BELLEVILLE, Ont. - Military and local communities here were stunned to learn Monday that the most senior military officer at CFB Trenton is accused of being a murderer in their midst.
First-degree murder charges have been laid against 8 Wing/CFB Trenton commander Col. Russ Williams in the deaths of both Jessica Lloyd and Marie-France Comeau.
Members of the Ontario Provincial Police and the Belleville police service made the announcement during a joint press conference. Williams, 46, is also facing two counts of forcible confinement and two counts of break and enter and sexual assault in relation to two home invasions in Tweed late last year.
Williams, 46, was arrested Sunday in Ottawa at the home where his wife continued to live. Williams lived mostly in Trenton through the work week, but also spent time at the couple's summer home on Stoco Lake — the cottage that was cordoned off Monday as a crime scene. The couple have no children.
The arrest came 10 days after 27-year-old Lloyd disappeared and three months after Comeau, a military flight attendant from CFB Trenton, was found murdered in her Brighton home in November.
Lloyd’s body was located Sunday in Tweed, north of Belleville. A post-mortem is being scheduled to take place in Toronto.
Two women in the Tweed area had their homes broken into in September and were assaulted, tied up and photographed in their bound state by their assailant. Williams is also charged in those crimes.
Few details of the investigation leading up to Williams’ arrest were made available to media at Monday’s press conference. OPP Det. Insp. Chris Nicholas, however, said the arrest came as a result of information received during a canvass last week of motorists in the area.
Nicholas said it was “due to the similarities” of the crimes committed against Comeau, Lloyd’s disappearance and the assaults on women in Tweed that led police to believe the crimes were committed by the same individual.
Those similarities include the “geography” of the crimes, though Nicholas said he could not divulge any further information for fear of compromising the ongoing investigation.
Queries regarding how Williams knew Lloyd and Comeau, how long Lloyd was in her murderer's company before being killed and whether Lloyd’s disappearance was an “Internet crime” went unanswered due to the status of the investigation.
Williams has served with the Canadian Forces since 1987 and police confirmed they are looking into unsolved crimes in areas where he has served since then.
“We are certainly tracking the movements of where this man has been over the past several years and we’re continuing on with our investigation,” Nicholas said, adding that does include the 2001 murder of Kathleen MacVicar.
MacVicar’s body was found in an on-base housing development for mostly military personnel in 2001.
Williams was led into Belleville court on Monday afternoon for a bail hearing by four Belleville criminal investigations branch officers and Insp. Mike Graham.
He shuffled in from the court holding cells, manacled at the feet, hands cuffed behind him and wearing blue jail coveralls.
Williams looked to the floor as conditions of his remand were heard, but all the while Lloyd's burly brother, Andy Lloyd, stared grimly at the man accused of killing his sister.
“Ought to shoot the f----ing pervert,” muttered Andy Lloyd as Williams was led away moments later.
He has been remanded into custody until a video remand Feb. 18 in Belleville court. A ban on publication has been issued on the identities of the women in the cases of sexual assaults.
Williams said nothing, other than loudly and clearly reciting his name for the record and acknowledging the charges against him.
Outside court, as a horde of television and print cameras tried in vain to capture an image of Williams being driven off to jail, a friend of Jessica Lloyd's looked on.
Crystal Wright, 27, said she had been a high school friend of Lloyd and last spent time with her friend a week after the New Year when they shared a drink at a local nightclub.
“Somehow, people still don't feel safe,” she said, looking on as the accused killer of her friend was whisked away in a police motorcade.
At the press conference earlier, Belleville Police Chief Cory McMullan extended thanks to the community, businesses and police officers involved in the search for Lloyd. She read a prepared statement from Lloyd’s brother, Andy, and her mother, Roxanne.
“We would like to thank all of our family, friends and co-workers for their unwavering love and support over the past 11 days. Thanks to everyone who helped search for Jessica and to those who created and printed the banners, posters and fliers and to all family and friends who distributed them. Thanks to the many companies who assisted in making sure Jessica’s picture was everywhere,” McMullan read.
The family also thanked police officers who worked on the case and requested their privacy be respected.
“These results must be bittersweet for the families, however the knowledge that this has been solved is the beginning to the healing and grieving process,” McMullan said.
(With files from Jerome Lessard)
