Convicted killer Wade Wilson’s journey to Florida’s death row is documented in detail in the new Paramount+ docuseries “Handsome Devil: Charming Killer”. The three-part production dropped on Jan. 20.
Wilson was convicted in 2024 and sentenced to death for the 2019 murders of Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz in Cape Coral. He’s currently living on death row at the Union Correctional Institution in Raiford, Florida, southwest of Jacksonville, which houses Florida’s male death row inmates.
What’s life like for inmates on Florida’s death row?
According to the Florida Department of Corrections, these are some of the behind-the-scenes facts for death row inmates like Wilson:
How big is the death row cell Wade Wilson occupies?
A death row cell is 7 feet by 9 feet and 8.5-feet high. Florida State Prison’s also have death watch cells to incarcerate inmates awaiting execution after the Governor signs a death warrant for them. A death watch cell is 12 feet by 7 feet and 8.5 feet high.Men on Death Row are housed at Union Correctional Institution in Raiford, FL. The women on Death Row are housed at Lowell Annex in Lowell, FL.
What does Wade Wilson eat on death row?
- Death row inmates like Wilson are served meals three times a day.
- Meals are prepared in institutional Food Service and they are transported to the Death Row Housing Unit via insulated cart.
- Meals are served to the death row population while they are secured in their cells.
- Inmates are given sporks with their meals and they eat from the provided tray.
How much does a death row ‘last meal’ cost?
Prior to execution, an inmate may request a last meal. To avoid extravagance, the food to prepare the last meal must cost no more than $40 and must be purchased locally.
What’s the process for visiting a death row inmate?
All inmate visitors must be approved before visitation is allowed. Questions regarding an inmate’s visiting day(s), visiting hours, and special visits should be directed to the Classification Officer responsible for the inmate at the inmate’s assigned facility.
Questions may be sent by letter, e-mail or by telephone.
What is the shower policy for Florida’s death row inmates?
Death row inmates have an opportunity to shower daily on normal business days during dayroom activities. Death row inmates who are not eligible for dayroom activities have an opportunity to shower three times a week.
Did you know? Death row inmates are counted hourly
Death row inmates are counted at least once an hour. Death row inmates are secured in their cells when they are not at medical callouts, exercise, legal visits, visitation, or participating in dayroom activities. They are escorted in handcuffs and wear them everywhere except in their cells, the exercise yard, and the shower. When a death warrant is signed, the inmate is put under death watch status and is allowed a legal and social phone call.
How do Florida death row inmates pass the time?
- Inmates like Wilson may receive mail every day except holidays and weekends.
- Death Row inmates are authorized to socialize with other inmates during dayroom and recreation activities.
- They may have snacks, radios and 13″ televisions in their cells.
- They do not have cable television or air-conditioning.
- They can watch church services on closed circuit television.
- While on Death Watch, inmates may have radios and televisions positioned outside their cell bars.
What do death row inmates like Wade Wilson wear?
Wilson and the other death row inmates can be distinguished from other inmates by their orange t-shirts. Their pants are the same blue colored pants worn by regular inmates.
When will Florida death row inmate Wade Wilson be executed?
Wilson’s attorneys filed an appeal after his death sentence, which went directly to the Florida Supreme Court…