Col. Russell Williams timeline
CBC News | Posted: September 26, 2020 7:24 PM | Last Updated: September 26, 2020
Col. Russell Williams, former base commander of CFB Trenton, has been convicted of first-degree murder in the deaths of Jessica Lloyd, 27, and Cpl. Marie-France Comeau, 38.
Williams has also pleaded guilty to forcible confinement and the sexual assault of two other women in Tweed, Ont., a small community north of Belleville, as well as 82 counts of breaking and entering and attempted breaking and entering.
Here is a timeline of events in the case:
Oct. 21, 2010 — A judge sentences Williams to two terms of life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years for the first-degree murders. Williams is also sentenced to 10 years for each of his two sexual assaults, as well as one year for each of the other charges he faced.
The Canadian military says it is working toward immediately expelling Williams from the Canadian Forces, recovering his pay since his arrest and removing his medals.
Oct. 19, 2010 — Following the reading of the agreed statement of facts, Williams is formally convicted of all charges against him.
Oct. 18, 2010 — Williams pleads guilty to all charges against him, including two counts of first-degree murder, two counts each of sexual assault and forcible containment as well as 82 counts of breaking and entering and attempted breaking and entering.
Crown attorneys begin a two-day presentation of the agreed statement of facts, including photographs Williams took of himself and descriptions of the videos he took of the rapes and murders of Jessica Lloyd and Cpl. Marie-France Comeau.
Oct. 7, 2010 — In Col. Russell Williams's first in-person appearance before a judge, his lawyer says Williams intends to plead guilty to the murder, sexual assault and breaking and entering charges against him at a later date. The hearing is adjourned until Oct. 18.
Aug. 26, 2010 — Williams appears in court via video link and waives his right to a preliminary inquiry. His next appearance in Superior Court is scheduled for Oct. 7.
July 22, 2010 — Williams makes a brief court appearance via video link in a Belleville, Ont., courtroom. The court agrees to reconvene on Aug. 26. Williams remains in custody at the Quinte Detention Centre in Napanee, near Belleville.
June 9, 2010 — Williams's wife, Mary-Elizabeth Harriman, says she has been devastated by the charges filed against her husband. Harriman's comments were made in an affidavit. An alleged victim of Williams has filed a $2.45-million lawsuit against the former CFB Trenton base commander and Harriman.
April 29, 2010 — Williams is charged with 82 more offences in connection with break-ins in Ottawa, Belleville and Tweed in Ontario. The new charges include:
- 61 counts of breaking and entering and theft.
- 11 counts of attempted breaking and entering.
- 10 counts of breaking and entering with intent to commit an indictable offence.
April 8, 2010 — Williams begins a hunger strike, according to reports.
April 5, 2010 — Williams is placed under suicide watch at the Quinte Detention Centre after an apparent suicide attempt, according to a media report.
March 25, 2010 — Williams appears briefly on a video camera at the Quinte Detention Centre, which is linked to a courtroom in Belleville. He was remanded in custody until April 29.
Feb. 18, 2010 — Williams appears before a Belleville court via video link from the Quinte Detention Centre in Napanee. He is represented by Michael Edelson, a prominent Ottawa-based defence lawyer. On the same day, OPP confirm they have finished searching Williams's Ottawa home.
Feb. 16, 2010 — OPP search Williams' home in Ottawa's Westboro neighbourhood.
Feb. 13, 2010 — A funeral service is held for Jessica Lloyd in Belleville. Small groups of people gather outside the funeral home during the service, with one group of young women carrying a sign that says: "Rest in peace, sweet angel."
Feb. 11, 2010 — Sources tell CBC News Williams led police to the body of Jessica Lloyd.
Feb. 8, 2010 — Police find the body of Jessica Lloyd off Cary Road in Tweed, Ont.
Feb. 7, 2010 — Williams is arrested in Ottawa and charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Jessica Lloyd and Cpl. Marie-France Comeau. He is also charged with two sexual assaults that happened in Tweed in September.
Feb. 2, 2010 — Police in Belleville ask people with information regarding Lloyd's disappearance to call them instead of posting it to Facebook. More than 34,000 friends, family and strangers join a Facebook group dedicated to finding Lloyd.
Jan. 31, 2010 — The Ontario Provincial Police deploy a helicopter over the Belleville area to look for Lloyd. The previous day, authorities combed the area near Highway 37 and Harmony Road.
Jan. 30, 2010 — Police in Belleville ask the public for help in locating Lloyd. "We're treating this suspiciously at this time and doing everything we possibly can from every angle here at the Belleville Police Service to return her home safely," Deputy Chief Paul Vandegraaf says.
Jan. 28, 2010 — Jessica Elizabeth Lloyd, 27, sends a text message to a family friend at 10:36 p.m. The next day she does not show up for work. Lloyd's family tells police it is out of character for her to be out of contact.
Dec. 4, 2009 — Comeau is buried at the National Cemetery in Ottawa.
Nov. 25, 2009 — Cpl. Marie France Comeau, 38, is found dead on Nov. 25, 2009, in her home in Brighton, Ont. The death is ruled a homicide.
Sept. 30, 2009 — Another woman is sexually assaulted in her home on Cosy Cove Lane. Williams has a cottage on Cosy Cove Lane.
Sept. 17, 2009 — A woman in Tweed, Ont., is tied up and sexually assaulted in her home.