Ontario police still not implementing protocol that could have saved Russell Williams’ victim

By Scaachi Koul - Monday, October 1, 2012 at 9:52 AM - 0 Comments

The police protocol that could have saved Russell Williams’ victim still hasn’t been put in place, reports the Toronto Star.

When a suspicious truck was seen outside of the home of Jessica Lloyd, a Belleville officer didn’t make note of the license plate. That same night Williams raped, abducted, and killed her.

But neither the Belleville police nor the Ontario Provincial Province have implemented requirements that make officers document the plates of suspicious vehicles. And neither plan on enforcing it.

The RCMP, however, trains cadets to do computerized searches on suspicious vehicles, especially ones found unoccupied and parked in a field—Williams’ Pathfinder was the night he kidnapped Lloyd.

Good news, bad news: July 12-19, 2012

By macleans.ca - Thursday, July 19, 2012 at 2:10 PM - 0 Comments

Good news

Fredrik Von Erichsen/AFP/Getty Images

The Greatest, indeed

The centennial Calgary Stampede, blessed with sunny weather for most of its 10-day duration, set a new attendance record with an estimated 1,409,371 visitors. (The previous mark of 1,262,518 was established in 2006.) The “Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth” continued to attract criticism after a spill in the chuckwagon race killed three horses, but veterinary pathologists reported that the lead horse in the devastated team had a heart aneurysm and could have died anytime. New fitness standards for horses, introduced last year, will be reviewed. But as confirmed by the huge crowds, one freak accident is hardly enough to tarnish the entire show.

Google this

Yahoo!’s decision to hire as CEO Marissa Mayer, 37, a soon-to-be mother, is a refreshing step forward for male-dominated Silicon Valley. The former Google executive publicly revealed she was pregnant just a few hours after her appointment. Equality in the workplace has long been a goal, but the reality is many women still lag behind men when it comes to pay, promotions and career advancement opportunities. Yahoo! should be applauded for its willingness to hire Mayer based on her talents, not her immediate availability.

Continue…

Maclean’s exclusive: Russell Williams offers a defence

By Michael Friscolanti - Thursday, June 14, 2012 at 4:45 AM - 0 Comments

Review all Maclean’s stories tagged ‘Russell Williams’

On the morning he was sentenced to life in prison, serial predator Russell Williams stood up in court and spoke to his victims. Tears in his eyes, his voice barely a whisper, the ex-colonel said he was “indescribably ashamed” of his “despicable crimes”–two murders, two sexual assaults, and dozens of perverse home invasions–and that he truly understood the depths of the “profound, desperate pain” he inflicted. “There are those who will find it impossible to accept,” he continued, Kleenex in hand. “But the fact is, I very deeply regret what I have done and the harm that I know I have caused.”

Nearly two years later, at the same Belleville, Ont., courthouse, Williams has delivered another message to one of those victims: I should not have to pay for that pain.

Laurie Massicotte–who was ambushed in her living-room, stripped naked with a knife, and ordered to pose for Williams’s camera–is one of numerous plaintiffs now suing the disgraced former commander of CFB Trenton. (The family of Jessica Lloyd, who was raped and strangled inside Williams’s cottage, and another sexual assault victim who can only be identified as Jane Doe, have also filed civil lawsuits). In her claim, which seeks $7 million in damages, Massicotte says the events of that “horrific” night have left her mentally scarred, suicidal, dependent on alcohol, and “unable to properly and normally function within society.”

But in a stunning statement of defence–the first to be filed in any of the lawsuits–Williams “denies”  Massicotte is “entitled to the relief claimed” and puts her “to the strict proof thereof.” Although he does admit he “assaulted” her in the early morning hours of Sept. 30, 2009, he insists he “has no knowledge” of most of her detailed allegations, including the fact she feared for her life, suffered “humiliation and indignity,” and now requires “extensive therapy and medical attention.”

“The Defendant, Williams, submits that [Massicotte’s] action should be dismissed with costs,” concludes the two-page statement of defence, obtained by Maclean’s. In other words, Williams not only wants a judge to toss the case out of court, but to order his victim to pay his legal bills on the lawsuit.

Continue…

Villains: Meet the shame gang

By Colby Cosh and Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 6:00 AM - 2 Comments

Getty Images

MADMAN OF NORWAY

Anders Behring Breivik, a 31-year-old Norwegian ultranationalist obsessed with the Muslim presence in Europe, allegedly killed eight people in a bombing of government buildings in Oslo and 69 more in a shooting rampage. Most of the victims were teenagers attending a summer camp held on the island of Utøya by the youth wing of the country’s Labour Party. “I had to save Norway and Western Europe from Muslim takeover,” Breivik later told a court. “Labour has betrayed the country and the people.”

HAREM COULDN’T SAVE HIM

U.S. Navy SEALs killed 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden after the CIA discovered him living in a three-story compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, 1,300 m from the national military academy. The SEALs chosen to enter Pakistan without notifying the country’s compromised government cheered when told, “We think we found Osama bin Laden and your job is to kill him.” Bin Laden’s last line of defence ended up being two shrieking wives who unsuccessfully tried to shield him as SEALs broke into his bedroom.

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT MACLEANS’ OTHER NEWSMAKERS OF 2011

Continue…

There’s no way to spot another Russell Williams

By Michael Friscolanti - Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at 10:00 AM - 3 Comments

Andy Clark/Reuters

Kevin West was Russell Williams’s right-hand man at CFB Trenton. If the base commander was at a ribbon cutting ceremony or a photo op with a visiting politician, Chief Warrant Officer West was always nearby. The two men golfed together. They ate dinner, with their wives, at each other’s houses. And on the Sunday night in February 2010 when Williams confessed to police that he was a serial killer in colonel’s clothing, West was among the first in uniform to hear the unthinkable news.

Early the next morning, while Williams was leading police to Jessica Lloyd’s lifeless body, Kevin West picked up his BlackBerry and typed a message to senior staffers at the base. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he wrote, at 2:11 a.m. “Request you all meet in the WHQ conference room as early as possible tomorrow morning. I will be in my office for 0700 hrs. This is extremely important, more information to follow.”

What followed is still difficult to fathom. An elite officer who piloted prime ministers and the Queen—and oversaw the country’s largest air force base—was doubling as a depraved sexual predator who somehow managed to ascend the ranks without a whiff of suspicion. Grasping for an explanation, the Canadian Forces launched an “immediate review” of the way candidates are selected for senior command positions—and whether enhanced psychological testing might have revealed the real Russ Williams.

Continue…

What a recent publication ban reveals about Russell Williams’s wife

By Michael Friscolanti - Monday, April 25, 2011 at 10:20 AM - 0 Comments

DND/Reuters

A judge has attempted to give Russell Williams’s wife the one thing she so desperately craves: privacy. In a ruling released last week as part of the couple’s ongoing divorce case, Madam Justice Jennifer Mackinnon issued a rare but sweeping publication ban that prohibits the press from further identifying the serial killer’s spouse—despite the fact that her name and photograph have already appeared in countless news reports. As the judge concluded, the woman now known as M.E.H. is “vulnerable and is entitled to be shielded from further publicity to some extent.”

Lawyers representing the ex-colonel’s wife did not actually ask for such a ban. In fact, they conceded that “an anonymity order would not be helpful,” considering that her name is already scattered across cyberspace. They were much more concerned about keeping her private medical records, including a recent psychiatric assessment, confidential.

Yet the judge essentially did the opposite. Mackinnon’s written ruling, available to any member of the public, includes lengthy portions of the very medical evidence that Williams’s wife was anxious to keep under wraps. So while her identity is now technically a secret, the judgment provides the clearest glimpse yet of the pain and desperation M.E.H. has endured over the past 15 months—including bouts of “disorientation,” “occasional heart palpitations,” and a perpetual fear that “people will recognize her.”

Continue…

Russell Williams’ final victim: his wife

By Michael Friscolanti, with Cathy Gulli and Martin Patriquin - Monday, April 11, 2011 at 9:05 AM - 95 Comments

Review all Maclean’s stories tagged ‘Russell Williams’

As good pilots always do, Russell Williams stuck to a strict plan that Sunday afternoon: smile, don’t ask for a lawyer, and answer every last question (honestly or not, depending on the tactical benefit). In his mind, twisted as it is, he truly believed he could talk his way out of that tiny interrogation room.

When Det.-Sgt. Jim Smyth explained exactly what police were investigating—two home-invasion sexual assaults, the slaying of Cpl. Marie-France Comeau, and the recent disappearance of Jessica Lloyd—Williams didn’t alter his strategy. He even agreed, without hesitation, to provide fingerprints, a DNA sample, and the brown leather boots on his feet. Anything to appear innocent.

Finally, after 2½ hours spent sitting across the same table, Smyth found the colonel’s weak spot: the gold wedding ring on his finger. “Another thing that can often happen in cases like this is that people become concerned about things like extramarital affairs,” he said. “Is there any contact you may have had with any of those four women that you may not want your wife to be aware of?”
Continue…

Russell Williams collects pension and still owes victims group

By macleans.ca - Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at 4:12 PM - 6 Comments

Russell Williams is in the crosshairs of a collection agency seeking payment of an $8,000 victim surcharge. Williams, who is serving two life sentences after his conviction on charges of first-degree murder, rape, sexual assault, burglary, has not paid the surcharge despite the fact he still collects an annual military pension of $60,000. Steve Sullivan, executive director of Ottawa Victims Services, says it’s a “little tough to swallow” that one of Canada’s most depraved criminals in recent times receives a pension while most criminals don’t, adding that Williams “would certainly be aware of the surcharge.”

Toronto Star

Russell Williams’s double life

By Michael Friscolanti - Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at 11:30 AM - 9 Comments

The email lit up Russell Williams’s BlackBerry at 11:18 a.m. It was not an urgent note, but a subordinate at CFB Trenton wanted to make sure the colonel was aware of an “incident” that occurred earlier that morning: a parachutist had broken his leg during a training course. “Injuries of this type are unfortunately a relatively common occurrence,” wrote Maj. Steve Camps. “Media interest is unlikely.”

Williams was not in the office that Friday. He was at his cottage in Tweed, Ont., raping and torturing Jessica Lloyd. A few minutes before 1 o’clock—as his prisoner slept on the floor, her eyes blinded by duct tape—Williams picked up his BlackBerry and typed a reply. “Understood,” he wrote. “Thanks, Steve.”

Seven hours later, Lloyd was dead.

The depth of Williams’s sadistic double life was laid bare in gruesome detail during his recent sentencing hearing. He was, without exaggeration, a monster hiding in uniform—a relentless sexual predator who also happened to be in charge of the country’s most important air force base. But on the first anniversary of his shocking arrest, the full scope of his dual personality continues to emerge. Internal documents from the Department of National Defence, obtained by Maclean’s under the Access to Information Act, provide chilling new glimpses of a killer in commander’s clothing—including the fact that he checked his inbox while holding Lloyd captive. The documents, which include dozens of Williams’s own emails, reveal just how seamlessly he could transform from standout officer to serial murderer.

RELATED:

• Russell Williams’s neighbours—They fished and played cards together. In time, they would become his first victims
• “It’s hard to believe this is happening”—Court hears Russell Williams’s confession, and the pain of his victims
• A new kind of monster—The shocking evidence behind the crimes
• “I have committed despicable crimes”—Russell Williams speaks to his victims
• Col. Russell Williams’ double life?—Top officer facing murder charges commanded Canada’s largest air base, flew top diplomats

Continue…

This week: Good news, bad news

By macleans.ca - Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 1:00 PM - 0 Comments

Good news

Dens Villeneuve earned a best foreign film Oscar nod for Incendies (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)

Hope, for a change
Barack Obama used to have some powerful political magic, getting millions of Americans to buy into his vision of change. But a deep recession gave rise to Tea Party-style fury among voters and dealt the Democrats serious setbacks in the November elections. Now, just two months later, there are suddenly signs of hope. The economy is slowly improving and Obama’s poll numbers are on the rise. In this week’s state of the union address, he promised to keep the focus on jobs. We’ll see if Americans are ready to believe again.

Glad to go
South Sudan’s overwhelming vote for independence might displease Khartoum, but it’s a key step to ending one of Africa’s bloodiest, most intractable conflicts. Two million people have lost their lives in the war between the country’s mostly Arab rulers and rebels in the south, and there was no sign that the two sides could peacefully coexist. Enormous issues remain outstanding, not least the two sides’ long-standing dispute over oil rights. But this clear expression of democratic will brings U.S.-led efforts to find a permanent resolution one step closer to reality.

Heartbeat of Hunan
Last year, for the first time, General Motors sold more cars in China than in the U.S., and enjoyed large sales spikes in Russia and Brazil, too. An increase of 29 per cent—2.35 million cars and trucks—in China helped the U.S. automaker close the gap on world No. 1 Toyota, and GM recalled 750 laid-off workers to its Flint, Mich., truck plant. At a time when the effect of Chinese exports is front of mind, it’s good to see a North American company holding its own in such a key sector of manufacturing.

Continue…

OPP visited victim’s home night of Russell Williams attack: report

By macleans.ca - Wednesday, November 24, 2010 at 11:44 AM - 0 Comments

An OPP officer knocked on Jessica Lloyd’s door on the night she was raped, kidnapped, and later murdered by serial killer Russell Williams, the Toronto Star reports. At that moment, Williams was hiding in his intended victim’s backyard. The female officer visited Lloyd’s home after noticing what she thought was a suspicious vehicle (Williams’s Pathfinder) parked along the highway north of Belleville, near the 27-year-old’s home. But when nobody answered, the officer left. The officer is reportedly taking it quite hard, and may have taken time off work due to the stress of believing she could have done more to help Lloyd.

