Posted By W. Brice McVicar
Updated February 8th, 2010
First-degree murder charges have been laid against Col. Russ Williams, base commander for 8 Wing-CFB Trenton, in the deaths of both Jessica Lloyd and Marie 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 was arrested Sunday, 10 days after 27-year-old Lloyd disappeared and three months after Comeau was found murdered in her Brighton home in November.
Lloyd's body was located Monday morning off Carry Road in Tweed. A post mortem is being scheduled to take place in Toronto.
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 of motorists on Highway 37 late last week.
Nicholas said it was "due to the similarities" of the crimes committed against Comeau, Lloyd's disappearance and the 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.
The ongoing investigation — and protecting its integrity — prevented Nicholas from answering a number of questions. Queries regarding how Williams knew Lloyd and Comeau, how long Lloyd was in his company before being killed and whether Lloyd's disappearance was an "Internet crime" were not answered 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 he has served in 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 Middleton Park, an on-base housing development for mostly military personnel, in 2001.
Belleville police Chief Cory McMullan extended thanks to the community, the businesses and the police officers involved in the search for Lloyd. She too discussed the partnership between the police agencies but also 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.
bmcvicar@intelligencer.ca
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