Russell Williams (criminal)
Updated: 12/20/2025, 12:58:26 PM Wikipedia source
David Russell Williams (born March 7, 1963) is a Canadian serial rapist, murderer and former colonel in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Williams was born in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England and his family later immigrated to Canada. He studied economics and political science at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) before embarking on a career in the Canadian Forces. He was also a decorated pilot who had flown Canadian Forces VIP aircraft for dignitaries and heads of state. From July 2009 until his arrest, Williams commanded CFB Trenton, Canada's largest military airbase and a hub for the country's foreign and domestic air transport operations. In late January 2010, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) discovered evidence implicating Williams in the disappearance and death of Jessica Lloyd, and suspected links to two other crimes that had been committed in proximity to his previous home in Tweed, Ontario. On February 7, Williams was interrogated on video by OPP investigator Jim Smyth and confronted with the evidence of tire tracks and boot prints at Lloyd's house. Over the next 10 hours, Williams gave a detailed confession of the sexual assault and murder of Lloyd. He also confessed to the sexual assault and murder of Corporal Marie-France Comeau, as well as at least two other cases initially. Subsequent investigation into Williams brought further confessions and revealed evidence of detailed notes and photographs stored at his home. Evidence showed he had broken into at least 82 houses to steal women's and girls' underwear, which later escalated to sexual assaults and later still to the rapes and murders. Williams was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of forcible confinement, two counts of breaking and entering and sexual assault. Another 82 charges relating to breaking and entering were later added. On October 21, 2010, Williams was sentenced to two life sentences for first-degree murder, two 10-year sentences for other sexual assaults, two 10-year sentences for forcible confinement, and 82 one-year sentences for breaking and entering, all to be served concurrently. The life sentences mean Williams will serve a minimum of 25 years before parole eligibility. Because he was convicted of multiple murders, he is not eligible for early parole under the "faint hope clause" of the Criminal Code. Following charges being made in February 2010, he was fired from his post. Following his conviction in October 2010, he was stripped of his commission, ranks and awards by the Governor General on the recommendation of the Chief of the Defence Staff. Williams' uniform, documents and military equipment were destroyed by the Canadian military.
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| Military offices | ||
| Preceded byM Hood | Wing Commander of No. 8 Wing at CFB Trenton July 2009–February 2010 | Succeeded byD B Cochrane |
References
- Toronto Starhttps://www.thestar.com/news/article/873244--col-russell-williams-a-serial-killer-like-none-police-have-seen?bn=1
- www.thecanadianencyclopedia.cahttps://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/russell-williams-case
- "Air Force commander 'shocked' by colonel's arrest"https://web.archive.org/web/20121021213220/http://www.ctvnews.ca/air-force-commander-shocked-by-colonel-s-arrest-1.482028
- "Bromsgrove-born serial killer hit with 82 new charges"https://web.archive.org/web/20120930132024/http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2010/05/02/bromsgrove-born-serial-killer-hit-with-82-new-charges-97319-26361422/
- "Two life sentences for sex killer Williams' 'despicable crimes'"https://web.archive.org/web/20101023061813/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/two-life-sentences-for-sex-killer-williamss-despicable-crimes/article1766784/
- Email: Chief of Defence Staff to all Canadian Forces members, October 22, 2010 at 1:05 pm (EDT)
- "Bill to end criminals' old-age benefits should include all pensions: critics"https://nationalpost.com/news/Bill+criminals+benefits+should+include+pensions+critics/3742562/story.html
- "Gov.-Gen. strips convicted murderer Russell Williams of his rank"https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/gov-gen-strips-convicted-murderer-russell-williams-of-his-rank/article1769185/
- CBC Newshttps://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/williams-military-uniform-burned-1.924008
- BBC Newshttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11801857
- "Colonel Russell Williams is a man no one really knew"https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/colonel-russell-williams-is-a-man-no-one-really-knew/article1463964/
- "Accused killer's early years a mix of instability, privilege"https://vancouversun.com/technology/Accused+killer+early+years+instability+privilege/2558189/story.html
- Daily Telegraphhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/canada/7724233/Canadian-commander-accused-of-murders-and-sex-attacks.html
- "Colonel led police to woman's body"https://edmontonjournal.com/news/Police+comb+Williams+house+evidence/2556417/story.html
- thestar.comhttps://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/764948--life-and-times-of-col-russell-williams?bn=1
- The Walrushttps://thewalrus.ca/boy-next-door/
- "Life and times of Col. Russell Williams"https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/2010/02/13/life_and_times_of_col_russell_williams.html
- Above Suspicion, The Fifth Estate (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), September 24, 2010, Accessed August 12, 2017https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvfK1kZbqEA
- CBC Newshttps://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/biography-russell-williams-1.903318
- "Timeline: Col. Russell Williams"https://web.archive.org/web/20101022051754/http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/2010-2011/abovesuspicion/timelinewilliams.html
- Thestar.comhttps://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/762547
- "Forces in 'shock' over colonel's arrest"https://web.archive.org/web/20100213072021/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/forces-in-shock-over-colonel-s-arrest-1.891813
- "Accused colonel flew PMs, Queen"http://www.canada.com/news/Accused+colonel+flew+Queen/2547618/story.html
- Maclean'shttps://www.macleans.ca/2010/02/16/the-secret-life-of-colonel-russell-williams/print/
- Maclean'shttps://www.macleans.ca/2010/02/08/col-russell-williams-double-life/