Toronto Star

Military burns Russell Williams’s former uniform

By macleans.ca - Friday, November 19, 2010 at 11:25 AM - 41 Comments

Although it isn’t standard practice in the military, members of the Canadian Forces have torched the uniform of convicted serial killer Russell Williams. Military officials searched Williams’s Tweed cottage on Tuesday, with his permission, and collected all of his military equipment, clothing, books and manuals. A spokesperson for the Canadian Forces told the Toronto Star that all of Williams’ clothes, including boots, headdress, and shirts, were burned on the same day. The retrieving of equipment is standard procedure, but the burning is not. When asked why they treated Williams’s belongings differently, spokesperson Cmdr. Hubert Genest said, “I could speculate about what could happen to the clothing, but by disposing of it like this, we’re sure it’s not going to be used again.”

Toronto Star

Russell Williams's neighbours

By Michael Friscolanti - Friday, October 29, 2010 at 11:00 AM - 0 Comments

PHOTOGRAPH BY MELISSA TAIT/ JEROME LESSARD/QMI AGENCY

As Russell Williams was settling in for the first night at his new home—a tiny, solitary cell in the depths of Kingston Penitentiary—his old home on Cosy Cove Lane was dark and empty, as it has been for months. Next door, a family still searching for answers finished their Thursday dinner. “We played cards at this table with him,” says Ron, sitting beside his wife, Monique. “We drank beer at this table with him. And if somebody asked me today: ‘Did I ever see anything?’ The answer would be ‘No, absolutely nothing.’ ”

Like so many others who once considered the ex-colonel a close friend, Ron and Monique still can’t fathom the two faces of their former neighbour: the Russ who was always welcome in their Tweed, Ont., kitchen—and who enjoyed a special bond with their two children—and the Russ who kicked off his vile crime spree inside this very same house. “When we look back, we feel so stupid,” Ron says, shaking his head. “You shouldn’t, but you do. You can’t help it.”

The former commander of Canada’s largest air force base pleaded guilty last week to 88 charges (dozens of break-ins targeting women’s lingerie, two home-invasion sexual assaults, and two first-degree murders), but his chilling transformation from respected officer to serial predator began right here, just a few steps from his infamous lakefront cottage. It was Sept. 9, 2007, and while the family next door was visiting a dying relative eight hours away, Williams strolled through their open front door and headed straight for the bedroom of Ron and Monique’s 12-year-old daughter.

Continue…

A new kind of monster

By Michael Friscolanti, Cathy Gulli and Kate Lunau - Thursday, October 28, 2010 at 9:00 AM - 0 Comments

Fred Thornhill/Reuters/ Nathan Denette/CP

Lee Burgess, one of four Ontario prosecutors working the Russell Williams case, warned the judge that the evidence to come was “extremely disturbing.” But no words—not his, nor anybody else’s—would ever be enough to brace someone for the gruesome timeline he was about to reveal.

It began with photos. Dozens and dozens of them. Williams squeezed into a pair of Tweety Bird underwear snatched from a little girl’s bedroom. Williams standing in a forest, modelling his latest batch of stolen lingerie. Williams lying on a neighbour’s bed, masturbating beside a large stuffed animal. Williams with a pair of underwear wrapped around his head—like the balaclava he would later don during the brutal murders of two innocent women.

Williams wearing his blue air force uniform, his pants pulled down to expose the bright pink panties hidden underneath.

Frame after frame, hour after hour, the pattern was exactly the same. Williams would stake out houses “where attractive young women lived,” photograph their bedrooms, then their underwear drawers, and then himself. In every shot, he has the same blank stare on his face, as if posing for yet another grip-and-grin for the base newspaper.

Continue…

Russell Williams no longer a colonel

By macleans.ca - Friday, October 22, 2010 at 4:07 PM - 0 Comments

Gen. Walter Natynczyk, Chief of the Defence Staff, issued a rally-the-troops message this afternoon to all soldiers, sailors, airmen and airwomen, outlining the administrative steps the Canadian Forces has taken against convicted killer Russell Williams. The disgraced air force colonel will not only be stripped of his rank, booted from the service, and forced to pay back his salary since the day of his arrest, but he is also the first officer in Canadian military history to have his commission revoked by the Governor-General.

The commander of CFB Trenton until his shocking arrest, Williams is now in a solitary jail cell at Kingston Penitentiary, serving the first days of a life sentence for a heinous string of sex crimes that included the brutal rape and murders of two women: Cpl. Marie-France Comeau, a 37-year-old corporal stationed at his base; and Belleville, Ont., resident Jessica Lloyd, 27. In his memo, Natynczyk described the ordeal as “deeply upsetting,” but reiterated that there are no legal grounds to either revoke Williams’ hefty pension or subject him to a court-martial.

“I wish to point out that under the CF superannuation act, there are no grounds to revoke his pension and a court martial would not have any impact on these accrued benefits,” the general wrote. “Some have questioned why Mr. Williams has not also been charged under the military justice system. I believe we need to understand why this is so. This is because there is no jurisdiction under the code of service discipline to try persons charged with murder where those murders took place in Canada. Mr. Williams was therefore tried and convicted of all of these 88 charges under the Criminal Code of Canada by a civilian court. Additionally there will be no further court martial on these matters because the National Defence Act specifically prevents an individual from being tried by court martial where the offence or any other substantially similar offence arising out of the same underlying facts have been previously dealt with by a civilian court. This basic principle sometimes known as ‘double jeopardy’ is fundamental within our civilian and military justice system. With his current convictions and sentence to life imprisonment justice has already been served.”

Below is a copy of the Natynczyk’s complete email, obtained by Maclean’s:

CDS Message: Mr. Russell Williams

1. On 21 Oct 10, Mr. Russell Williams, former Commander of 8 Wing, was sentenced to two concurrent terms of life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years for the first-degree murders of Cpl Marie France Comeau and Mrs. Jessica Lloyd.

2. The crimes committed by Mr. Williams are deeply upsetting to us all. Over the last few months, I have spoken with many of you in town halls across the country and on missions overseas. Like all Canadians, you and I have been shocked and repulsed by the crimes he committed.

3. During these conversations, you expressed your sympathy and compassion for the victims and the families affected by this terrible tragedy. I also listened to Canadian Forces personnel of all ranks as they expressed their bewilderment and anger at the betrayal of our institutional ethos of truth, duty, and valour. Because of his heinous crimes and his subsequent criminal conviction, Mr. Williams has lost the privilege of calling himself a member of the CF community.

4. With the conviction and sentencing completed, and following my recommendation, the Governor General has revoked his commission, an extraordinary and severe decision that may constitute a first of its kind in Canadian history.

5. Further, the following actions will now be taken:
A. Stripping Mr. Williams of his medals
B. Termination and recovery of his pay from the date of arrest
C. Denial of severance pay; and
D. His prompt release from the CF under “service misconduct” – which is the most serious release item possible.
6. As a consequence of his release from the CF for “service misconduct” and of the revocation of his commission, Mr. Williams no longer possesses a rank as a member of the CF.

7. I wish to point out that under the CF superannuation act, there are no grounds to revoke his pension and a court martial would not have any impact on these accrued benefits.

8. Some have questioned why Mr. Williams has not also been charged under the military justice system. I believe we need to understand why this is so. This is because there is no jurisdiction under the code of service discipline to try persons charged with murder where those murders took place in Canada. Mr. Williams was therefore tried and convicted of all of these 88 charges under the Criminal Code of Canada by a civilian court. Additionally there will be no further court martial on these matters because the National Defence Act specifically prevents an individual from being tried by court martial where the offence or any other substantially similar offence arising out of the same underlying facts have been previously dealt with by a civilian court. This basic principle sometimes known as “double jeopardy” is fundamental within our civilian and military justice system. With his current convictions and sentence to life imprisonment justice has already been served.

9. Now more than ever, this is a time for us to come together and heal as a community. We are doing everything we can to assist those in need of counselling or other support. I urge anyone who is feeling upset or concerned to seek assistance and to talk about it. While doing so, we will not forget Cpl Marie France Comeau, Mrs. Jessica Lloyd, and the many other victims and their families who will remain in our thoughts and prayers forever.

10. It is time to move forward, be strong and proud because the actions of Mr. Williams are not reflective of the values of the men and women who serve in the CF, whose integrity and self sacrifice come through loud and clear in words and deeds each day. Whether helping Canadians at home, abroad, or providing the hope of a better future to the people of Haiti, Africa or Afghanistan, I have seen our ethos of truth, duty, and valour at work and making a difference in the world. You have reason to hold your head high. Be strong and proud! I am proud to be your Chief of the Defence Staff.

General W.J. Natynczyk, CDS

"I have committed despicable crimes"

By Michael Friscolanti and Cathy Gulli - Thursday, October 21, 2010 at 3:05 PM - 0 Comments

Marie-France Comeau begged for her life. “I don’t deserve to die,” she said, cowering in the corner of her own bedroom. “Have a heart, please. I’ve been really good. I want to live.” Russell Williams put a piece of silver duct tape over her nose, and captured her final breaths with his video camera.

Williams assured his next murder victim, Jessica Lloyd, that he would set her free as long as she complied with each of his sick demands. And she did—for 18 hellish hours. Then he cracked her over the head with a flashlight, strangled her with a rope, and left her dead body in his garage for the next four days.

On Thursday morning—at the end of a sentencing hearing that revealed the true depth of Russell Williams’ shocking double life—Justice Robert Scott asked the man in the prisoner’s box if he had anything to say. He did.

“I stand before you, your Honour, indescribably ashamed,” said the disgraced air force colonel, his voice low, his ankles shackled. “I know the crimes I’ve committed have traumatized many people. The families and friends of Marie-France Comeau and Jessica Lloyd in particular have suffered and continue to suffer profound and desperate pain and sorrow as a result of what I’ve done.”

As he spoke, Williams paused for long stretches of time, fighting back tears (real or not). He listed all his crimes—including two home-invasion sexual assaults, and dozens of burglaries targeting women’s lingerie—and acknowledged that his actions caused many innocent women to “suffer terribly.” His family, he said, has also “been irreparably harmed.”

“The fact is I deeply regret what I have done and the harm I know I have caused,” he continued. “I have committed despicable crimes, your Honour.” Again, Williams had to stop and compose himself, reaching to accept a Kleenex from one of his lawyers. “And in the process, I betrayed my family, my friends, my colleagues, and the Canadian Forces.”

Sniffling and wiping his eyes, Williams paused one more time. “I shall spend the rest of my life knowing that I ended two vibrant, innocent and cherished lives,” he finally continued. “My very sincere hope is that my detailed confession on the night of Feb. 7, my full cooperation with investigators since, and ultimately my guilty pleas earlier this week have in some way served to temper the very, very serious harm I’ve caused my victims, their families, and friends. Thank you.”

When Williams finished, Justice Scott rubberstamped his mandatory sentence: two concurrent life terms to be served in a solitary cell at Kingston Penitentiary. Technically, Williams will be eligible for parole in 25 years (when he is 72) but the gruesome evidence revealed this week will almost certainly ensure that the National Parole Board keeps him behind bars until the day he dies. “His depravity has no equal,” the judge said. “He may be best described as Canada’s bright shining lie.”

A gifted pilot and a natural leader, Williams was once a rising star in the Canadian military, an elite officer who piloted prime ministers and the Queen and was later awarded the top job at CFB Trenton, the country’s largest and busiest air base. He seemed to have it all: a happy marriage, a hefty salary, and the respect of everyone under his command. But he was harbouring a dark, uncontrollable secret that—even now, after seeing the overwhelming evidence—is still difficult to believe.

“What makes it more despicable is that this was a man who was considered above reproach,” said Lee Burgess, one of the Crown Attorneys who worked the Williams file. “That a man like this could commit such monstrosities really makes you feel that the world is no longer a safe place, no matter where you are.”

MORE TO COME…

Liveblog: Col. Russell Williams hearing, day 4

By macleans.ca - Thursday, October 21, 2010 at 9:12 AM - 0 Comments

WARNING: The following contains graphic testimony that readers may find disturbing.

For more on the first day of Russell Williams’s hearing go to: The dark, depraved side of Russell Williams revealed in court

[10:51 AM]
Court is closed. Williams is handcuffed again, and led out of the courtroom. First he speaks to his lawyer again. He is escorted out, shackled.

[10:37 AM]
Justice Robert Scott says that there is an expression often said, “Nothing surprise me anymore.” Of that adage, he says, “That has no meaning here.”

The judge suspects that long before his firs crime Williams had these thoughts.

“He will forever be remembered as sado-sexual serial killer. he lived a charmed life. … his double life fooled most people. He may be best described in the biographical sense as Canada’s bright shining lie. Russell Williams’s fall from grace has been swift and sure. his crimes have adversely affected this country and this community, all victims alike.”

Justice Scott says his sentencing is meant also to serve as a deterrent to others. He is also taking into account Williams’ statement to the court. “I found it to be sincere.”

“Although I would be less inclined to adopt the Crown’s shock and awe presentation to the court,” he says it demonstrated the escalation of crimes.

He asks Williams to please stand up. He does. The judge reads out the sentences:

Count 1, life imprisonment for the murder of Comeau

Count 2, life imprisonment for the murder of  Lloyd, to be served concurrently

Counts 1-73, 75-78, 81-86, all property offences, 1 year on each count, to be served concurrently

Counts 73, 74, 79, 80,  two sex assaults and confinement, 10 years on each count, to be served concurrently

Police will take Williams immediately to Kingston penitentiary.

The judge also imposes a lifetime weapons prohibition, sex offender registry for life, DNA data banking orders. He imposes the $8,800 victim fines, and orders the destruction of items seized.

He lets Willams sit down. He tell him that he is eligible for parole after 25 years, “but that’s no guarantee that you will be eligible at that time.”

[10:32 AM]
Judge asks Williams if there is anything he wants to say.

Williams stands up, facing the judge, with his back to the majority of the people in the courtroom.

