# Canadians: any updates on Col. Russell Williams? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 15, 2010, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-any-updates-on-col-russell-williams/553795 "2010-09-15T01:53:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-any-updates-on-col-russell-williams/553795/41 "2010-10-19T22:19:59Z")
> [@Shmendrik](#): > > Apparently the court was just shown a letter of condolences written by Williams to one his victim’s families in his capacity as base commander. Now that just adds another level of wierd and creepy. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-any-updates-on-col-russell-williams/553795/42 "2010-10-19T22:23:28Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > I wonder if he got off on that, playing the comforting commander while knowing that he’s the perpetrator of their grief. I dunno which would be more disturbing - that he secretly got off as you say, or that he so compartmentalized his life that he could sincerely, in his role as base commander, write a letter of condolence for a tragedy that he himself created in his role as a secret stalker, rapist and murderer. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-any-updates-on-col-russell-williams/553795/43 "2010-10-19T23:43:06Z")
I don’t know if these have been posted here before. In any case, [here is the colonel modeling some of his finds](http://www.thestar.com/fpLarge/photo/877369) (right there in the victims’ homes). As an aside, apparently his ‘stern’ expression was a fixture throughout all the pics. Has it been mentioned yet that he was the pilot for Queen Elizabeth and the Prime Minister last year? Hope they kept a close eye on Liz’s luggage. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-any-updates-on-col-russell-williams/553795/44 "2010-10-20T11:44:01Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > I don’t know if these have been posted here before. In any case, [here is the colonel modeling some of his finds](http://www.thestar.com/fpLarge/photo/877369) (right there in the victims’ homes). > > As an aside, apparently his ‘stern’ expression was a fixture throughout all the pics. > > Has it been mentioned yet that he was the pilot for Queen Elizabeth and the Prime Minister last year? Hope they kept a close eye on Liz’s luggage. Random thought - the dude is rather nice looking, good body also. I think most women would actually feel safe around him, not that an evil serial killer needs to look creepy/evil. Add a high rank and uniform to reinforce the ‘trustworthiness’ aspect, no wonder he may have quite a string of assaults to his name. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-any-updates-on-col-russell-williams/553795/45 "2010-10-20T12:30:52Z")
> [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](#): > > From what I can see Williams doesn’t appear to be a suspect in criminal activities prior to 2007. So for most of his life he probably wasn’t really living a double life. And it seems to have started innocently enough, with a lingerie fetish. I wonder what made his “graduate” to sexual assault and murder. Here’s someone who really should have sought help earlier. Some expert on the CBC radio the other day said that the sort of fetish Williams had doesn’t just turn on like a light switch, so yeah he had probably been doing small stuff for years. There is also a clear escalation in his behaviour that unfortunately ended with committing murder. I feel deep sympathy for the families of his victims and can only be thankful for the fact that he only killed 2 people. He was going to continue until he got caught, I wish it had been sooner but am grateful it wasn’t after 10-12 murders. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-any-updates-on-col-russell-williams/553795/46 "2010-10-21T14:04:49Z")
Last night I watched parts of the 10hr interrogation wherein he finally confesses. Made my skin crawl, but damn that cop was good at his job. Lots of pregnant pauses, uncomfortable ones. He wasn’t overbearing or bullying, just relentless, like a dog with a bone. The Colonel had entered visibly confident and cool, and the cop broke him, wore him down with the evidence. Outstanding police work, really. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-any-updates-on-col-russell-williams/553795/47 "2010-10-21T14:10:46Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Last night I watched parts of the 10hr interrogation wherein he finally confesses. Made my skin crawl, but damn that cop was good at his job. Lots of pregnant pauses, uncomfortable ones. He wasn’t overbearing or bullying, just relentless, like a dog with a bone. The Colonel had entered visibly confident and cool, and the cop broke him, wore him down with the evidence. Outstanding police work, really. Yeah, the impression I get overall is that the cops did a great job in catching this guy - who was, after all, a very smart, powerful and skilled criminal. A strong contrast to the allegedly botched investigation into the Picton affair, where an apparently subnormal pig farmer eluded detection for years. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-any-updates-on-col-russell-williams/553795/48 "2010-10-21T14:25:00Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Well, in addition to Williams, we’ve also produced Marc Lepine, Kimveer Gill, Robert Pickton, James Roszko, the Boyd Gang, Clifford Olsen, Paul Bernardo, and the guy who beheaded his Greyhound bus seatmate. > > In short, Williams isn’t the first truly evil criminal we’ve produced. Those who wish to remember those elements of our history will do so regardless. I think, however, that once this news story plays out, most people will turn their attention to other pieces of news, forgetting Williams–at least, until the next serial killer/sexual offender/etc. comes along. Yah, but you also produced Romeo Dallaire. That makes up for an awful lot of serial killers. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-any-updates-on-col-russell-williams/553795/49 "2010-10-21T14:29:17Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Last night I watched parts of the 10hr interrogation wherein he finally confesses. Made my skin crawl, but damn that cop was good at his job. Lots of pregnant pauses, uncomfortable ones. He wasn’t overbearing or bullying, just relentless, like a dog with a bone. The Colonel had entered visibly confident and cool, and the cop broke him, wore him down with the evidence. Outstanding police work, really. Link? ---
**Author:** ![MoodIndigo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-any-updates-on-col-russell-williams/553795/50 "2010-10-21T15:31:52Z")
The National Post has a few clips of his confession on YouTube. [http://www.youtube.com/user/nationalpost](http://www.youtube.com/user/nationalpost) ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-any-updates-on-col-russell-williams/553795/51 "2010-10-21T15:46:50Z")
