TWEED, Ont. — There was a collective state of shock at CFB Trenton and surrounding communities in eastern Ontario on Tuesday as newspaper headlines and news reports outlined surreal details of a multiple-murder and sexual assault case in which the accused is an elite member of the Canadian Forces.
Col. Russell Williams, 46, is charged with the first-degree murder of two women and the forcible confinement and sexual assault of two others in cases where women were bound naked to chairs and photographed by their attacker. Police spent Sunday interviewing Col. Williams and on Monday they announced they had found the body of Jessica Lloyd, 27, who had been missing for more than a week.
Col. Williams appeared in court later in the day charged with first-degree murder in that case and in the death of Marie-France Comeau, a 38-year-old corporal from the base that Williams commanded. Cpl. Comeau was killed in December and found in her home in nearby Brighton.
An autopsy on Ms. Lloyd was underway Tuesday in Toronto, Sgt. Kristine Rae of the OPP told Canwest News Service.
"We are not disclosing what the cause of death was" in either case while the investigation is underway, Sgt. Rae said. Police would also not say how they were able to find Ms. Lloyd’s body after Col. Williams’s arrest.
"It’s a joint investigation between the OPP and Belleville Police right now, and that will continue into the near future," she said. "There are officers at different scenes collecting evidence and gathering information."
When the charges were filed, police also announced Col. Williams was being charged with two counts of forcible confinement and two counts of break and enter and sexual assault in connection with two attacks on women in Tweed last September.
Police detectives working the file are now reviewing all cold cases of missing and slain women at every military posting — including Canada’s secret base in the Middle East — at which Col. Williams has served during his 23-year career.
On Monday, OPP Det.-Insp. Chris Nicholas said police were "tracking the movements of where this man has been over the past several years."
One of those cases is the unsolved 2001 death of Kathleen MacVicar, 19, which happened at CFB Trenton, Global News reported.
From Glace Bay, N.S., Ms. MacVicar was staying with relatives on the base and working at a call centre in Belleville when she was found murdered on the base in June 2001. She had been sexually assaulted and stabbed.
Her mother, Colleen MacVicar, said Monday night that an OPP officer phoned her earlier in the day and told that they were examining the case in light of the charges against Col. Williams.
During the investigation of the Ontario sex attacks, police also searched the home of Larry Jones, a local man.
The 65-year-old Mr. Jones said OPP told him the women had their hands bound with zip ties and their heads were covered. They were then photographed by their attacker.
Mr. Jones was initially a suspect in the attacks and his home was searched on Oct. 29.
According to the search warrant, OPP were looking for computer digital storage devices, a black La Senza bra, a purple La Senza bra, thong underwear with a poodle, two baby blankets, pornographic photos and videos, white shoes, and zip ties, among other items.
Mr. Jones said that the special type of tire treads on Col. Williams’s vehicle tipped off police to his possible involvement in the murders. Police said Monday it was a roadside canvass on a nearby highway that made Col. Williams a person of interest in the case.
Clifford Rivers, 84, said residents of the area had been living in fear since the September attacks.
"They are not over (the fear) yet," said Mr. Rivers.
A report in the Belleville Intelligencer said Col. Williams, who has been commander of the base since last summer, is a quiet and personable man.
In an interview with the paper recently, he spoke about his role at the base.
"It’s been outstanding," Col. Williams told The Intelligencer.
"It’s been a lot of fun but very, very busy. What has really impressed me in the last few months is how outstanding the support from the local community continues to be. I can think of very few events that have been anything less than positive."
Col. Williams, who was replaced Monday as commander of the base while the investigation is underway, was an up-and-coming senior air force officer.
In January, Col. Williams showed Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Walter Natynczyk around Trenton as military crews readied aircraft for the Haiti relief mission.
Factbox: Key dates
Mon., Feb. 8.
• Police discover the body of missing Belleville, Ont., woman Jessica Lloyd off Carry Road, in the Municipality of Tweed, Ont.
Sun., Feb. 7.
• Ontario Provincial Police and the Belleville Police arrested Col. Russell Williams, 46, wing commander of CFB Trenton. Williams was charged with the first-degree murders of Jessica Lloyd and Cpl. Marie-France Comeau. He also faces two counts of forcible confinement, and two each of break and enter and sexual assault.
Thurs, Feb. 4.
• Police say Williams came to their attention as a result of information gathered during a roadside canvass on Highway 37.
Thurs, Jan. 28.
• The last time Jessica Lloyd, 27, was seen alive.
Wed. Nov. 25, 2009
• Cpl. Marie-France Comeau, 38, was found dead in her Brighton, Ont., residence.
September 2009
• There were two separate home invasions in the Tweed, Ont., area in which two women were the victims of sexual assault.
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