“Your honour,” he pauses. He puts his hand in pocket, then on the bar around the prisoner box. “I stand before you indescribably ashamed. I know that the crimes I hve committed,” he stops, crying, “have traumatized many people. The family and friends of Marie France Comeau and Jessica Lloyd in particular have suffered and continue to suffer profoundly desperate pain and sorrow as result of what I’ve done.” He is crying. “My assault of [the sexual assault victims] has caused them to suffer terribly as well. Numerous victims of the break and enters have been seriously distressed. My family has been irreparably harmed,” Williams says through tears. “The understandable hatred that was expressed yesterday and has been palpable throughout the week has me recognizing that most will not accept this: I very deeply regret what I have done. And the harm I’ve caused,” he stops, crying. “I’ve committed despicable crimes, your honour,” he pauses again, crying, “in the process, betraying my family, my friends and colleagues and the  Canadian Forces.” He stops again to collect himself. “Excuse me,” Williams says, and then continues: “I shall spend the rest of my life knowing that I ended two vibrant, innocent and cherished lives. My very sincere hope is that my detailed confession on the night of Feb. 7, my full cooperation with investigators since, and ultimately my guilty pleas earlier this week have in some way served to temper the very, very serious harm I’ve caused my victims, their families and friends. Thank you.”

[10:27 AM]
Edelson says there are many questions about why Williams committed these crimes. Why?

He says the standard of criminal responsibility was met by Williams.

Edelson hopes that Williams’ “guilty pleas my be viewed as an atonement. He cannot stand before this court and expect forgiveness. We can hope that his act of pleading guilty may in some way at some time help in the healing process.”

“It is unlikely that anyone affected with ever fully recover from his crimes.”

Edelson says he is not intending not to raise sympathy for his client. He will be in prison for the rest of his life, and will only be eligible after 25 years. He pleased guilty knowing that.

He says the defense would be remiss if it did not quell media speculation that Williams got special treatment.

Describing the “seismic” violations Williams carried out, Edelson says that his client “knows he stands at the epicenter of these shock waves. He is prepared to take responsibility for the damage he has caused.”

[10:18 AM]
Williams’ lawyer Edelson stands to speak.

He says the defense takes no issue with the life sentences that will be imposed against Williams.

Edelson says that nothing can change the legal consequences since Williams has pled guilty. This puts the lawyers in a paradoxical position. They can’t do much to change the sentences, but says that the guilty pleas of Williams may serve to some degree as reparation.

It’s not the role of the defense to address the victim impact, says Edelson, but it does wish to acknowledge their suffering. “Their pain is incalculable and really beyond our comprehension.”

He says we live in society where the accused has the right to declare “I am not guilty.” He continues, “The act of pleading guilty is a rarity.” He says Williams’ exceedingly uncommon pleas to first-degree murder have allowed the justice process to proceed quickly and “lessen the turmoil” of a long case.

He points out that Williams did not have to tell the police about the break-ins, many of which had not even been reported by the victims. He also notes that Williams was fully cooperative in helping the police find evidence, even leading them to Lloyd’s body, and decoding his complex computer filing system containing the footage of his crimes.

Edelson says there is nothing the defense can say about Williams life that hasn’t already been reported.

[10:14 AM]
Burgess is contrasting the brave fight Marie France Comeau put up against Williams as he raped, tortured and killed her. He contrasts Jessica Lloyd thinking of her love for her mother while Williams raped, tortured and killed her.

“Can there be any greater contrast between evil and good?”

He asks the judge to impose full sentences on all counts.

Claps take over the courtroom.

[10:03 AM]
Crown Lee Burgess asks the judge to impose a lifetime weapons prohibition against Williams. He notes that Williams will be put on the sex offender registry, and in the DNA bank.

Burgess also asks that the $100 victim fine for every count against Williams not be waived. He said since Williams has assets and a pension, he should be required to pay the $8,800.

Next, he asks for anything Williams used in carrying out these crimes be destroyed: Clothing, sex toys, rope, zipties, duct and electrical tape, his cameras, hard drives, computer, tapes. He also asks that Williams’ Pathfinder be turned over to the Crown. The judge asks to what end, will it be sold? Burgess says, “I don’t know how much value is left. … It’s going to be crushed.”

“This year has been very difficult for this community. … We have been shocked and saddened. But that’s not what defines this region. We have come together in mutual support.”

Burgess describes the “monstrosities” that Williams inflicted on so may people, made more devastating because he held the rank of colonel, who was supposed  to be—and was—seen as a leader. “He exploited that to divert suspicious. He laughed at us … as he lived the life of a serial killer by night.”

He points out that on the night Williams committed one sexual assault, he had earlier gone to drop the puck at the local hockey game. Williams carried the Olympic torch, and the community cheered him on.

Describing the trauma and violation suffered by the victims. The crimes lasted a few hours, Burgess said, but “the scars will last a lifetime.”

[10:00 AM]
Williams is led into the courtroom. He stands in the prisoner’s box, his handcuffs removed by an officer. Like all he days before, his lawyer whispers in his left ear, he nods, and sits down. He resumes his hunched forward position, looking down. Then the judge enters, all rise.

[9:59 AM]
A mic has been put in the prisoner’s box.

[9:53 AM]
Lawyers are assembling in the courtroom. Word is that Williams’ attorney Michael Edelson will make remarks today for the first time since the hearing began on Monday.

[9:21 AM]
Fourth day of the sentencing hearing for Russell Williams, the disgraced colonel who has pled guilty to dozens of break-ins, two sexual assaults, and two murders. Footage of the crimes, and of his confession has run out. Victim impact statements have been read through tears. Weariness is palpable. Word is today will be the last. Williams may make a statement. Court resumes at 10 AM.

"It’s hard to believe this is happening"

By Michael Friscolanti and Cathy Gulli - Wednesday, October 20, 2010 at 9:20 PM - 0 Comments

Russell Williams knew he was caught. The depth of his twisted double life had finally been exposed.

It was Feb. 7, 2010, a Sunday evening, and the colonel had already been sitting in a police interrogation room for more than three hours when Det.-Sgt. Jim Smyth of the Ontario Provincial Police showed him two pieces of paper. One was a boot print left near the home of Jessica Lloyd, a Belleville woman who had vanished nine days earlier. The other was a photocopy of the bottom of a shoe Williams wore to the police station that morning.

“These are identical,” Smyth told him.

The colonel stared at the prints on the table in front of him, but didn’t utter a word. “You and I both know that you were at Jessica Lloyd’s house,” Smyth continued. “And I need to know why.” Williams, still silent, pulled the two papers closer to his eyes.

“Well,” he said, after another long pause. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You need to explain it,” Smyth answered.

For the next few minutes, his mind racing, Williams clung to the hope that he would somehow walk out of that interrogation room a free man. But Smyth, a renowned expert in his trade, had his target cornered. He told Williams that the tires on his Nissan Pathfinder matched tracks left in the snow near Lloyd’s house on the night she disappeared. He told him that the police had search warrants, and were already scouring his new home in the Ottawa neighbourhood of Westboro. And he told him—repeatedly—what Williams now realized: “It’s over.”

At 6:25 p.m., with the cameras in the room still rolling, Smyth could see that Williams was wavering. “What’s the issue you’re struggling with?” he asked. Wearing jeans and a striped blue golf shirt, Williams took a deep breath, rubbed the left side of his face, and crossed his arms.

“It’s hard to believe this is happening,” he said.

“Why is that?” Smyth asked.

The commander of CFB Trenton, the country’s largest and busiest air base, took another deep breath. “It’s just hard to believe.”

Finally, a few minutes after 7 o’clock, Williams told the detective he had “two immediate concerns”: how his situation will affect the Canadian Forces, and how it will affect his partner of 18 years, Mary-Elizabeth Harriman. “I’m struggling with how upset my wife is right now,” he said. “I’m concerned that they’re tearing apart my wife’s brand new house.”

It would be another 30 minutes, however, before Williams finally gave in and admitted the truth. “I want to minimize the impact on my wife,” he repeated.

“So do I,” Smyth answered.

“So how do we do that?”

“You start by telling the truth.”

The colonel paused again. “OK.”

Over the next six hours—in the same calm, concise voice that made him such a respected commander in the Canadian air force—Williams walked Smyth through each of his heinous crimes: dozens of break-ins targeting female lingerie, two home-invasion sexual assaults, and the violent rapes and murders of Jessica Lloyd and Marie-France Comeau, a corporal from CFB Trenton who was killed in November 2009, two months before Lloyd. At one point in the conversation, Smyth asked Williams the question that, to this day, remains a mystery: “Why do you think these things happened?”

“I don’t know,” Williams said.

“Have you spent much time thinking about that?”

“Yeah, but I don’t know the answers. And I’m pretty sure the answers don’t matter.”

Portions of the confession were played in court Wednesday morning during Williams’ historic sentencing hearing—part of another grueling day of evidence that included heart-wrenching victim-impact statements from Jessica Lloyd’s grieving friends and relatives. One of those friends went so far as to interrupt her statement to demand that Williams raise his head and look her in the eyes. He did.

“Strictly because of who Russell Williams was—an important figure in the Canadian military—this case has drawn so much attention that our grieving process is constantly interrupted,” said Jessica’s older brother, Andy, holding back tears. “I am a very proud supporter of the Canadian Armed Forces. I believe that the men and women that serve our country are heroes, and deserve to be led by a responsible and morally sound individual, not someone who could commit such horrible crimes.”

Jessica’s late father served 25 years as a naval officer before his death from cancer. “He was a proud Canadian and a very proud member of the military,” Andy Lloyd said. “He would be mortified that any member of the armed forces, let alone someone of such high ranking and importance, could commit such terrible crimes against his daughter. I feel for military personnel on an individual basis, knowing how much they must have been dishonoured and misled by their commanding officer.”

In yet another stunning revelation, court also heard Wednesday that Williams—a remorseless serial predator who lied and connived until the moment he knew he was caught—actually sat down in that interrogation room Sunday night and wrote notes of “apology” to his victims. Scribbled on sheets of paper, it is hard to imagine words more hollow.

“You won’t believe me, I know,” he wrote to Lloyd’s mother, Roxanne. “But I am sorry for having taken your daughter from you. Jessica was a beautiful, gentle young woman, as you know. I know she loved you very much—she told me so, again and again.”

He also penned a note to his wife. “Dearest Mary Elizabeth,” it reads. “I love you, Sweet [illegible]. I am so very sorry for having hurt you like this. I know you’ll take good care of Sweet Rosie [the couple’s cat]. I love you, Russ.”

Williams was a rising star in the Canadian air force, an elite officer who piloted prime ministers and the Queen, and whose Trenton posting almost certainly would have ended with a promotion to general. To everyone in uniform, he was the quintessential military man, an intelligent, even-keeled leader who inspired respect and signed every email with the same two words: “Take care.”

But over the past few days, a courtroom in Belleville, Ont., has heard what police have long known: that Williams’ was the ultimate Col. Jekyll and Col. Hyde. By day, he was in charge of 3,000 people at the country’s most strategically important air force base, a facility that supports the war in Afghanistan and welcomes home every flag-draped casket. By night, he was a relentless sexual deviant who stalked his victims, obsessively catalogued his crimes, and grew more dangerous over time.

It all began in September 2007, when Williams started breaking into homes in search of women’s lingerie. He targeted properties in Tweed, Ont., where he and his wife owned a waterfront cottage, and in the Ottawa suburb of Orléans, where the couple lived for more than a decade until moving to the new townhouse in Westboro.

The pattern of each break-in was always the same. He photographed the bedroom, then the underwear drawer, then himself wearing the underwear. Once back home, he would meticulously photograph each individual item, storing the shots in a “complex” collection of well-hidden folders on the very same computer he shared with his wife.

With each new heist, Williams grew more confident—and more daring. During one late-night robbery, he walked away with 87 pieces of lingerie; during another, the stash was double that. Before leaving one girl’s bedroom, he took the time to type a note on her computer: “Merci.”

When Williams took command of Trenton in the summer of 2009, he moved full-time to Tweed, a 30-minute drive from the base. Harriman remained in Ottawa, where she works as associate executive director of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. They connected on weekends.

On July 11, just four days before being sworn in as 8 Wing boss, Williams stood in a neighbour’s backyard and stared through an open window. It was dark, after midnight, and when the woman inside climbed into a shower, Williams pounced. He stripped naked, headed for the bedroom, and fled the scene with a single black thong. “Very tempting to take her panties/bra from bathroom,” Williams later wrote on his computer. “Decided it would be entirely obvious that someone was in the house while she was in the shower—took panties from panty drawer instead…”

Williams would later confess to detectives that as he stood in that woman’s backyard (his clothes lying on the ground beside him) his predatory drive was “escalating.” He wanted, as he put it, “to take more risks.”

A few weeks later, the elite officer would graduate to sexual assault, targeting two women who lived within walking distance of his cottage. Both were tied up, blindfolded, stripped, posed and photographed. And after both attacks, Williams was back at his office early the next morning, sporting the same wide grin and the same can-do attitude that motivated so many of his subordinates.

On Nov. 23, a Monday night, Williams climbed through the basement window of Comeau’s Brighton, Ont., bungalow. He beat her with a flashlight, knocked her unconscious, and raped her repeatedly while videotaping the entire attack. Comeau fought back, but Williams overpowered her each time, ignoring her pleas to live. “I don’t deserve to die,” she said at one point, her mouth muzzled with duct tape. “I’ve been good all my life.”

Williams put another piece of tape over her nose and recorded her final breaths. Then he washed her sheets with bleach, walked out the back door, and drove straight to Ottawa—a three-and-a-half hour journey—for a morning meeting with fellow officers. He had dinner that night with his wife, and after kissing her goodbye, drove back to Tweed. Comeau’s body was still in her home, waiting to be discovered.

Williams spotted his next murder victim, Jessica Lloyd, while droving home from the base along Highway 37, the rural road where she lived. She was running on the treadmill near her basement window, getting in shape for an upcoming trip to Cuba. The following night, Jan. 28, Williams broke in, made sure she lived alone, and then waited in his car—parked near a tree line on the edge of her property—until she returned.

