by: Bee Delores
Last Updated: October 30, 2024
7 min read
7 min read
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In a compelling new episode of Dumb Blonde , host Bunnie Xo speaks with Brandon Cuellar and Zane Romero, the two sons of Diane Ruiz, highlighting a heartbreaking story of loss, justice, and defiance,
Diane was one of the victims of convicted killer Wade Wilson, whose highly publicized trial ended with a conviction, but left her family grappling with the aftermath.
In this two-part episode, titled Picking Up the Pieces , Bunnie speaks candidly with Cuellar and Romero, giving them the space to share their perspectives on Wilson, the emotional toll of their mother’s murder, and their experience in the courtroom.
Diane Ruiz was a hardworking bartender and a devoted mother. She went missing on the 7th of October 2019 while on her way to work at a local bar.
Diane was last seen when she was approached by Wade Wilson , who was driving a stolen vehicle.
Wilson, seeking directions, lured Diane into the car, where he violently attacked her, strangling her before running her over.
His father would later recount in court that Wilson described the horrific details of the murder, comparing the brutality to “spaghetti.”
Three days later, Diane’s body was discovered in a field behind a Sam’s Club, marking the end of a heart-wrenching search.
Bunnie Xo dives into the aftermath of this brutal murder. She brought Diane Ruiz’s sons, Brandon Cuellar and Zane Romero, into the spotlight to share their experiences, grief, and anger.
In sharing their stories, Romero and Cuellar show the complexity of the healing process.
Bunnie, always a thoughtful and incisive interviewer, gives them space to process their emotions and deliver their messages on their own terms.
When asked by Bunnie what he’d say to Wilson if he had the chance, 19-year-old Romero kept it brief and cutting. “Loser,” he quipped, mocking Wilson with a sing-song voice.
He added that he wouldn’t bother crafting a profound message , because “I don’t think his IQ is high enough to understand anything I say.”
Romero’s comments echo his court address to Wilson, where he remembers making “straight eye contact”with his mother’s killer.
Speaking directly to Wilson was intimidating, not because of Wilson himself, but because of the crowded, live-televised courtroom full of strangers.
Unlike Romero, 28-year-old Cuellar hasn’t directly confronted Wilson with his feelings, but he doesn’t rule out doing so in the future.
He shared with Bunnie that his initial plan was to go up on the stand and give his mother’s murderer a piece of his mind.
Yet, when he got to the stand, his thoughts shifted. “I thought about my mother . I’m like, ‘Do I really want to go up there and say what I really want to say when I have to be professional about it?’”
Cuellar explained, describing the internal conflict between his desire to honor his mother and the frustration he feels toward Wilson.
While he refrained from delivering an impact statement during the trial, Cuellar hints that he might take a second chance to speak up.
“If I go up on that stand a second time, I won’t speak about my mother. I’m gonna speak my mind after that,” he shared.
Throughout the conversation, Bunnie’s empathy shines as she connects with the brothers, sharing their frustration and heartbreak .
She suggests that calling Wilson a “loser” might cut deeper than any well-thought-out message.
“You know what I think is gonna affect him more?”she says to Cuellar and Romero.
“It’s that you’re calling him a loser and not even saying anything to him. Because his ego is so f—king fragile, dude.”
Her insight into Wilson’s personality comes from her own interactions with him.
In part one of the Dumb Blonde episode, Bunnie includes two recorded phone calls with Wilson.
During these calls, she initially reached out to gauge his interest in participating in a documentary about his crimes.
But when Wilson asked for payment, she promptly shut it down, pointing out that laws prevent criminals from being paid for their stories, to which Wilson paused, then replied, “Tell me what that law is. I’m gonna text my lawyer right now.”
In typical fashion, Wilson dismissed her explanation and responded with a string of vague threats aimed at Bunnie and her country singer husband, Jelly Roll .
Wilson, who is appealing his death sentence, has a status hearing scheduled for November 13, and his lawyers have asked to join by phone or Zoom.
Romero and Cuellar’s experiences with Wilson’s trial and their mother’s murder have left lasting marks, but their voices on Dumb Blonde reflect their strength that resonates deeply.
Their relationship with their mother, Diane, comes through in each sentence; she was clearly a beloved, cherished figure in their lives, and honoring her memory means more than any courtroom statement could.
Even through moments of anger and frustration, Romero and Cuellar bring humor to the conversation, lifting what could be a somber reflection into a moving tribute to Diane’s memory
With Romero’s lightheartedness and Cuellar’s quiet strength, the two brothers demonstrate how they’ve chosen to navigate their grief.
Detail | Information |
---|---|
Full Name | Wade Steven Wilson |
Date of Birth | May 20, 1994 (age 30) |
Also known as | Deadpool Killer |
Convictions | – November 2013: Burglary and Grand Theft – 2015: Sexual Battery and Kidnapping (later acquitted) – 2017: Firearm Theft – June 12, 2024: First-Degree Murder |
Criminal Charges | Six charges, including murder |
Penalty | Death |
Victims | 2 confirmed |
States | Florida |
Dates Apprehended | – November 26, 2013: Burglary and Grand Theft – 2015: Sexual Battery (acquitted) – October 17, 2017: Firearm Theft – July 1, 2019: Battery – October 8, 2019: Murders of Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz – September 30, 2020: Attempted Jail Escape |
Lover of hiking, biking, horror movies, cats and camping. Writer at Wide Open Country, Holler and Nashville Gab.
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