A man with a Nazi tattoo on his face has been sentenced to death for murdering two women, reports have said. Wade Wilson, nicknamed the 'Deadpool killer' because he shares his name with the Marvel character played by Ryan Reynolds in the movie franchise, was sentenced on Tuesday by a court in Florida.

Wilson, who had declined to speak to the court in Lee County earlier in the afternoon, was impassive as he was sentenced while there was cheering and applause from the gallery, the Independent said.

In June, he was found guilty of killing Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz, both from the same state, in the city of Cape Coral on 6 October 2019.

He was given the death penalty for both crimes, the New York Post (NYP) said.

Circuit Judge Nicholas Thompson told the court “the evidence shows the murders were heinous, atrocious and cruel” while the second murder [of Ms Ruiz] was “cold, calculated and premeditated”.

Jurors had recommended the death penalty and Judge Thompson said Wilson's crimes were so awful he found “no basis” to overrule them, the NYP added.

The 30-year-old, who has a swastika tattoo on his face, killed the women “for the sake of killing”, Assistant State Attorney Andreas Gardiner told the court earlier.

Wilson first strangled Melton, 35, in her Cape Coral home, where her body was found, after they had met at a live music bar.

After stealing the dead woman's car, he used her phone to call his girlfriend, Melissa Montanez, 41. He assaulted her, but she refused to get into the vehicle.

He then met Ms Ruiz, 43, who asked him for directions in Cape Coral and invited her into the car.

When the woman tried to get out of the vehicle, Wilson strangled her before throwing her out of the car - only to get back in and “run her over until she looked like spaghetti,” the court heard.

Ms Melton suffered bruising to her face and body, hemorrhages on her neck, and contusions to the lungs, liver, bladder, and colon, among others, the Independent said.

Among her injuries, Ruiz suffered a nasal bone fracture, a laceration to her left breast, bruising on both sides of her body, and multiple rib fractures.

Wilson's lawyers argued he suffered brain damage from drug addiction and had abandonment issues stemming from being given up for adoption by his biological parents.

His adoptive parents pleaded for clemency saying in a letter that: “the human is still in there.”

Wilson was also found guilty of grand theft, burglary of a dwelling, battery, and petit theft.

In Florida, anyone sentenced to death can choose between lethal injection or electrocution.

The ‘Deadpool Killer’ Sentenced to Death

While he was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder in June, Wilson's sentencing was postponed due to a defense motion for a new trial or acquittal. However, the judge denied this motion on August 15 and the sentence was finally delivered on August 27.

During the sentencing, Judge Nicholas Thompson stated that “the evidence shows the murders were heinous, atrocious and cruel” while the second murder was “cold, calculated and premeditated”.

The jury had recommended the death penalty for both murders and the judge agreed, stating that there was “no basis” to overrule their verdict.

The Gruesome Murders

On October 7, 2019, Wilson, then 25 years old, met Kristine Melton and her friend Stephanie Sailors at a bar in Florida’s Cape Coral. After Sailors left, Wilson viciously choked and strangled Melton while she slept, taking her car as well.

Wilson lured Diane Ruiz into Melton’s car later that morning after seeing her strolling down a street, then battered and strangled her.

As Ruiz “looked like spaghetti,” he shoved her out of the car and drove her over almost 20 times, according to testimony from Wilson’s father, Steven Testaccca.

The Aftermath

Wilson’s lawyers argued that his actions were a result of brain damage caused by drug addiction and abandonment issues from being given up for adoption as a child.

His adoptive parents pleaded for mercy, stating that “the human is still in there” and asking the court not to impose the death penalty.

Samantha Kelly, Melton’s cousin, reportedly said that the time between the deaths and the sentencing felt like “five years of agony.” Felix Ruiz, Ruiz’s father, stated that he would want to witness Wilson’s death.

“I didn’t get to say I love her. I miss her,” Felix said, according to The News-Press.

In Florida, anyone sentenced to death can choose between lethal injection or electrocution.

A Case that Shocked the World

The case of Wade Wilson, the ‘Deadpool Killer’, has shocked the world and highlighted the dangers of violence. The sentence, although not unexpected, serves as a reminder of the consequences of such heinous acts. It remains to be seen how Wilson will choose to be executed, but the fact that he has been sentenced to death is a stark reminder of the gravity of his crimes.