Lloyd was bound, raped, and ordered to model her lingerie. Williams promised his terrified victim that she would live as long as she obeyed his commands, so she complied with every order. When he walked her to his car and drove her to Tweed, she didn’t fight back—desperate not to upset him. The colonel called in sick that Friday morning (and told his subordinate not to tell his wife if she happened to phone the office) and then spent the rest of the day torturing and videotaping his captive. He then struck her over the head and strangled her to death with a rope.

Williams left her body in his garage for four days. When he finally returned—after a one-day flight to California, and a weekend with Harriman in Ottawa—Williams dumped her corpse near the side of a dirt road.

She would be his last victim.

Police found tire tracks on Lloyd’s property, and on Feb. 4, they set up a RIDE-style check along Highway 37, looking for a potential match. Williams’ Nissan Pathfinder was among the first vehicles through—and his treads were identical. That Sunday, while the colonel was back in Ottawa with his wife, Det.-Sgt. Smyth phoned him and asked if they chat. Williams came to the station right away.

He was chatty and polite. He even told Smyth that he was glad to see the police working so vigorously to find Jessica Lloyd. When the officer read him his rights, Williams said he didn’t need a lawyer and was willing to answer any question.

But as the footage reveals, Williams was clearly nervous. He chomped on a piece of gum, and nodded his head constantly as Smyth explained the status of their investigation. At one point, the officer asked Williams what police might discover if they conducted a thorough background check of his life. Williams grinned. “It would be very boring,” he said.

Four hours later, Williams began a startling confession that would lead to this week’s guilty plea—and an automatic sentence of life behind bars with no chance of parole for 25 years. Early the next morning, he led detectives to Lloyd’s lifeless body.

“I can tell you that she did not suspect the end was coming,” he wrote in his note to Jessica’s mother. “Jessica was happy because she believed she was going home.”

Of all the evidence presented so far, few pieces are more shocking than those letters Williams printed in the hours after his confession. They are so clinical and so insulting that it’s hard to believe they were written by a human being.

“I am sorry for having taken your daughter, Marie-France, from you,” he wrote to Comeau’s father. “I know you won’t be able to believe me, but it is true. Marie-France has been deeply missed by all that knew her.”

To his first sexual assault victim, he wrote two sentences: “I apologize for having traumatized you the way I did. No doubt you’ll rest a bit easier now that I’ve been caught.” His second sexual assault victim, Laurie Massicotte—who lives just three doors down from his cottage—received more of a pep talk than an apology. “I really hope that the discussion we had has helped you turn your life around a bit,” Williams wrote. “You look like a bright woman, who could do much better for herself. I do hope that you find a way to succeed.”

On Wednesday afternoon—after enduring two-and-a-half days of gruesome evidence—Williams’ victims finally had their chance to speak. When the time came, however, most chose to say nothing. The Comeau family did not submit a victim-impact statement, and neither did Massicotte or the first sex assault victim (whose name is protected by a publication ban). But Lloyd’s friends and relatives—six in all—lined up for the chance to face the man sitting in the prisoner’s box.

One friend—angry, indignant and fearless—stared straight at Williams and professed her absolute hatred of him. “I despise Russell Williams. How dare he? His selfishness has changed who I am,” she seethed. “I hope that man loses everything. I hate him.”

“This year I didn’t want to have a 28th birthday, because Jessica didn’t get to celebrate hers,” said another friend. “Christmas was one of Jessica’s favorite times of year; this year I will prefer to sleep through it. I hate Russell Williams. I will never forgive him. People say forgiveness heals all wounds. I guess my wounds will bleed until the day I die.”

When it was Andy Lloyd’s turn, Justice Robert Scott offered his personal condolences, and congratulated his for having the bravery to act as the family spokesman throughout their ordeal. “I was looking forward to being an uncle almost as much as I was looking forward to being a father,” he said. “That won’t happen now. No big brother should have to go through what I went through.”

It was Andy Lloyd who, in the days after his sister vanished, was on the news, imploring people to come forward if they had any clues. “What did Williams think seeing me on every major media outlet?” he asked. “I can’t help but think he laughed at me, thinking: ‘She’s in my garage.’”

Roxanne Lloyd was the last to take the stand. “I am Jessica’s mother,” she said. “I loved her from the moment I realized I was pregnant…I will continue to love her for the rest of my years on Earth, and even after I die.” She described the anguish she felt knowing that she’d never see, hug or hear her daughter again. She’d never go shopping or traveling with her. She’d never hear that her daughter had fallen in love. Or was getting married. Or was going to be a mother herself. Even after Jessica’s body was recovered, Roxanne did not fully believe it. “I prayed some big mistake had been made,” she said. “But when I saw her in that casket I knew my hopes and dreams were over.

Liveblog: Col. Russell Williams hearing, day 3

By macleans.ca - Wednesday, October 20, 2010 at 9:20 AM - 0 Comments

WARNING: The following contains graphic testimony that readers may find disturbing.

For more on the first day of Russell Williams’s hearing go to: The dark, depraved side of Russell Williams revealed in court

[4:13 PM]

The judge gives his condolences again, and thanks those who spoke.

Court is adjourned.

[4:01 PM]

Roxanne Lloyd, Jessica’s mother takes the stand.

“I am Jessica’s mother.” She says her daughter’s full name, birth date, and date of death. She pauses, holding back tears.

She speaks quickly, firmly. Because of Williams, she says, she can never hug her daughter again or be hugged by her, tell her she loves her, get a phone call or email from her, go shopping or on trips with her.

“I feel like my heart has been ripped right out of my chest. I loved her from the moment I realized I was pregant. … I will continue to love her for the rest of my years on Earth, and even after I die.”

“I can’t even begin to imagine what Christmas will be like without her. It will be unbearable.”

“So many dreams I had for my daughter and myself have been destroyed.” She won’t hear Jessica tell her she’s fallen in love. She can’t help her plan her wedding. She can’t share the joy of becoming a mother, and she can’t become a grandmother.

“I have been put through sheer agony. No mother should go through what this has put me through.” Searching for her daughter, then finding out she’d been murdered, then finding out how she had been degraded and traumatized. “How could he do those horrible things to her, and then drive by her house twice a day knowing her family was searching for her?”

“I had to see my daughter in a casket. I had to see that it was all true. I prayed some big mistake had been made. But when I saw her in that casket I knew my hopes and dreams were over.”

“I never believed I would outlive my child. I wrote the eulogy for her funeral.”

She has never been one for medication, but she is now on sleep drugs and antidepressants.

“I can’t help wondering and asking why? How could he do this to my … wonderful, witty, thoughtful daughter?”

“Why did he do this to me too? Now I am a broken woman. I will never be the same.”

“The only good thing to come from this is he can never do this again. And it’s because of my Jessica that he has been stopped.”

She continues: “I’ve heard people should be forgiven. I can never, ever, ever forgive him. How am I supposed to live the rest of my life without Jessica? I can honestly say I hate Russell Williams.”

“I now wear her jewelry. I am wearing this necklace. It’s a mother and child. Jessica always preferred silver. I also wear a silver teardrop with Jessica’s ashes.” Andy wears a bracelet with her ashes in it.

“No amount of suffering Russell Williams feels today compares the suffering we have felt.”

Lloyd’s mother wishes she could bring her daughter back. “I would gladly take her place. I would die for her. Since that is not possible, I am here to today to make sure that Russell Williams is properly sentenced and that we get justice for Jessica.”

She finishes speaking, and loud applauds erupt in the courtroom.

[3:52 PM]

Andy Lloyd takes the stand. The judge gives him the courtroom’s respects.

He says it has been difficult to process his grief in the public spotlight.

“My sister and I were always close, especially after our dad died,” he stops, crying. He takes several sips of water.

They shared friends, and spent a lot of time together. “We were not only siblings, but friends.”

“I am a very proud supporter of the Canadian Armed Forces.” He speaks of the honorable service of his father, and how he would be horrified to know what Williams did to his daughter.

“Every day is a struggle to get through. I miss her so much. Special occasions are especially tough. Like Victoria Day weekend, which is one of her favourites.” Her birthday always fell on that weekend. “This year, like always, I had my annual party, but it wasn’t the same because she wasn’t there.”

He and his mother had a hard time on their August birthdays and Thanksgiving. “Looking ahead I can’t even imagine what Christmas will be like.” He sighs heavily.

“I was looking forward to being an uncle almost as much as I was looking forward to being a father. That won’t happen now. No big brother should have to go through what I went through. Searching for her, then learning she’d been murdered.”

“What did Williams think seeing me on every major media outlet,” he says of the pleas he made for help during the search for Jessica. “I can’t help but think he laughed at me, thinking, ‘She’s in my garage.’ ”

He can’t sleep, he is on multiple medications. “All I want is my life to go back to the way it was before.”

The only good thing now is that Williams has been caught, “and it’s because of my sister. My sister and the community think of her as a hero for stopping this from happening to another woman.”

“The media attention has been overwhelming.” He says he spoke with reporters because he wanted to make sure that this story is about his amazing sister, not about “the colonel—ex-colonel.”

He doesn’t understand why fate or God could let anything like this happen to such a good person.

He steps down. Claps erupt.

[3:51 PM]

In closing the aunt says: “Many people say that it took our little angel to take Russell Williams down.”

Lloyd gave her gift once that read, “The love in our family flows strong and deep. Leaving us special memories to treasure and keep.” She says, “Those memories will remain in our hearts forever.

[3:48 PM]

Lloyd’s aunt continues: “We all planned on seeing her get married, and have babies.” She says it is so painful to see Jessica’s mother suffer so much. “She wants her daughter back. Something none of us can do for her.”

“What gave him the right to take someone else’s child?”

“He has no idea what love means. He couldn’t have loved his own family because now they have to live with this too.”

[3:36 PM]

Court resumes. Williams is not hunched over, with his head tilted down, but it’s unclear if he is looking at the speakers giving their victim impact statements.

Next person is another aunt of Lloyd.

“We are a very close family. When one member is hurting, everyone feels the pain.”

She remembers Lloyd as a beautiful baby. Full of smiles, and “those huge green eyes just sparkled.”

“Jessica’s father was military, and so very proud of it, as we were of him.”

Lloyd’s aunt describes the happy times the family had together before Lloyd’s murder. “Then our world fell apart. I have never in life felt more pain, sadness and anger than I have these past several months.”

She doesn’t believe Williams took into consideration the love Lloyd had for her. She remembers being with Jessica’s mother, looking out Jessica’s picture window waiting for her to come home. Initially they were optimistic. “Then we went from fearing the worst, to living the worst.”

Her son told her their lives will never be the same. “You want to know how this has impacted my life? How hasn’t it?”

A six-year-old relative says he wants to be police officer so he can catch bad men like the one who hurt Jessica.

[3:10 PM]

Break. Many tears in the courtroom.

[3:04 PM]

A cousin and best friend of Lloyd’s take the stand. She talked to her multiple times a day, and saw her at least once a week.

“I have come to grips with the why questions never being answered,” she says. About the lurid details of the attack and murder against Lloyd, she says, “I knew her so well that those mental images will continue to break me everyday of my life.”

“I’m going to learn to appreciate life again know that I can still walk around on this Earth.” She says she believes that what goes around comes around, and that she can’t wait for fate to play out.

[3:01 PM]

Lloyd’s aunt continues: “Jessica did not have to die. She did not have to die this way. … I will never forgive Russell Williams.” While searching for Lloyd “We suffered each and every day while he continued on as if nothing had happened,” she say.

“What tears me apart that after everything he did to her,” the aunts contiues, “he ended her life, and then he dumped Jessica on the side of the road like a bag of trash.”

She pauses, crying. “We love you Jessica, we miss you everyday, and you will live in our hearts forever.”

[2:54 PM]

Lloyd’s aunt, fighting tears, says that Lloyd had said that she wasn’t afraid living alone, but that she was feeling uncomfortable about the “Tweed creeper.” Thirteen days later, Williams attacked and murdered her.

Lloyd’s aunt remembers standing outside with Lloyd’s mother and begging God that Jessica was safe and not cold.

Lloyd’s mother was devastated: “When your child is murdered, you just can’t accept it. There are so many whys?”

She remembers the call Lloyd’s mother had to make to Bell to disconnect her daughter’s phone line. It last more than an hour. She had to keep repeating that her daughter had been murdered. “How cruel.”

Lloyd’s aunt can find no peace. “Why did her attacker choose her, and why didn’t he let her live? What if she had stayed at a friend’s house, or a friend had stayed at her house? What if she had an alarm system or a dog? What if? What if? What if?”

[2:52 PM]

Multiple people have said the Lloyd wanted to have children, and mourn that her mother will never get to hold a grandchild. Lloyd said she would have named her son Tie, after her favourite Maple Leaf player, Tie Domi.

[2:45 PM]

Jessica’s aunt takes the stand. Starts to cry. She composes herself and begins in a steady voice. “Our family will never be truly happy again.” She says, speaking directly to Williams, “Since Jan. 29, when you selfishly took Jessica from us, we are all scarred for life.”

[2:30 PM]

Another woman takes the stand. “Russell Williams murdered my best friend,” she says. She grew up on the belief that you should look for the best in people and situations. Speaking to Williams, she says, “The only beauty I see in you is that you’re caught.”

After Lloyd’s father died of cancer, she made a promise to herself that she would take care of Lloyd. “I failed.”

“My life was almost perfect. I bought my first home and I had a career I thought I could only dream of.” At Christmas she and Lloyd gave each other a hug that lasted so long it was like it “foreshadowed what was to come.” They didn’t want to let go of each other. “That was the last face-to-face time I had with Lloyd.” Later, she says she “cried going to pick up my second set of keys because Jessica would never use that set.”

