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Person of interest in Florida murder cases allegedly confesses

Posted at 8:48 AM, Oct 15, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-15 11:51:16-04

LEE COUNTY, Fla. — A person of interest in two Florida murders has allegedly confessed to his crimes.

An ex-girlfriend of Wade Wilson said he called her from jail Monday afternoon and confessed to killing Diane Ruiz and Kristine Melton.

Wilson’s ex-girlfriend, MeLisa Montanez, said she got a full confession from him.

"He admitted over the phone to me that he murdered, killed both those women," said Montanez.

Montanez said Wilson told her, "he strangled both of them."

Police said Melton was found dead inside her home the same day Diane Ruiz was reported missing last Monday.

"He said he just felt like it, he said he was on drugs, and it messed him up he said," said Montanez.

That same morning, Montanez said Wilson came to her business in a car she's never seen before.

"When he showed up trying to attack me, he came in a black Nissan Versa," said Montanez.

Police said the key piece of evidence connecting the two murder cases is Melton's black Nissan Versa, the car they believe Wilson was driving. It was spotted in the neighborhood where Diane's body was found at around the time she disappeared.

A Fort Myers police report has details of Montanez's attack. According to the report, Wilson punched her in the face and dragged her to a car as she fought to get away.

Montanez said she's lucky to be alive, showing WFTX, the bruises still on her arms.

"His agenda was to kill me. I was dead already in his mind, I don't know how I got away," said Montanez.

Wilson's criminal history is extensive. He's been arrested more than 20 times since 2010 with charges like assault, fraud, and trespassing.

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After serving time in jail the past three and a half months, Montanez said she gave him a second chance to get his act together.

WFTX reached out to the State Attorney's Office and Cape Coral police to try and get confirmation that this phone call happened Monday. They said they are looking into it but can't yet confirm Montanez's account.

Authorities said they won't be able to release what is said in any of Wilson's phone calls from jail because it's still an active investigation.

Wilson remains in the Lee County jail on unrelated charges. He has not been charged for both deaths, but those charges are expected to be upgraded soon.

This story was originally published by Jillian Hartmann at WFTX.