- "Former queen's pilot to admit double life as killer, sex attacker and underwear thief"http://www.nbcnews.com/id/39556963
- Maclean'shttps://www.macleans.ca/2010/07/27/the-colonels-wife/
- "Police say no cold cases ruled out in Williams murder probe"https://web.archive.org/web/20110711102028/http://news.globaltv.com/world/story.html?id=2541132
- The Gazette (Montreal)https://web.archive.org/web/20100215162641/http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Details+colonel+family+life+emerges/2556417/story.html
- "Murder suspect Williams flew Governor General, prime minister aboard Challenger"https://web.archive.org/web/20100213201354/http://ca.news.yahoo.com:80/s/capress/100208/national/williams_newsmaker
- "Unusual suspects"https://web.archive.org/web/20100214102002/http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Unusual+suspects/2553379/story.html
- The Gazettehttps://web.archive.org/web/20100215155123/http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Charged+colonel+product+broken+home/2550481/story.html
- The Toronto Starhttps://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/802107--police-paint-portrait-of-a-chilling-stalker
- The Toronto Starhttps://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/878519--russell-williams-confesses-in-gripping-police-tape
- cnewshttps://archive.today/20120710123121/http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2010/02/09/12808201.html
- Thestar.comhttps://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/763057--police-revisit-unsolved-murders-after-trenton-commander-s-arrest
- "Mourners gather for Jessica Lloyd"https://web.archive.org/web/20100216134542/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/mourners-gather-for-jessica-lloyd-1.936467
- "Police to begin hunt for 'trophies' tied to rapes and murders"https://web.archive.org/web/20100213173549/http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Police+begin+hunt+trophies+tied+rapes+murders/2543036/story.html
- CBC.cahttp://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/mourners-gather-for-jessica-lloyd-1.936467
- "Ontario women were asphyxiated, source says"https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ontario-women-were-asphyxiated-source-says/article1465532/
- Montreal Gazettehttps://montrealgazette.com/news/Police+recover+hidden+keepsakes+from+Williams+home/2564958/story.html
- Kingston Whig Standardhttp://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2519830
- "Col. Williams makes brief court appearance"https://web.archive.org/web/20210503121419/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/col-williams-makes-brief-court-appearance-1.895672
- CBC Newshttps://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/col-russell-williams-timeline-1.913312
- "Canada air force commander to plead guilty to murders"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11489774
- "Disgraced colonel grew increasingly brazen during descent into depravity, murder"https://vancouversun.com/news/Russell+Williams+pleads+guilty+murders/3687544/story.html
- The Toronto Starhttps://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/877464--a-harrowing-account-of-a-nighttime-assault
- The Toronto Starhttps://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/877044--the-secret-life-of-col-russell-williams-exposed
- Toronto Starhttps://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/877044--the-secret-life-of-col-russell-williams-exposed
- The Gazette montrealgazette.comhttps://montrealgazette.com/news/canada/Russell+Williams+trial+Warning+Evidence+photos/3690404/story.html
- The Toronto Starhttps://www.thestar.com/fpLarge/photo/877369
- CBC Newshttps://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/williams-gets-2-life-terms-for-despicable-crimes-1.891499
- CBC Newshttps://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/russell-williams-stripped-of-colonel-s-rank-1.865703
- CTV Newshttps://web.archive.org/web/20131028232530/http://www.ctvnews.ca/russell-williams-stripped-of-colonel-rank-1.566053
- CBC Newshttps://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/russell-williams-links-with-forces-being-cut-1.865701
- "Sex killer Russell Williams officially stripped of military rank"https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/sex-killer-russell-williams-officially-stripped-of-military-rank/article1319110/
- "Gov.-Gen. strips convicted murderer Russell Williams of his rank"https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/gov-gen-strips-convicted-murderer-russell-williams-of-his-rank/article1381059/
- "Russell Williams enters a 'grim' existence in Kingston Penitentiary"https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/880485--russell-williams-enters-a-grim-existence-in-kingston-penitentiary
- "Crime: Russell Williams moved to Quebec prison"https://archive.today/20130820234827/http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Crime/2013/02/21/20596396.html
- 'Terrible mistake': DND booklet shows Russell Williams at CTV.ca; published May 9, 2012; retrieved April 23, 2014https://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/article/terrible-mistake-dnd-booklet-shows-russell-williams/
- "Wife of killer colonel avoiding public spotlight"https://montrealgazette.com/business/Wife+killer+colonel+avoiding+public+spotlight/3718105/story.html
- "Life and times of Col. Russell Williams"https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/764948--life-and-times-of-col-russell-williams
- Orléans Onlinehttps://web.archive.org/web/20170620100418/http://www.orleansonline.ca/pages/N2010021302.htm
- "Russell Williams' wife seeks divorce"https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/russell-williams-s-wife-seeks-divorce-1.910424
- Maclean'shttps://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/ex-wife-of-serial-killer-russell-williams-loses-court-battle/
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/fatum-room-216-review-1202622584/
- Toronto Sunhttp://www.torontosun.com/2012/07/12/office-space-star-in-russell-williams-movie
- Toronto Sunhttps://torontosun.com/2012/07/31/canadian-network-nixes-russell-williams-movie/wcm/70afe510-73fa-493f-8ee9-b89209ce839a
- "Russell Williams drama An Officer and a Murderer makes delayed Canadian debut"https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/television/2013/08/20/an_officer_and_a_murderer_debuts_aug_21_in_canada.html
- The Independenthttps://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/jk-rowling-strike-novel-dennis-creed-troubled-blood-b481352.html