“I spent days and nights waiting to hear something, anything. There was one day when I received a call from my colleagues. I told them I knew Lloyd was gone. After my heart told me she was gone, I turned to hoping her body would be found. I knew she was outside. I hoped she was wearing clothing, it was cold.” She continues, “I hoped for a miracle. My miracle didn’t happen. Life as I knew it would never be the same. I lost my best friend forever. I didn’t get to say goodbye. He took that from me. I didn’t get to tell her I love her, or hug her. Russell Williams stole that from me. He was above the law until he met Jessica Lloyd. He had no idea the love her family and friends had for her. If he had, he would have never stepped foot in that house.

I have survivor’s guilt. I am constantly considering the what ifs. If I had never left Belleville, maybe this wouldn’t have happened. I’m now filled with hate and anger, and I have no idea how to live a life with these emotions.

I think about what Jessica’s last thoughts were, but I already know the answer.” She thought of her mother and brother and the pain they would feel. She says she doesn’t want to partake in life as it now exists. “I tell my colleagues my puffy eyes are allergies, all the while I cry myself to sleep at night. I don’t fear life and death. I am not suicidal. I would never give Russell Williams the satisfaction. Instead I fear for my friends and family and hers. It’s come to the point that when I can’t get a hold of someone I think the worst. I can’t handle losing anyone else.”

The woman continues, “This year I didn’t want to have a 28th birthday, because Jessica didn’t get to celebrate hers. Christmas was one of Jessica’s favorite times of year; this year I will prefer to sleep through it. I hate Russell Williams. I will never forgive him. People say forgiveness heals all wounds. I guess my wounds will bleed until the day I die.

She says Williams used his power and authority to take advantage of the Canadian public.

Making this statement, she says, “brings me no closure or satisfaction. I’ll leave today and continue to live my nightmare. I’ll get through my days knowing that Jessica feels no pain and that she is in peace. There will be a day when I get to tell her that I love her most.”

[2:22 PM]

Next person, another woman, takes the stand. She is speaking as a friend of Lloyd, and the on behalf of friends of Lloyd.

One friend says she never viewed the world the same after Lloyd’s murder. She loved her like a sister. Williams destroyed her life by taking her away. She hopes he rots.

The woman then speaks for herself: “I have never known the word hate. I never knew how someone’s name could make me cringe or how seeing them could make me feel physically ill. I despise Russell Williams. How dare he. His selfishness has changed who I am. I resent that he doesn’t have the courage to look at me.” She looks at him, but Williams does not appear to look at her. “I hopes that man loses everything. I hate him.”

[2:18 PM]

A break-in victim takes the stand to the right of the judge. She spells her name.

She’s tried many times to write this statement, but didn’t know what to say. She has studied criminology and psychology. She thought about the perpetrator, and how much the person needed to get help. He had to be emotionally disturbed. But as months went by, the effects of of the break-in became apparent. Her family put bars on the windows, she changed her routine. She moved to another city, and she had her landlord put in an alarm and introduced herself to neighbors. Now that her physical needs were met, her emotions took over. The person took her “trust, security and emotional well-being.” She had panic attacks, and has trouble sleeping to this day. She saw a therapist and was prescribed medication. Although there are much more heinous crimes than the one she suffered, she says this experience has affected her life very negatively.

[2:15 PM]

The Crown notifies the courtroom that victim impact statements will be read.

The judge is thanking the victims for coming forward.

[2:14 PM]

Williams is led back into the courtroom. He is hunched over. The judge enters. All rise. For the first time since the court proceedings began the large TV screens showing Williams photographs and confession, among other evidence, are turned off and away from the people in the coutroom.

[1:22 PM]

The court made available letters that Williams wrote after making his confession: one to his wife, which references the family cat; another to Jessica Lloyd’s mother; a third to Marie-France Comeau’s father; one to Laurie Massicotte, one of the sexual assault victims; and one more to the other sexual assault victim. Scrawled on lined paper, they read as follows:

Dearest Mary Elizabeth, I love you, sweet [illegible]. I am so very sorry for having hurt you like this. I know you’ll take good care of sweet Rosie. I love you, Russ.

Mrs. Lloyd, You won’t believe me, I know, but I am sorry for having taken your daughter from you. Jessica was a beautiful, gentle young woman, as you know. I know she loved you very much—she told me so, again and again. I can tell that she did not suspect that the end was coming. Jessica was happy because she believed she was going home. I know you have already had a lot of pain in your life. I am sorry to have caused you so much more. RW

Mr. Comeau, I am sorry for having taken your daughter, Marie-France Comeau from you. … I know you won’t be able to believe me, but it is true. Marie-France has been deeply missed by all that knew her. RS

Laurie, I am sorry for having hurt you the way I did. I really hope that the discussion we had has helped you turn your life around a bit. You seem like a bright woman who could do much better for herself. I do hope that you find a way to succeed. RS

[Name censored], I apologize for having traumatized you the way I did. No doubt you’ll rest a bit easier now that I’ve been caught. RS

[1:04 PM]

Break.

[12:53 PM]

“I guess what’s on my mind now, Russ, is what made you decide to tell me this?” Smyth asks, referring to the confession.

“Mostly to make my wife’s life easier,” Williams says, looking down.

Smyth asks, “Is what you told me tonight the truth?” Williams replies, “Yeah.

Smyth asks Williams how he feels about what he’s done. Williams is slient. Finally, he responds: “Disappointed.”

Smyth asks if it hadn’t come to this point, does he think it would have happend again. “I was hoping not. I can’t answer the question,” says Williams.

Smyth says, “Okay,” stands up, and says he wants to cover off a few more details. Williams sits down again.

In Comeau’s basement there is a hole in the wall. Williams says doesn’t know why.

Smyth asks about clothes that were tied around a support pole in her basement. Williams says that was from when he tied her up shortly after he’d knocked her out. Smyth asks if her mouth is duct taped at that point. Williams replies that he can’t be sure, “but the pictures would show it.”

Williams then explains that the smashed photo in the bathroom was the results of a struggle he had with Comeau. She had run into the bathroom, and he subdued her again, and got her back in the bedroom “and regained control of her.”

Smyth asks about the  blood in the bedroom. “All of the blood was from when I was first trying to subdue her.”

Smyth asks why Comeau’s breasts were injurd. Williams doesn’t know. “I certainly touched her breasts, but I didn’t do anything to hurt her. But when I suffocated her she was on her front. So maybe there is something there. She was lying on the floor of the bedroom as I suffocated her, there was obviously a struggle, so maybe there’s something there.” Smyth asks what happened next. “Well, she died.” He took the tape off, and put her back on the bed.

Smyth says that there are a number of unsolved cases. Williams says “Before you do that can I go to the washroom?” Smyth obliges.

Courtroom footage ends.

The video proceeds with Williams being asked if he wants to write something to the victims or their families. The paper stays blank. Williams later describes the break and enters. He is invited to write again. He is left alone for an hour. Williams did write three letters. They will be submitted as exhibits. They are letters to victims, and one to his wife, Mary Elizabeth Harriman. There are others he wrote that he later scratched out, which police have in their possession.

Williams denies any connection to other crimes.

He requests to review with officers what can be found in his home so they can get taht quickly and leave his wife alone.

He then takes officers to Lloyd’s body.

[12:49 PM]

Williams describes the other sexual assault, saying it was similar to what he’d just outlined against Massicotte. He calls the victim “cute,” and tells Smyth that she had told him she had an eight-month old baby. He breathes deeply, leans forward.

Smyth asks why he put the underwear of the sexual assault victims with those of the murder victims. “I don’t know.”

He stretches his neck in the chair while describing where in the laundry room he has put the green military duffle bag containing women’s underwear. Smyth asks if there is anything else in the bag. “Just underwear.”

Williams sips water, gets up again, hands behind his back, paces, leans against the wall. He explains where photos of him wearing underwear were taken. “In Marie-France’s case, in her house. With the others, in my house.”

[12:42 PM]

“We’ve been through this,” he says to Smyth when asked what happened on the night of the assault. He goes through the familiar list: subdued her, assaulted her, took pictures, stole lingerie, left. He says he told her that there were other guys in the house to control her. Williams say, “She was worried she was going to be killed. I said, ‘I’m not going to kill anyone.’ ”

He says he used his one and only digital photo camera, and a video camera. Williams tells Smyth they are in Tweed. He is rubbing his left thigh. He tells Smyth he left Massicotte’s by telling her to “count or wait for a couple of minutes before she called the police. I left.” He went home. Smyth asks if he waited to see if the police showed up. “No.” Williams says he went to sleep. The next day he went to work.

[12:39 PM]

Williams is standing against the wall still. His left hand is resting on his neck.

Smyth asks how he targeted Massicotte, the sexual assault victim. He says he knew she lived alone. Williams sits down again. Crosses his arms. “I looked in the window, and she was alone.”  Williams says he knew she had a boyfriend, but “she told me they had been fighting. So.”

He had gone to Massicotte’s house before the night of the assault and “looked for signs of her boyfriend, and took two pieces of her underwear. That’s all.”

Williams got into the house through a window at the back of the house.

[12:36 PM]

Williams is trying to piece together a timeline again. This time sounds like he was at Comeau’s for more like five hours.

He left her home, and went straight to Ottawa on the 401 East. He had a meeting for a C17 acquisition project.

[12:28 PM]

The attack on Comeau lasted “an hour and a half, two hours,” says Williams. Then, he suffocated her using duct tape, he says, “as I described.”

Smyth asks why he did that. “Well, I had been taking pictures. As I described to you, it was going to be a pretty straight line to Tweed.”

Smyth asks why Williams used that method rather than another. Williams is silent, leaning forward, then back. “I had thought about strangling her earlier,” he says, and had tried, but it didn’t work. “Then I decided that I needed to suffocate her.” Smyth asks what footage exhists of him trying to strangle her. “Just me putting my hand on her throat, and her responding very aggressively.” He goes on to describe suffocating her.

Williams stands up again, grabs water, leans against the wall. Is trying to piece together how long he was in Comeau’s house. “I didn’t have a watch on so I’m not sure.” But roughly four hours.

Smyth asks what kinds of conversations he had with Comeau. He says none becuase he had taped her mouth. “She was quite aggressive.” He thought her screams would be “taking a chance.” She had screamed when she first saw him. “When she discovered me she was very vocal, screamed quite a bit, until I subdued her.”

He left through the back door, and left with some of her underwear.

Smyth asks if he did anything else to cover his tracks. “I turned off my Blackberry. Other than that, no.” Smyth asks if he destroyed evidence. “I took her sheets off the bed and ran them through the laundry in her house. I just put them in, put a bunch of bleach in, and let it go.”

[12:25 PM]

Williams says of Comeau: “She wasn’t wearing anything to start with. She had some shawl over her shoulder, which she dropped when she saw me.”

Smyth asks if she said anything to him when she saw him. Williams says: “She did. She called out, ‘You bastard!’ Then I subdued her as I described.”

He outlines the struggle they had, how he tied Comeau up, and carried her upstairs. “As I described, I put her on the bed and I raped her over a period of time. Just vaginal.” No condoms were used, he says.

[12:22 PM]

Williams is describing bringing in a green military duffle bag, which contained, among other things, a skull cap and head band. He says he was probably wearing running shoes because it hadn’t been snowing.

Williams describes hiding by the furnace in the basement, and waiting for Comeau to go to bed, “but she didn’t. She came downstairs looking for her cat. As I described, I subdued her with the flashlight.” Williams grabs his water. “Essentially wrestled her to the ground and tied her up.” Smyth asks with what. “Same rope, green rope.” He’s says it’s 20 ft. long, and in Tweed. Williams sits down, sips his water, puts it down, and crosses his arms again.

[12:19 PM]

Once Williams was in the house, he says he was “Just playing with her underwear.” Smyth asks what that means. Williams replies: “Wearing it.” He took a few clean pieces from her drawer, and left.

He went back another night. Got there at about 11 PM. Could hear her on the phone from the backyard. Williams stands up again, paces, puts his hands behind his back, leans against the wall, looks down. His white-socked feet are visible.

[12:16 PM]

Williams is describing how he parked far away from Comeau’s house, and then walked there. Says that the first time he went in, “looked around and made sure that she was living there alone.” He got in through the bottom side basement window. It was unlocked.

[12:15 PM]

Smyth turns to Comeau. He says he wants to understand why Williams targeted her specifically. Williams says, “I don’t know. Really. I went out there just to see where she lived.” He says he found her address through work.

[12:11 PM]

Williams explains to Smyth what he did over the next few days while in Ottawa.

When he returned to Tweed on Tuesday, Williams dropped Lloyd’s body off in the woods behind rocks. Smyth asks what prompted Williams to measure the distance to where he was dumping her body. “That’s just the way I am. Numbers.”

Williams says he cleaned and vacuumed when he went home.

[12:00 PM]

“Then we had a little lie down because she was obviously exhausted. Covered her, and went to sleep. Maybe for an hour or so. And I had told her ealrier that before I let her go i wanted to take some pictures of her in her underwear and, uh, have sex with her.” He pauses, chin in hand. “So after she had the rest for an hour or so, I had her put,” he pauses, “a number of different outfits she had.”

Looking for clarification, Smyth says “I’m sorry?”

Williams sighs, shifts, crosses arms. “A number of different panties and bras that she had.” He acknowledges that he is in some of these pictures. Smyth asks what kind. “Well, I’m with her. On the hard drives you’ll see there’s video as well. So there’s video of the, uh, yeah. Almost four hours, I guess.” He shifts, unfolds his arms, leans forward, left hand on knee. “Well, of initially of her place, me raping her.” He shifts again, crosses arms. “The video pretty much covers everything.”

He says he used video at Comeau’s as well. Smyth asks if the video contains “the same kind of stuff.” Williams says, “Yeah, but I didn’t have her put on any stuff.”

Then he got Lloyd dressed, fed  her—”fruit”—and as they were walking out, Williams struck her.

