvel-Inspired Nickname

A relationship that seemed ordinary. A series of disturbing warning signs. And a crime that would leave two women dead.

Netflix’s Worst Ex Ever is turning its attention to one of Florida’s most unsettling murder cases, revisiting the story of Wade Wilson — the man who became known publicly as the “Deadpool Killer.”

The case is featured in Season 2 in an episode titled “Dating The Deadpool Killer,” taking viewers back to the events surrounding the 2019 murders of Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz in Cape Coral, Florida.

The nickname alone is enough to attract attention. Wilson shares a name with Marvel’s fictional antihero Deadpool.

But there is nothing fictional about the violence at the heart of this story.

Through interviews, police footage and dramatic reenactments, the Netflix documentary reconstructs the events leading up to the killings, examining Wilson’s relationships, his reported behavior and the warning signs that emerged before the tragedy.

A Relationship That Took a Terrifying Turn

At the centre of the episode is the story of a woman who believed she had found a partner she could trust before his behavior allegedly became increasingly disturbing.

That focus fits directly into the wider theme of Worst Ex Ever, which explores relationships that turn dangerous through manipulation, control and violence.

The documentary looks at the warning signs that were reportedly present before the murders and examines how behavior that may initially appear troubling can become increasingly dangerous.

For those close to the case, however, the consequences were far more than a disturbing relationship story.

They ended in two deaths.

The 2019 Murders That Shocked Cape Coral

According to prosecutors, the killings took place on October 7, 2019.

Authorities alleged that Wilson killed Kristine Melton inside her Cape Coral home before later attacking Diane Ruiz.

During the subsequent trial, prosecutors presented evidence they said demonstrated an escalating pattern of violence and aggression.

The brutality of the crimes quickly drew national attention, while the unusual “Deadpool Killer” nickname added another layer of public fascination to an already disturbing case.

But behind that headline were two women whose lives were cut short.

What Happened Before the Killings?

The Netflix episode also revisits Wilson’s history before the murders.

During his trial, prosecutors presented evidence and testimony concerning previous arrests, allegations of violence and accusations of aggressive behavior.

They argued that those incidents revealed a pattern that had developed over time.

One former partner reportedly described violent incidents, although authorities did not pursue charges at the time because they said there was insufficient evidence.

Those allegations later became part of the prosecution’s broader argument about Wilson’s behavior and the escalation that preceded the killings.

The documentary examines that history alongside the events of 2019, giving viewers a fuller picture of the case rather than focusing solely on the sensational nickname.

A Conviction — And A Death Sentence

In 2024, Wilson was convicted of multiple charges, including two counts of first-degree murder.

He was subsequently sentenced to death.

The case has not ended there, however.

Wilson’s legal team has challenged the sentence, arguing that Florida’s revised death-penalty rules should not have applied because the murders occurred before the relevant law changed.

That appeal has brought renewed scrutiny to Florida’s capital-punishment system and the legal questions surrounding the sentence.

Why Netflix Is Revisiting the Case

Cases involving relationships that turn deadly have become a major part of the true-crime landscape, particularly stories where troubling behavior allegedly remained hidden or was not recognised as dangerous until it was too late.

That is where Worst Ex Ever places its emphasis.

Rather than treating the “Deadpool Killer” nickname as the entire story, the episode examines the victims, the investigation and the events surrounding the murders.

The result is a much darker picture than the pop-culture reference might initially suggest.

The Name Sounds Fictional. The Story Wasn’t.

The phrase “Deadpool Killer” sounds almost like a Hollywood invention.

The reality behind it is considerably more disturbing.

Wade Wilson’s name became attached to one of Florida’s most closely watched murder cases after two women were killed in 2019. Years later, the convictions, death sentence and ongoing legal challenges continue to keep the case in the public eye.

Netflix’s Worst Ex Ever now offers another look at the events, shifting attention away from the shocking nickname and back toward the people at the centre of the tragedy.

Because beneath the headlines, the Marvel connection and the true-crime fascination are two real victims and families whose lives were permanently changed.

And that is what makes the story so unsettling: the most disturbing part was never the nickname.

It was what happened behind it.