Colonel Russell Williams, Wing Commander of Canadian Forces Base Trenton, is pictured in this September 20, 2009 handout photo.HO
A senior military official faces a pair of first-degree murder charges in two separate Ontario slayings.
Police said Monday that Colonel Russell Williams, 46, of Tweed, Ont., has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Jessica Lloyd, of Belleville, Ont., who went missing Jan. 28.
As well, he faces a second count of first-degree murder in the death of Marie Comeau, a Corporal with 437 Squadron at Canadian Forces Base Trenton.
Col. Williams, who is a commander at CFB Trenton, also faces two counts of forcible confinement and two counts of break and enter and sexual assault.
Wearing a blue prison issued jumpsuit, Col. Williams made a three-minute appearance in a Belleville courtroom. He stated his name clearly, but answered quietly when asked if he understood the charges.
He will appear again by video on Feb 18.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Lieutenant-General Andre Deschamps, announced this afternoon that Col. Williams was being at least temporarily relieved of his duties as 8 Wing Commander at CFB Trenton.
"Although one is considered innocent until proven guilty, in light of the seriousness of the charges, and in consideration of the high level of responsibilities attached to the position of Wing Commander, an interim Wing Commander for 8 Wing Trenton will soon be appointed," he said in a statement.
Lt.-Gen. Deschamps said that the air force would launch a review "to determine the most appropriate action to take regarding Colonel Williams pending the outcome of the trial."
Early reports Monday suggested that Col. Williams's home in Tweed had been cordoned off while police searched the residence.
Police wouldn't say whether the victims knew the suspect, and Detective-Inspector Chris Nicholas said the investigation isn't over.
"We are certainly tracking the movements of where this man has been over the past several years, and we're continuing on with our investigation," Det.-Insp. Nicholas said.
News of Col. Williams' arrest has badly shaken staff at Department of National Defence headquarters in Ottawa.
"They're in a state of shock - they're stunned," a Defence official told The Globe Monday.
"In the building, if you were to walk around - that's all anybody is talking about. They're all shaking their heads going 'Huh?'"
Col. Williams was viewed as a "straight up, hard working air force guy," the DND official said.
Up and down the main street of Belleville, a small city of 43,000 near CFB Trenton, sorrow mingled with utter disbelief at news of the charges.
"It's a real shocker," said security guard Don Atkins, bracing against a bitter wind outside City Hall.
"Nobody had any idea what happened to [Jessica Lloyd]until today."
But many people already feared the worst, said Water-Systems manager Bob Leslie.
"It's a bizarre story. Nothing like this has ever happened here before. I think many people had a gut feeling that this was a bad scenario."
Mr. Leslie, his label bearing a yellow emblem in support of the armed forces, added that the tragedy could only bring "a great embarrassment" to CFB Trenton, which is routinely host to the return of bodies of soldiers slain in Afghanistan.
On the steps of the courthouse today, lifelong Belleville resident Janet Markwell cried as she explained that she didn't know Jessica Lloyd, but "felt I should be here anyway."
"To think someone so high-ranking could be accused of doing that to that precious girl is so sad."
Ms. Lloyd, 27, was reported missing after she failed to show up for her job with the Tri-Board Student Transportation Services in Napanee, Ont. The last time anyone heard from Ms. Lloyd was at 10:36 p.m. on Jan. 28 when she sent a text message to a friend.
Cpl. Comeau, 38, was found slain in her Brighton, Ont., residence on Nov. 25, 2009.
She had been in the military for 12 years and had been at 437 squadron for six months before her death.
The reeve of the small eastern Ontario community of Tweed, where Col. Williams lived, said her community is devastated following the discovery of Ms. Lloyd's body.
Jo-Anne Albert said her community had been following the case and had been praying the woman would be found alive.
"The community is devastated," Ms. Albert said in a telephone interview.
"Everyone has followed the news and hoped and prayed that this young lady would be found and brought home to her family. So it's definitely not the outcome that we wanted."
Ms. Albert and her staff can't believe it, she said. Tweed is a peaceful community and this is the first time something like this has happened there, she added.
At the sprawling army base in Trenton, a 15-minute drive west of Belleville, a soldier piloting his car through the main gate was asked for comment and just shook his head.
"Never, never would I have guessed something like this," he said. "From all I've heard about the colonel this is just wild, crazy. I still don't believe it."
Col. Williams enrolled in the Canadian Forces in 1987 after receiving his degree in economics and political science at the University of Toronto, according to his official biography.
While posted to squadrons in Shearwater, N.S., and Ottawa he flew the CC144 Challenger.
He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in June 2004, and was commanding officer of 437 Squadron in Trenton for two years.
Between December 2005 and June 2006, he was the commanding officer for Camp Mirage, the secretive Canadian Forces forward logistics base that's not officially acknowledged by the government or military but has been widely reported to be near Dubai.
His Defence Department biography says he is married.
With reports from Timothy Appleby and Steve Ladurantaye in Belleville; Steven Chase and John Ibbitson in Ottawa; and Terry Weber in Toronto