Smyth asks when he decided to do that. Williams is quiet. “Well, I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to let her leave. But, uh, the idea of striking her on the head was in the afternoon.” Smyth asks what the strike was supposed to accomplish. “I thought I would be able to knock her out, and then I was going to strangle her.”

When Williams did that, “Her skull gave way a little bit, and there was a lot of blood. She was immediately unconscious. And then I strangled her.” Smyth asks how. “Same rope, just put around her neck while she was unconscious.” He says he had taken the ziptie off of her neck “after she was killed.”

Smyth asks how he knew Lloyd was dead. “She,” he pauses, “her body stopped moving.”

He then bound her up in the fetal position. Long pause. He leans forward, sighs, puts his hands on his knees. “I put her in the garage. It was very cold. And drove to the base. Because I was flying early the next morning.”

[11:56 AM]

Smyth asks where the rest of the duct tape he used is. “It’s all gone. I used the rest of it to bind her body.”

He describes how they both slept for a couple of hours, but then says he isn’t sure if she slept. “We were up and down, up and down. So it was two hours in bed. But there wasn’t much sleep.”

Then, he says, “She had a seizure, actually. She felt it coming on. She’d had some before. Lasted quite a while. Got her dressed, into the family room, and, anyway. She recovered. Anyway. It was the stress. But, uh, yeah, probably went on for about 15 minutes.”

[11:54 AM]

Williams says they drove directly to Tweed, where they arrived between 4:30 AM and 5 AM.

His position has barely changed. He is still sitting back with his arms crossed. His voice is calm, quiet. He pauses between clipped phrases, looking down at the ground, nodding as he speaks.

He describes having her take a shower, and the tape he had put over her eyes.

[11:50 AM]

Williams admits he threatened Lloyd, and put a ziptie around her neck. He says he continued to rape her, had her put on lingerie, took pictures, then got her dressed and they left.

Smyth asks when Williams decided he was going to take Lloyd back to his home. “I’m not sure. That wasn’t necessarily always the plan. But at some point it was there for,” pauses, “I was there for three hours, three and a bit.” Stops.

Williams said Lloyd was “certainly cooperative. She just didn’t put up too much of a fuss.” He says, “I had told her that I would let her go later on.”

[11:45 AM]

While detailing how he got into Lloyd’s house the first time, he stands up, walks over the table, and puts something heavy and metal down, probably his keys. He leans against the wall with his water in hand, looking down, his ankles crossed. He details waiting for her to come home, and that when she was asleep he “snuck up to the side of her bed, expecting to try and knock her out. She woke up, but she did as I said. So I didn’t hit her.”

Smyth asks what he said. “Lie down on your tummy. She did. I tied her up. With some rope I’d brought.” Williams is scratching his head. He tells Smyth Lloyd was wearing “sweats.” He sits back down and says he took her clothes off. He sighs heavily. Looks at the wall. Smyth asks then what. “I raped her,” he says. Smyth says that can mean different things, to be specific. “Vaginal and oral.” Williams says no condoms were used.

[11:44 AM]

Williams believed that because Comeau was in the military “it would have been difficult for investigators to ignore that connection to him.”

[11:40 AM]

Smyth asks what kind of feelings Williams experienced when with Lloyd. “I thought she was very attractive.”

“I think I killed her because I knew that, uh,” he pauses, “that her story would be recognized.” He stops, looks to the ground. Smyth asks what he means. “Because she knew I was taking pictures. So because of the two stories in Tweed,” he believed he would have been an obvious suspect.

Williams says he doesn’t know what he would have done to Lloyd if he hadn’t taken pictures.

“The attention the first two got was very much focussed on obviously the pictures I took. So anybody else telling stories about pictures would ahve been a farily straight line.”

He looks down.

[11:37 AM]

“The first one I just spotted her. I got into the house while she was asleep. Noticed that she was alone. And hit her with my hand while she was sleeping. Subdued her. Mostly just by weight, on top her. Had her take off her pajamas, took some pictures, took some of her underwear and left.

Smyth asks about he otehr one. “SAme kind of deal. Went through the back of the house. She was sleeping by the TV. Vry much the same story.”

Smyth asks if there was anything different. “Not much. I did have the flashlight that time, I hit her with the flashlight to knock her out, and subdued her with my weight. took of her clothes, took some pictures and left.”

Smyth asks why these things happened. Williams is silent. Signs. Chin in hand, looking at ground. “I don’t know.” “But I don’t have any answers. And I’m pretty sure the answers don’t matter.

He says he didn’t know any of them, so it was not a matter of liking or disliking these women.

[11:35 AM]

Williams says he took underwaer from both of their houses, and they are in boxes in the furnace room near the wall. “Probably one is from the scanner. If you look through the boxes there, you’ll find it.

Smyth asks how many pieces are there. “Probably 60 pieces of theirs.” Whose? “Of Jessica and Marie-France,” he says, using a French enunciation of the latter’s name.

he says there are also underwearr from each other other two women—the sexual assault victims.

[11:29 AM]

Smyth says Comeau’s name. Williams says there was an open window in the basement when she wasn’t home. He returned another night when she was on the home. She distrubed me downstaris. She was trying to get the cat upstaris, but it was fixated on me. She came down toward me, I guess because she wanted to figure out what the cat was staring at.

When she spotted me, by the same flashlight i subdued her, tied her up, brought her upstairs. Pause. “And strangled her later on. Or suffocated her.” He shifts, sighs, “with some tape.”

Smyth asks how is subdued her. Williams says with the flashlight. “I hit her a couple of times around her head trying to knock her out. Didn’t. But she was bleeding a little bit. Eventually through a struggle subdued her.” He looks at the ground, arms crossed. Williams says he had been hiding behind the furnace, and she didn’t recognize him because he had stuff on his face.

He looks down, nods, then looks up at Smyth, who asks about the suffocation. Williams says he “put tape on her mouth, nose and held it there so she couldn’t breath.” Smyth asks what kind of tape. “duct tape.”

Williams says she never recognized him. He had “just a cover for my head. Just a sport, pullover, cap-type thing. And just a headband over my nose and mouth.”

He says the flashlight is at his home in Tweed. “It’s a red, double D. It’s like a big, I can’t remember what brand. It’s a bigger one.”

[11:25 AM]

Williams says he saw her on the treadmill one night. He noticed another time she wasn’t home. When she came back home, he went in through the back patio door. She was asleep, but he didn’t hit her. Pause. “Well, so I raped her in her thouse, and then i took her to the car, and I took erh to Tweed.” He is looking down. pauses, scratches his neck. He is speaking quietly. Now holding his neck. “Spent the day in Tweed. I hit her as we were walking. She thought we were leaving. I hit her on the back of the head.” Silence. He looks up at Smyth, sighs. “Do you want to know anything in particular?” he asks, taking his water cup in her hands. “I was surprised her skull gave way. She was immediately unconscious. So I strangled her.” He says he hit her with a flashlight inside the house near the fireplace. He says they’ll find signs of the hit, mainly blood on the tile floor. “I wiped it up. But I know it can be easily spotted. Science will show it, I’m sure.” He says she was dressed, and that she will be clothed when they find her body.

[11:11 AM]

Williams is back in the courtroom, and the proceedings resume.

In the video, Smyth tells Williams that investigators are looking up electronic evidence all the time. And that this investigation will cost at least $10 million, and that anything the investigators want or need will be granted, no question.

Williams signs, puts his the side of his face in his left hand, looks at the ground. He is silent.

Smyth says he’s put his best foot forward for him, and that he doesn’t know what else to do to make him feel the impact of what’s happening.

Williams sighs, shifts. Turns to the right away from Smyth, rests one arm on the back of the chair. He says, “I want ot minimize the impact on my wife. How do we do that?” he looks at Smyth, who says, “You start by telling the truth.”

Williams is silent. Signs. “Okay.”

Smyth says, “So where is she?” referring to Lloyd’s body.

Williams is silent. He looks up and says, “You gotta map?”

Smyth asks which town is she near. “I’m not sure but if you give me a map that covers [an inaudible area near Tweed], then I’ll show you where she is.”

Smyth pulls out a map. Williams says, “You need a real map. A detailed map of that area and I’ll show you where she is.” He says she is not buried.

Smyth asks if Williams wants water. He says sure. His face is out of view of the camera, as he is leaning forward.

He leans back and says that Lloyd has been there for about a week. And that she was in Tweed on Thursday and Friday. He says she was alive for “almost 24 hours.”

Smyth tells Williams he is doing the right thing. “Again, my interest is in my wife’s life. I’ll tell you everything, and where my SIM cards are.

He says they are in Ottawa, some are in the camera bag, some are in his office in a filing cabinet. In one of the top two drawers. He says there is plastic divider and inside there are two.

Williams says that the cards have been erased but that he suspects polic will be able to draw images of “Jessica and I”. Smyth asks about Comeau. Williams say, “There may be images on there as well.” And the two assaults? “yeah.”

he says there are two hard drives at the hosue in Ottawa. “I can draw you a littl epicture of where they are.”

Smyth gets him paper, and asks if he wants anything to eat.

Williams begins drawing, and says that he wants to continue talking to Smyth.

Smyth leaves the interview room. Williams continues drawing. He stops when Smyth re-enters the room. He takes a drink of water from a white styrofoam cup.

Smyth pulls out a better map. Williams says she is 40 ft. off the road. “She is on the surface. In a grey something or other.”

“This place that my wife is in, it’s been a dream for her. So they can take what they need and leave her alone.”

He says it doesn’t matter if they move forward or backwards. Smyth suggests starting with Lloyd.

[10:44 AM]

Break.

[10:40 AM]

Smyth asks Williams how it’s going to look when people learn that he had ordered his subordinates not to speak to the police.

Fast-forward. Williams says he is concerned about the impact this is going to have on his wife and the Canadian Forces.

Smyth asks if there is something he can do for Williams. He signs. “I’m struggling with how upset my wife is right now,” he says, sighing, shifting from arms crossed and leaning back to leaning forward and staring at the table of evidence again.

“I’m concerned that they’re tearing apart my wife’s new house.” Smyth says he is too, and that will only be worse if the police don’t know where to look for evidence.

[10:31 AM]

Smyth asks Williams, “What do you want to do? There is only one option.” Williams ask, “What is the option?” Smyth replies, “I don’t think you want the cold-blooded psychopath label. I don’t see that in your. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe I’m fooled. I don’t know. This is over. You can have a bad ending, where Jessica’s parents continue to wonder where their daughter is lying. There is a huge search underway. It will continue.”

Williams can be heard sighing periodically. His arms are still crossed, he is looking at Smyth, who asks again, “What are we going to do?” Long pause. Williams barely moves. He sighs. Looks down, emotional. Smyth asks again. “Russell, what are we going to do?”

“Call me Russ please,” Williams says, rubbing his moth, grabbing his ncck, looking around, puts his face in his hand, looks to the ground. “What are we gong to do, Russ?” Smyth says. The he asks if Lloyd’s body is someplace locked up. Williams signs, silent, arms crossed again. Staring at the table of evidence. Silence persists. Smyth asks what Williams is struggling with.

Williams looks at him, silent. He rubs his face. Smyth asks again.Williams looks at the ground. He sighs heavily.Silence. Stillness. He signs again, leans back, crosses arms. Looks around the room. Waits. “It’s hard to believe this is happening,” he says. Smyth asks why. Williams pauses, still, sighs. Smyth asks again. Williams blinks, swallows hard. He is still. Leans forward, “It’s just hard to believe.”

[10:23 AM]

Crown stops footage to tell courtroom that now an officer will come in with Williams’ boots.

Smyth says at the beginning he talkd about how he’d treat Williams with respect, but that “the problem is that every time i walk out of this room there are issues that come up. They are not issues that point away from you. They point to you.”

He shows Williams the match between the footprints near Lloyd’s house, and a photocopy of his footprint, which he’d just given to the police.

Williams leans forward toward the table where Smyth has the evidence. he says they are identical. Williams is silent, but nods quickly and slightly.

Smyth says they need honesty because this is getting really out of control really, really fast. Williams sighs deeply. Shifts, continues leaning forward.

Smyth says we called you in to give you the benefit of the doubt. but you and I both know you were at Jessica Llody’s house. adn I need to know why.

Silence. Williams takes something in his hands out of camera view. Stares. “I don’t know what to say,” he says finally. Putting the evidence back on the table.

Smyth tells Williams that his wife now knows what’s going on becase his homes are being searched, ahd his SUV has been seized. He says that both of them know that evidence will be found before the evening is over. He tells this is his opportunity to take some control, and that his opportunity to offer some explanation is quickly expiring. That the cops are applying for a warrant to search his office.

Williams sigsn. Shift. Looks at something again, likely the prints. Pauses. Smyth calls his name twice. “Russell. Russell.” On the second time, Williams looks up, almost startled. “Huh?” Smyth says he knows that Williams’ mind is racing.

Williams looks at Smyth and encourages him to step up now, rather than wait for the evidence to come out after without him.

[10:18 AM]

Smyth shifts to Lloyd’s disappearance now. He asks if there was ever any reason why Williams would have driven off the road and into a field. Williams says no.

Smyth asks if it would surprise Williams to know that forensic officers they examined tire tracks near Lloyd’s home, and then identified those tires as the same on his Pathfinder. “Really?” he says, lifting his eyebrows. Smyth says yes. “Okay,” says Williams.

Smyth says witnesses saw a vehicle near Lloyd’s house that matched his. He nods, and frowns in surprise. Smyth tells him the tire tracks in the field are very similar to Williams. He asks again if Williams has any recollection of being off that road. Williams says no.

Smyth shifts to Comeau again. He asks if there is any reason why Comeau would have specifically referenced you in some of her writings. “Not at all,” he says. Smyth asks if there is anything that would suggest to him that Comeau might have thought about Williams. “Not at all. We had one flight together. I’d go back occasionally to talk. If that’s the case, that’s very surprising.”

