Trenton commander faces murder charges

[Swede]

Source: The Star

He was the model military man, rising quickly through the ranks and enjoying a 23-year career in which he brushed shoulders with top-level government and commanded one of Canada's most important military bases.

But on Monday, Col. Russell Williams' career took an unexpected turn when he appeared in a Belleville courtroom, shackled at the ankles and charged with the first-degree murders of two women.



Read more: http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/762547--trenton-commander-faces-murder-charges?bn=1

[Spazito]

1. I have to say this was a shocker....

I can't help but wonder what else he might have done in the past and gotten away with given that the multiple charges including two first-degree murders are for crimes committed only over the last 5 months.

[JBoy]

2. I have a feeling we've only seen the tip of the iceberg in this case.

Stand by for more creepy details.

[Lucy Goosey]

3. I was thinking that, too...

I have a feeling there is still a lot more to unravel about this story.

[Posteritatis]

8. They're not-quite saying he's involved in several other deaths, too

The police in the area are digging out a number of unresolved cases with the question of whether he had a hand in those, too. Heard numbers between one and three more, at least. Ugh.

[Spazito]

9. It certainly makes sense for them to do so...

given the charges against him and the various posts he has held all over Canada. I was reading today he was the one who took the authorities to the body of his most recent victim showing no remorse and was all 'business'. Very creepy.

[iverglas]

4. if it ain't USAmerican, it ain't late breaking news

Did a search of LBN to see whether anyone had remarked on the strange story. Someone had. But whoosh it went, off to the strange foreign bit of the site.

I'd thought since it was actually such an unusual situation, and since it does involve a NATO/ally/neighbour's military, it might be of mild interest.

Certainly is a weird one. Trinity of Dexter fame comes to mind. As one investigator remarked, it isn't common for someone to just suddenly up and start doing these things one fine day.

[Posteritatis]

5. Posts get shunted to the subforums much more often now

With the exception of the current summit in Nunavut, I haven't seen anything Canada-related last more than an hour or so in LBN for awhile.

[ConcernedCanuk]

11. I noticed that a while back - even real LBN, if it's Canadian content, gets rerouted regularly.

.
.
.

Ridiculous Sarah Palin repeat posts last on LBN though . .

sorta sad - even myself now, and I consider myself a responsible poster,

won't waste my time to post "Canadian" stuff in LBN.

BUT

This may explain somewhat why most USAmericans know so little about Canada . . .

ya think?

:freak:

[daleo]

6. Vaguely reminiscent of the Steven Truscott case

In as much as that unsolved sex killing happened near an air force base. Obviously there is no chance this man had anything to do with that case, though (it happened 50+ years ago).

[CHIMO]

7. Father wants new case

Ron Grozelle says murder charges against the base commander at CFB Trenton should prompt a new police investigation into the death of his son, Joe, the Royal Military College cadet who mysteriously disappeared in 2003.

http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2442586

[auntAgonist]

10. Connected to Bernardo? Police checking possibility

February 12, 2010
http://news.therecord.com/News/article/669668

TORONTO – The Toronto Sun is reporting that accused killer Col. Russell Williams and notorious serial killer Paul Bernardo both attended the University of Toronto Scarborough campus.

According to today’s Sun, police sources have said the two were college “pals” who “partied” together and that their relationship is the subject of intense scrutiny by the joint forces team probing the murders of Cpl. Marie-France Comeau and Jessica Lloyd.

While speculative, police are even looking into the possibility Bernardo and Williams may have “competed against each other,” the Sun reports.

------

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/764351--police-to-probe-colonel-s-gta-past

Before coming to Trenton, Williams, 46, was stationed in Toronto, the Maritimes and Manitoba; he has also served overseas.

But if the memories of past friends and acquaintances are any indication, he did not make much of an impression.

Permell Ashby, who attended Birchmount Park Collegiate from 1976 to 1981 and played flute in the band with Williams – he played trumpet, she recalls – remembers Williams, but that's about all.

"I remember that I would often say hello," said Ashby. "He was in the band and everyone was friendly with each other."

Innes van Nostrand, who attended UCC with Williams in the early 1980s, said he was pretty good at flying under the radar.

He remembers him as "kind of a diligent, hard-working fellow who was not a high-profile guy here.

"That's how I think most people in the class would probably describe him: a serious student and a really good musician," recalled van Nostrand, who is now a vice-principal at the elite boarding school.

On Thursday, The Globe and Mail reported Williams was born in England and grew up in Chalk River, where his stepfather was a nuclear engineer. Because of his expertise, the family travelled widely, including to South Korea.

For a time, The Globe reported, the family lived near the Scarborough Bluffs. When his stepfather and mother left to spend more time in Asia, Williams was enrolled at UCC.

While there, The Globe reported, he was a house prefect, mentoring young students, and reported to a fellow student who held the post of house steward, Andrew Saxton, now a member of Parliament representing North Vancouver.