> [@MoodIndigo1](#): > > The National Post has a few clips of his confession on YouTube. [http://www.youtube.com/user/nationalpost](http://www.youtube.com/user/nationalpost) See the sidebar here [http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/10/21/russell-williams-day-four.html](http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/10/21/russell-williams-day-four.html) for links to video and a transcript of the interrogation. ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-any-updates-on-col-russell-williams/553795/52 "2010-10-21T15:57:56Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Last night I watched parts of the 10hr interrogation wherein he finally confesses. Made my skin crawl, but damn that cop was good at his job. Lots of pregnant pauses, uncomfortable ones. He wasn’t overbearing or bullying, just relentless, like a dog with a bone. The Colonel had entered visibly confident and cool, and the cop broke him, wore him down with the evidence. Outstanding police work, really. Incidentally, if you’ve ever seen the popular YouTube video about why you should [never talk to the police](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wXkI4t7nuc), you’ll notice that Smythe uses all the techniques described by the cop in that video. For example, Smythe suggested that Williams write “apology letters” to his victims’ families. They were never meant to be sent - it was just a ploy to have him write a signed confession. And of course the lack of hostility, referring to “events” and “incidents” rather than “crimes” or “murders”, and the continual theme that he was there to help Williams… very impressive. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-any-updates-on-col-russell-williams/553795/53 "2010-10-21T17:46:04Z")
The pictures of him in female underwear were just damn disturbing. However, I couldn’t help thinking how much he looks like Woody Harrelson. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-any-updates-on-col-russell-williams/553795/54 "2010-10-21T18:12:06Z")
Pity his sentence is concurrent rather than consecutive. [http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2010/10/21/russell-williams-day-four.html](http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2010/10/21/russell-williams-day-four.html) ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-any-updates-on-col-russell-williams/553795/55 "2010-10-21T19:40:43Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Pity his sentence is concurrent rather than consecutive. > > [http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2010/10/21/russell-williams-day-four.html](http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2010/10/21/russell-williams-day-four.html) Functionally it makes little difference. He’s not eligible for parole for 25 years and it will be difficult(to impossible) for him to get even after that and his sentence truly is a life sentence. At no time will he simply be released due to the expiration of time. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-any-updates-on-col-russell-williams/553795/56 "2010-10-21T20:03:48Z")
> [@Moonlitherial](#): > > Functionally it makes little difference. He’s not eligible for parole for 25 years and it will be difficult(to impossible) for him to get even after that and his sentence truly is a life sentence. At no time will he simply be released due to the expiration of time. Yeah, he’ll be eligible for _possible_ parole when he’s 72 years old - though I suspect he’ll die in prision. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-any-updates-on-col-russell-williams/553795/57 "2010-10-21T20:34:12Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > Yeah, he’ll be eligible for _possible_ parole when he’s 72 years old - though I suspect he’ll die in prision. He’s a year younger than I. I am very happy that he will live out the rest of his years in prison. I loved watching his life evaporate during the interview, although I’m quite surprised he didn’t immediately start sloughing everything off as coincidence. - Lots of vehicles have the same tires as mine. - Lots of people could have the same boots. The nail in the coffin came when Smyth told him that search warrants were being carried out and that his wife now knew what was happening. ---
**Author:** ![cgg419](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cgg419/32/2847_2.png) [@cgg419](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cgg419)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-any-updates-on-col-russell-williams/553795/58 "2010-10-21T21:20:48Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > He’s a year younger than I. I am very happy that he will live out the rest of his years in prison. > > I loved watching his life evaporate during the interview, although I’m quite surprised he didn’t immediately start sloughing everything off as coincidence. > > - Lots of vehicles have the same tires as mine. > - Lots of people could have the same boots. > > The nail in the coffin came when Smyth told him that search warrants were being carried out and that his wife now knew what was happening. He was looking for those sorts of excuses though. Notice how long he stared back and forth between his shoeprint and the one found at the scene. Also the same with the search warrants. Even he knew he was fucked. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-any-updates-on-col-russell-williams/553795/59 "2010-10-21T21:59:01Z")
> [@Moonlitherial](#): > > Functionally it makes little difference. He’s not eligible for parole for 25 years and it will be difficult(to impossible) for him to get even after that and his sentence truly is a life sentence. At no time will he simply be released due to the expiration of time. I think that consecutive sentences should be used to deter other murders from committing more than one murder. If I were King, then with the first murder the murderer would have a chance at parole, but with the second murder the murderer would have not chance at a parole. Since I am not King, that is not the way things work. The Tories recently put a bill through first reading in the Commons that would at least put in place consecutive parole periods for multiple murderers, if not actual consecutive sentences for multiple murderers – check out [sections 4 and 5 of Bill C-48](http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Parl=40&Ses=3&Mode=1&Pub=Bill&Doc=C-48_1&File=30). ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-any-updates-on-col-russell-williams/553795/60 "2010-10-21T22:10:10Z")
Make that “consecutive parole eligibility periods,” not “consecutive parole periods.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-any-updates-on-col-russell-williams/553795.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-any-updates-on-col-russell-williams/553795.md?page=4)