[10:13 AM]

Smyth is running through when Williams used his work swipe card to figure out when he was where.

He asks Williams if he is sure that he was in Ottawa on Nov. 24, 2009. He says he thinks so.

Williams smiles, shifts forwards, puts his hand on his knees, then goes back into his armed crossed position.

He says had dinner with his wife after meetings, and then left. But he can’t remember what restaurant, just that it was near where their new home was being built. He can’t remember who paid or how either. The meeting ended between 3 and 4.

Smyth asks again if that’s when he went out with his wife. He says he thinks so. He says that afterwards he drove back to Tweed. Smyth asks if he is just guessing. Williams says no, he believes this is what happened, that he kissed his wife goodbye and headed back to Tweed.

[10:11 AM]

When asked, Williams tells Smyth that he has Toyo tires on his SUV. These are the second version of those tires on his vehicle. They were put on in the fall. The dealership in Ottawa says these tires are very popular for Pathfinders, he points out.

[10:10 AM]

Smyth says that sometimes when people get stopped in a vehicle canvas about a crime, they get nervous and say things they didn’t mean. He says if Williams did that when he was stoppped last week regarding the disappearance of Lloyd, that he shouldn’t feel bound to that.

[10:09 AM]

Smyth goes through each victim by name and asks again, did he ever go to their house? Williams insists no. He says he hadn’t even heard Lloyd’s name until he heard it on the news.

[10:07 AM]

Smyth asks Williams if he has had any contact with any of the four victims (two sexual assaults, two murders) that would explain why his DNA tests might be found in their residences, but that he might not be telling the cops because he doesn’t want his wife to know about an affair or something. Williams is uneqivolcal: “Absolutely not.”

Smyth asks “Is there any reason why we’d find your DNA in those residences?

Williams says Laurie, he doesn’t know her last name, lives three doors down. That he’s never been in her house, but met her once.

[10:01 AM]

Fast-forward. Smyth asks if the police were to do an investigation of his background whether anyone would say Russell Williams did this.

He says no. “It would be very boring.”

Smyth asks straight out: Do you watch TV shows like CSI? Williams says he prefers Law & Order, but he does watch CSI.

When Smyth asks what forensic evidence Williams is willing to give. Williams asks what he needs. Smyth says footprints, fingernail samples, blood samples. Williams says sure, that he can provide that.

Crown is pointing out the shift in body language. Already Williams has gone from sitting back, hands between his legs, to arms crossed.

Williams asks Smyth: “Are you going to be discrete? Because this could have a very significant impact on the base if it comes out that I did this.” He says this stuff will go through “the rumor mill.”

He gives a saliva sample, and also hands over his boots for the imprint analysis.

Smyth asks Williams if he is concerned about the tests he’s doing. He says the investigation is significant. Williams nods, stares at Smyth.

[10:00 AM]

Williams says that when he got the email about Comeau’s death he was at home in Tweed. He says he had been in Ottawa earlier in the week for some meetings. “I seem to remember that I got this word shortly after coming back from Ottawa.”

[9:56 AM]

Williams said he met Comeau once before. He is describing the hectic flight schedule he has. He and Comeau were on the same flight crew once. It was around August or September 2009, he says.

[9:52 AM]

Williams says that on Friday after Lloyd was last heard from he was home most of the day. Previously had head that he said he had the stomach flu. He says he left Tweed to sleep at the air force base just before bedtime. He says he’d been in Tweed all week. “Yeah, I think that’s the case. Flew Saturday. Headed to Ottawa that night.”

Thursday night he slept in Tweed. During that day he was at the base, he says. “I think it was a fairly standard day.”

He says he left the base, pauses, “I don’t remember anything peculiar, so I would say seven to nine, somewhere in that range.

[9:49 AM]

Williams acknowledges that Comeau was one of his subordinates when Smyth is outlining the crimes.

He acknowledges that he had heard about some of the crimes.

Williams agrees that there is a connection between where he lives and works and the crimes—he lived near some of the places where crime occurred, and worked where Comeau did.

[9:46 AM]

Smyth tells Williams that police are investigating four occurrences—the two sexual assaults, and the two murders.

Williams, nods, chews his gum, grunts in acknowledgement, and says “yes, yeah, yeah,” as Smyth outlines those crimes.

Smyth tells him the charges that police are looking at laying, whether it’s him or somebody else. That’s why he wants to make sure that Williams feels he can speak to a lawyer whenever he wants.

Smyth asks if Williams if he has a lawyer. Williams says he has a realty lawyer. He says there is no reason he wants to call a lawyer now.

[9:42 AM]

The video footage begins. Williams is wearing a yellow and black snow jacket, jeans, and a blue and white-striped polo.

He chewing gum, and when asked by the detective if he has ever been questioned before, he says never, and smiles up to the camera.

The crown reiterates that Williams said that he was glad the police were doing such thorough checks. He is calm.

Smyth says he hopes Williams can appreciate there is a lot of big news, and that’s why the police are fast-forwarding the investigation. He tells Williams the interview is going to be thorough for efficiency’s sake.

When  asked, Williams says he is a coffee guy, and that he appreciates the offer for some.

Smyth reads Williams his rights.

[9:40 AM]

Crown Lee Burgess sets up what the court will hear and see today: In the afternoon of Feb. 7, 2010 Williams was invited to the Ottawa police station to speak with Det. Sgt. Jim Smyth. Williams had spent the morning photographing the items he’d stolen and preparing to discard some of them.

Williams arrived just after 3PM. He confessed around 7 PM, and that continued on until about 1 AM. At that point he took police to Jessica Lloyd’s body.

[9:37 AM]

Williams is led into the court. Like yesterday, his lawyers whispers something to him, he nodds, sits down.

Judge enters. All rise.

He clarifies that at the conclusion of yesterday he found Williams guilty of murders, break and enters, confinement and sexual assaults.

[9:32 AM]

Routine announcement by officer that the proceedings are about to begin, and warning not to video record or take photos of evidence.

[9:26 AM]

Today the court will be hearing the confession made by Russell Williams to Ottawa police in February. There will also be video footage shown of the confession.

The lawyers have filed in court. Still many reporters and members of the public jammed in too.

No judge. No Williams. Yet.

Liveblog: Col. Russell Williams hearing, day 2

By macleans.ca - Tuesday, October 19, 2010 at 9:41 AM - 0 Comments

WARNING: The following contains graphic testimony that readers may find disturbing.

For more on the first day of Russell Williams’s hearing go to: The dark, depraved side of Russell Williams revealed in court

Continue…

The dark, depraved side of Russell Williams revealed in court

By Michael Friscolanti and Cathy Gulli - Monday, October 18, 2010 at 9:13 PM - 0 Comments

Four days before Russell Williams took command of CFB Trenton, he stood in a neighbour’s backyard for at least half an hour, staring through an open window. It was dark, after midnight, and when the woman inside climbed into a shower, Williams pounced. He stripped naked, headed for the bedroom, and fled the scene with a single pair of black underwear. “Very tempting to take her panties/bra from bathroom,” Williams later wrote on his computer. “Decided it would be entirely obvious that someone was in the house while she was in the shower—took panties from panty drawer instead…”

Later that week, Williams was handed control of the country’s largest and most important airbase. At the time, nobody—not his wife of 18 years, not his close friends, and certainly not the military brass—had any idea that the colonel was harbouring a dark, depraved secret: he was a compulsive sexual predator who stalked his female victims, stole their lingerie, and spent countless hours photographing himself while wearing their bras, dresses and underwear. Some of the bedrooms he targeted belonged to girls as young as 11 years old.

Tragically, Williams’ promotion to the top job at Trenton also marked a turning point in his criminal life. As the disgraced officer later confessed to detectives, when he stood in that backyard on July 11, 2009 (his clothes lying on the ground beside him) his predatory behaviour was “escalating.” He wanted, as he put it, “to take more risks”—and in the weeks to come, he would do just that. By the time police figured out the truth in February 2010, Williams had sexually assaulted two women as they slept in their homes, and raped and murdered two others: Marie-France Comeau, a 38-year-old corporal stationed at his base, and Jessica Lloyd, 27.

RELATED: LIVE BLOG from inside Col. Russell Williams’ hearing, day 3

On Monday morning, Williams officially pleaded guilty to all 88 charges he faces, including two counts of first-degree murder that carry a mandatory sentence of life behind bars with no possibility of parole for 25 years (when he will be 72 years old). And for the first time, Crown attorneys revealed dozens of “extremely disturbing” photographs and other graphic evidence detailing Williams’ perverted double life—and how it quickly evolved from underwear burglaries to cold-blooded murder.

“I caution the public that these facts will be extremely disturbing and will cause further emotional pain,” warned Crown Attorney Lee Burgess. Behind him, in a bulletproof prisoners’ box, Williams sat hunched over, his eyes staring at the ground.

The colonel was meticulous. He planned his targets, staked out houses “where attractive young women lived,” and took a similar pattern of pictures during each heist: first he photographed the bedroom, then the underwear drawer, and then the stolen items, placed in perfectly neat piles. He would then turn the camera on himself. In many of the shots, he can be seen lying on a victims’ bed, masturbating with her lingerie; during one robbery, Williams wiped a girl’s make-up brush on his erect penis. “There is nothing in the evidence to suggest the make-up brush was stolen,” said Robert Morrison, another Crown Attorney. “It was left in her room to use again.”

RELATED: Russell Williams’s victims hoped photo evidence would remain sealed

Williams told police that he preferred women in their late teens to early 30s. However, Morrison pointed out that “females under the age of 18 were either the sole or joint targets of Mr. Williams in 13 of the homes he broke into.” His first two burglaries, in the summer of 2007, targeted the bedroom of a 12-year-old girl who lived directly beside his Tweed cottage (Williams and his wife, Mary-Elizabeth Harriman, were close friends with the girls’ parents, and the mother, in the courtroom on Monday, wiped away tears as photos of her daughter’s room were displayed on two big-screen televisions). His third and fourth break-ins targeted 11-year-old twin girls; Williams photographed himself wearing their underwear.

Every image was more horrifying than the next. Williams lying naked on a girl’s bed, surrounded by her underwear and a large stuffed animal. Williams sniffing and licking a pair of blood-stained panties, and then wrapping them around his face like a balaclava. Williams wearing someone’s Tweetie bird underwear. Williams in an undisclosed wooded area, posing in his latest batch of stolen panties. Before leaving one crime scene, he typed a one-word message on young girl’s computer: “Merci.”

With each new crime, Williams grew more confident—and more daring. He kept a file of police press releases detailing some of his break-ins, an obvious symbol of pride. But he clearly craved more. In September 2009, just two weeks before he graduated to sexual assault, Williams almost claimed a different victim: a 14-year-old girl.

The unnamed girl lived a short walk from Williams’ cottage, and in his own words, he had wanted to raid her bedroom “for a long time.” On Sept. 1, after numerous unsuccessful attempts, he finally managed to get inside. He left the house with five pieces of lingerie—but didn’t actually leave the property. Instead, he hovered in the backyard, took off his clothes and masturbated while waiting for the girl to get home. Her dad arrived instead.

A detective later asked Williams what he planned to do if the girl’s father had not foiled his plan. “Mr. Williams refused to answer the question,” a prosecutor said.

He was a rising star in the Canadian air force, an elite officer who ferried prime ministers and the Queen and later advised DND on the acquisition of multi-million-dollar aircrafts. Williams’ work ethic was legendary, to the point where some colleagues jokingly wondered if he ever slept. “He never showed fatigue,” said one fellow air force officer. “It was a different sort of metabolism at work, and you just assumed it wasn’t nefarious in any way. You thought it was a positive thing.”

Tragically, it was not. Despite the grueling demands of his high-profile posting, Williams found ample time to feed his violent sexual obsession—and then report to work the next morning with the same smile and the same can-do attitude that motivated so many of his subordinates. In one photo disclosed by prosecutors, Williams is wearing a pair of pink panties underneath what appears to be his blue air force uniform.

Williams showed no emotion as the photos were unveiled—one by one, hour by hour. Shackled at the wrists and ankles (but still sporting a military crew cut) he rarely took his eyes off the floor. If he did look up, it was only for a brief moment.

The Crown finished the day’s proceedings with counts 73 and 74 of the charge sheet: Williams’ first sexual assault. It occurred in the early morning of Sept. 17—just hours after the colonel returned from a two-day trip to the North Pole—at the home of 21-year-old woman whose name is protected by a publication ban. Her boyfriend was working out of town that week, and she was alone with her 8-week-old daughter.

Williams briefly watched her sleep, then tied her up, blindfolded her, and took off her clothes. The woman tried to talk him out of it, saying “she was fat, having just had a baby.” Williams assured her that “she was perfect and sweet,” and then proceeded to take photos of her naked body. (After his arrest, he told police that he had initially spotted the woman while out on his boat, and “thought she was cute.”)

On Tuesday, prosecutors will continue reading the “agreed statement of facts,” including details about Williams’ second sexual assault and his progression to murder.

RELATED STORIES:

• Liveblog: Col. Russell Williams hearing, day 2—WARNING: Contains graphic testimony that readers may find disturbing (October 19, 2010)
• Liveblog: Col. Russell Williams pleads guilty—Coverage from inside the courtroom in Belleville (October 18, 2010)
• Col. Russell Williams to plead guilty—Accused killer and former base commander will plead guilty to all counts, says lawyer (October 7, 2010)
• Colonel Williams’ wife, under attack—An accused killer’s spouse struggles to rebuild her shattered life (July 27, 2010)
• Col. Russell Williams, accused sex killer, makes brief court appearance—Murder victim’s brother among those in attendance (July 22, 2010)
• Williams faces additional charges—Former CFB Trenton commander linked to 82 more crimes around Ottawa, Belleville and Tweed (April 29, 2010)
• Colonel accused of double murder tries to kill himself—Russell Williams used mustard to write his suicide note (April 5, 2010)
• I feel pity for Colonel Williams if he’s guilty—Barbara Amiel on the blessing and the curse of human sexuality (February 23, 2010)
• Col. Russell Williams, a timeline (PHOTOS)—The busy schedule of an accused killer (February 18, 2010)
• The secret life of Colonel Russell Williams—If police are correct, he was a cold-blooded planner who in hours could transform from commander to monster (February 16, 2010)
• The two faces of Col. Russell Williams (VIDEO)—Portrait of an accused predator (February 10, 2010)
• Round up: Investigating Col. Russ Williams—Tire tracks led police to Williams; investigators look into unsolved crimes (February 9, 2010)
• Col. Russell Williams’ double life?—Top officer facing murder charges commanded Canada’s largest air base, flew top diplomats (February 8, 2010)

Liveblog: Col. Russell Williams pleads guilty

By Michael Friscolanti and Cathy Gulli - Monday, October 18, 2010 at 6:00 AM - 0 Comments

A gifted pilot and respected leader, Russell Williams was a rising star in the Canadian air force, an elite officer who ferried prime ministers and the Queen and was later awarded the top job at the country’s largest and busiest airbase. But when he took command of CFB Trenton in July 2009, the colonel was harbouring a dark secret that—even now, with confirmation of a guilty plea—is difficult to believe: he was a serial sexual predator who stalked his female victims, broke into dozens of homes, and stole hundreds of bras, panties, and other perverted “trophies.”

By the time police figured out the truth—seven months into his stint as 8 Wing commander—Williams’ twisted crime spree had escalated from fetish burglaries to sexual assault to the brutal slayings of two innocent women: Marie-France Comeau, a 38-year-old corporal stationed at his base; and Jessica Lloyd, 27, of Belleville, Ont.

On Monday morning, the 47-year-old colonel will stand inside the bulletproof prisoners’ box of a Belleville courtroom—just a short drive from the base he once commanded—and plead guilty to 88 criminal charges, including two counts of first-degree murder, two counts each of sexual assault and forcible confinement, and 82 offences linked to his bizarre lingerie burglaries. Maclean’s will be liveblogging from inside the courthouse, providing up-to-the-minute coverage as the hearing unfolds.

[4:12 PM]

On Aug. 2, 2009, Williams stripped naked, walked to the house two doors down from his cottage, and broke in. He didn’t steal anything or take any photos. Still naked, he walked back to his cottage.

[4:02 PM]

On July 10, 2009—just five days before he was sworn in as the commander of CFB Trenton—Williams spent half an hour in a backyard near his Tweed, Ont., cottage, staring through a window at a woman inside. When the woman climbed into the shower, Williams stripped naked, ran inside the house, and stole a black pair of underwear from the bedroom. He later told police that he was tempted to go in the bathroom and steal the underwear the woman just took off, but decided that was too “risky.” 

[3:25 PM]

Crown prosecutors are up to Count 59, and the details are shocking. Even before he assaulted two women and murdered two others, Williams was a serial sexual predator obsessed with stealing—and wearing—female undergarments. In one case, he stole underwear from a 12-year-old girl, and then left a one-word message on the computer in her bedroom: “Merci.” In another house—which he robbed on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day 2009—he photographed himself rubbing a girl’s make-up brush on his penis. “There is nothing in the evidence to suggest the make-up brush was stolen,” said prosecutor Robert Morrison. “It was left there to be used again.” The Crown has unveiled dozens of sample photographs, many of them showing Williams posing and masturbating in his victims’ lingerie. He has remained stone-faced and silent through it all, rarely lifting his head to look at the TV screens displaying his photo shoots. 

[2:01 PM]
The lunch break is over and Williams is being escorted—hands and legs cuffed—back to his seat in the prisoner’s box. A police officer is sitting on either side.

[11:16]
Only now, eight months after his arrest, is the full story of Russell Williams being revealed. In painstaking detail, prosecutors plan to show portions of the photographic and video evidence relating to each of his 88 crimes. So far, they have gone through only two of the counts: Williams’ first break-ins, at the house next door to his cottage in Tweed, Ont. Two large-screen TVs at the front of the courtroom are displaying some of the photographs, including Williams dressed in underwear belonging to the 12-year-old girl who lives in the house. In some of the photographs, Williams erect penis can be seen protruding from the girls’ underwear. He stole some of the items he wore, but left some behind.

[10:39 AM]
The clerk reads the two charges of sexual assault and forcible confinement in connection with the home-invasion attacks against Laurie Massicotte and another woman, whose name is protected by a publication ban.

[10:13 AM]
The court clerk is now reading each of the individual break-and-enter charges linked to Williams. There are 82 in all, and will take some time to get through. Williams is still standing, his eyes glued to the floor as the clerk continues reading.

[10:07 AM]
Williams is ordered to stand so the charges against him can be officially read into the court record. The murder of Marie-France Comeau is the first charge read. “How do you plead?” the court clerk asked. “Guilty, your honour,” Wiliams answered, in a soft voice. The murder of Jessica Lloyd is the next charge read. Again, Williams pleads guilty.

[9:59 AM]
Russell Williams is now inside the courtroom. After being escorted to the prisoners’ box, an OPP officer removed his handcuffs and walked away as his lawyer, Michael Edelson, approached for a brief chat with his client. The disgraced colonel is dressed in a grey blazer, and did not make eye contact with anyone in the gallery.

[9:51 AM]
Relatives of Russell Williams’ many victims have begun to take their seats inside the coutroom. A section of the gallery has been reserved for them, and boxes of Kleenex have been left on the benches. Laurie Massicotte, one of Williams’ two sexual assault victims, is here with two of her daughters. Friends and relatives of Williams’ two murder victims—Cpl. Marie-France Comeau and Jessica Lloyd—are also making their way inside the coutroom.

[7:57 AM)
The doors to Courtroom 303 are open, and journalists are beginning to file in. Outside, a team of tactical officers from the Ontario Provincial Police are awaiting Col. Williams’ arrival.

‘It’s another shock’

By Michael Friscolanti - Sunday, October 17, 2010 at 8:20 AM - 0 Comments

Andy Lloyd: "Not looking for apology", just truth and Col. Williams in court last week; Sean Kilpatrick/CP/ Steve Russell/Toronto Star/CP

The actual sentence is not up for debate. First-degree murder carries a mandatory punishment of life behind bars with no chance of parole for 25 years, and when Russell Williams officially pleads guilty next week, his fate will be no different. The disgraced colonel will be transferred to a federal penitentiary, locked in isolation for his own safety, and left to wonder—until his 72nd birthday—whether it’s even worth applying to the National Parole Board.

If he’s as smart as everyone says, Williams already knows the answer: he will remain in prison until the day he dies.

But not before spending a few more hours inside a Belleville, Ont., courtroom, explaining to a judge—and his many, many victims—how he managed to conceal an elaborate double life as a serial stalker while busy commanding the country’s largest air force base, CFB Trenton. As part of his historic guilty plea, Williams must submit an “agreed statement of facts” that should finally shed some light on what sparked his unthinkable crime spree of two homicides, two home-invasion sexual assaults, and dozens of bizarre break-ins that targeted women’s underwear.

RELATED: LIVE BLOG from inside Col. Russell Williams’ hearing, day 2

Continue…

Col. Russell Williams faces life behind bars

By Michael Friscolanti - Thursday, October 7, 2010 at 3:57 PM - 0 Comments

Col. Russell Williams—the senior Canadian air force officer who led a twisted double life as a serial predator—will almost certainly spend the rest of his life behind bars after agreeing this morning to plead guilty to a long list of heinous crimes that rocked the military and shocked the public.

Appearing in open court for the first time since his arrest eight months ago, the former commander of CFB Trenton sat quietly in a bulletproof prisoners’ box as his lawyer, Michael Edelson, told a Belleville, Ont., judge that his client admits to every charge he faces: two first-degree murders, two home invasion sexual assaults, and dozens of bizarre break-and-enters that targeted women’s lingerie. The 47-year-old will formally enter his guilty plea at a sentencing hearing Oct. 18, Edelson said.

Dressed in a dark suit, a white shirt and brown shoes, the disgraced colonel did not utter a single word during his brief appearance. As his lawyer spoke, he remained hunched over with his eyes focused on the floor, not once turning to look at the packed courtroom behind him—which included some of his victims’ grieving relatives. When the proceedings finished, Williams was handcuffed and whisked away by heavily armed police officers.

The colonel’s confirmed guilty plea marks the end of a stunning case that, even now, seems unbelievable.

A gifted pilot and respected leader, Williams was a rising star in the Canadian air force, a man who ferried prime ministers and the Queen and was later appointed the top man at Trenton, the country’s largest and most strategically vital airbase. But in between the grueling demands of his high-profile job, the soft-spoken officer was busy feeding a perverted obsession that would eventually lead to the murders of two innocent women: Cpl. Marie-France Comeau, a 38-year-old corporal stationed at his base, and Jessica Lloyd, a 27-year-old Belleville woman.

Lloyd’s mother, Roxanne, was among those in the gallery Thursday morning, clutching a photo of her dead daughter. Jessica’s brother, Andy, said although it was difficult to finally lay eyes on the man who killed his sister, he and his mom are pleased with the guilty plea. “It is a definitely a good thing,” he told reporters. “Anything that is going to wrap it up quickly for us is a good thing.”

“Obviously, everybody would like to hear him explain what happened,” he continued. “I’m not looking for an apology; it’s not going to hold its weight in anything. But we would like to hear the truth about what happened…Why? Why her?”

It is a question that continues to baffle everyone who crossed paths with Col. Williams, both in and out of uniform. By all accounts, he was the model military man: intelligent, observant, ultra-organized, and always quick to compliment his subordinates. He was an avid golfer, loved to fish, and appeared to be happily married to an equally successful woman: Mary-Elizabeth Harriman, the associate executive director of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. On the surface, at least, his seemed like a perfect life.

But three years ago, in the fall of 2007, something snapped. Williams began breaking into homes within walking distance of his house in the Ottawa suburb of Orléans and his lakefront cottage in Tweed, Ont., stealing what would soon become a massive collection of women’s bras, underwear, bathing suits and dresses. He broke into one particular house nine times.

In the early morning hours of Sept. 17, 2009, the break-ins took a suddenly violent turn. A 21-year-old woman, whose name is protected by a publication ban, awoke to find a man—now identified as Williams—inside her home. As her eight-week-old baby slept in a nearby room, the woman was blindfolded, tied up, stripped naked, photographed and sexually assaulted. In the days after the attack, Williams snuck back into her house two more times.

He struck again on Sept. 30, this time breaking into a house just three doors down from his cottage. Laurie Massicotte, who was home alone at the time, was also blindfolded and stripped naked with a knife. In a recent interview with Maclean’s—her first since the assault—Massicotte said she was ordered to pose for dozens of unthinkable photographs, and when she tried to refuse, Williams’ threat was always the same: “Don’t make me make you.”

The next morning, the colonel was back on duty, presenting a service medal to a fellow airman and meeting with subordinates about ongoing construction at the base.

Williams continued burglarizing homes in October and November, but for reasons that remain unexplained, his crime spree would soon turn deadly.

Cpl. Comeau was killed in late November, asphyxiated in her home in Brighton, Ont. Days later, when an underling emailed Williams to say that Comeau’s military funeral was conducted “with the utmost professionalism,” he wrote back: “I’m pleased to hear that the service went as well as could be expected, given the very sad circumstances.” At the time, no one had any reason to suspect that the base commander was responsible.

Jessica Lloyd was next. She was last heard from on the evening of Jan. 28, after sending a late-night text message to a friend. The following morning, Williams called in sick—but it would be a few more days before police discovered the real reason he skipped work. On Feb. 4, during a roadside check of every vehicle driving along the rural highway that connects Tweed with the airbase, an officer noticed that Williams’ tires matched a unique set of treads found near Lloyd’s home on the night she vanished.

Three days later, during a lengthy interrogation, Williams confessed to everything. He led detectives to Lloyd’s body, and a further search of his homes uncovered the stash of stolen lingerie, neatly catalogued by date and location.

“It just goes to show you, you never know where that carton’s gonna come from with the bad eggs,” Andy Lloyd said. “It could be police or firefighter or military or anybody who is supposed to be there to protect people—and they are doing the very opposite.”

Williams’ sentencing hearing is expected to last a few days and will include numerous victim impact statements. He faces an automatic punishment of life behind bars with no chance of parole for 25 years.

RELATED STORIES:

• Col. Russell Williams to plead guilty—Accused killer and former base commander will plead guilty to all counts, says lawyer (October 7, 2010)
• Colonel Williams’ wife, under attack—An accused killer’s spouse struggles to rebuild her shattered life (July 27, 2010)
• Col. Russell Williams, accused sex killer, makes brief court appearance—Murder victim’s brother among those in attendance (July 22, 2010)
• Williams faces additional charges—Former CFB Trenton commander linked to 82 more crimes around Ottawa, Belleville and Tweed (April 29, 2010)
• Colonel accused of double murder tries to kill himself—Russell Williams used mustard to write his suicide note (April 5, 2010)
• I feel pity for Colonel Williams if he’s guilty—Barbara Amiel on the blessing and the curse of human sexuality (February 23, 2010)
• Col. Russell Williams, a timeline (PHOTOS)—The busy schedule of an accused killer (February 18, 2010)
• The secret life of Colonel Russell Williams—If police are correct, he was a cold-blooded planner who in hours could transform from commander to monster (February 16, 2010)
• The two faces of Col. Russell Williams (VIDEO)—Portrait of an accused predator (February 10, 2010)
• Round up: Investigating Col. Russ Williams—Tire tracks led police to Williams; investigators look into unsolved crimes (February 9, 2010)
• Col. Russell Williams’ double life?—Top officer facing murder charges commanded Canada’s largest air base, flew top diplomats (February 8, 2010)