# The Absolutely F'd-Up, Weird-Ass, Sick and Horrible Case of Colonel Russell Williams **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 9, 2010, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-absolutely-fd-up-weird-ass-sick-and-horrible-case-of-colonel-russell-williams/528225 "2010-02-09T02:44:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-absolutely-fd-up-weird-ass-sick-and-horrible-case-of-colonel-russell-williams/528225/81 "2010-05-03T04:21:09Z")
News update: Williams has been charged with 82 break & enters in the towns that he’s lived in, with allegations of theft of women’s underwear during some of the B&E’s. Also, news reports are that he’s likely to plead guilty to all the charges, including the two murder charges: [Williams Expected to Plead Guilty](http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/04/29/13757821.html). ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-absolutely-fd-up-weird-ass-sick-and-horrible-case-of-colonel-russell-williams/528225/82 "2010-05-03T15:23:58Z")
Any idea what sort of sentence that all might draw? In the US, the murder charges would potentially lead to the needle, although that would presumably be taken off the table in exchange for a plea, and I expect he’d get life in prison. Does Ontario have life sentences, or will he be in for some term of years? ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-absolutely-fd-up-weird-ass-sick-and-horrible-case-of-colonel-russell-williams/528225/83 "2010-05-03T15:27:25Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > I can’t even imagine how you’d come up with that particular plan to kill yourself. I mean - toilet paper roll and aluminum foil? McGyver could have diffused a nuclear bomb, but the leap to “commit suicide with it” is not something my brain can grasp. Good think I’m not suicidal - I’d clearly fail at doing it creatively! He probably thought it was a better plan than repeatedly beating his head on the metal toilet. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-absolutely-fd-up-weird-ass-sick-and-horrible-case-of-colonel-russell-williams/528225/84 "2010-05-03T15:39:40Z")
> [@PoorYorick](#): > > He probably thought it was a better plan than repeatedly beating his head on the metal toilet. Yeah, that’s probably all he had. That reminds me, a few days after that all the papers were announcing he was “on a hunger strike” but hadn’t made any “demands”. Both of which seemed like a stupid things to write; he wasn’t protesting anything, he was just trying to off himself again. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-absolutely-fd-up-weird-ass-sick-and-horrible-case-of-colonel-russell-williams/528225/85 "2010-05-03T15:41:37Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Any idea what sort of sentence that all might draw? In the US, the murder charges would potentially lead to the needle, although that would presumably be taken off the table in exchange for a plea, and I expect he’d get life in prison. Does Ontario have life sentences, or will he be in for some term of years? Criminal law in Canada is a federal matter, so it’s the same in every province. The maximum possible sentence is life. Canada has no capital punishment, not even for military crimes (which this is not, I’m just saying.) In theory Williams would be eligible for parole in 25 years, but he will no more get parole than I will be elected Pope, and just to make sure, the Crown will probably push for him to be additionally declared a dangerous offender, thus making it a for-sure life sentence. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-absolutely-fd-up-weird-ass-sick-and-horrible-case-of-colonel-russell-williams/528225/86 "2010-05-03T15:49:46Z")
> [@Nanoda](#): > > Yeah, that’s probably all he had. That reminds me, a few days after that all the papers were announcing he was “on a hunger strike” but hadn’t made any “demands”. Both of which seemed like a stupid things to write; he wasn’t protesting anything, he was just trying to off himself again. And if Canada is anything like the US, I think our good doctor **Qadgop** had mentioned that prisoners who don’t want to eat tend to get a G-tube put in place long enough to administer some liquid food preparation, and after that most decide that eating is a fine thing to do. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-absolutely-fd-up-weird-ass-sick-and-horrible-case-of-colonel-russell-williams/528225/87 "2010-05-04T17:42:06Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > And if Canada is anything like the US, I think our good doctor **Qadgop** had mentioned that prisoners who don’t want to eat tend to get a G-tube put in place long enough to administer some liquid food preparation, and after that most decide that eating is a fine thing to do. Not quite. Forced feeding is thankfully very rare. We only seek it if permanent significant injury or death is a clear and present danger; it takes petitioning a court, and we go the NG tube route (hose in nose to stomach) rather than the G tube (which goes directly thru the abdominal wall into the stomach.) Forcing IVs or feedings on an unwilling individual is a last resort; it’s dangerous, degrading to everyone involved, and usually (but not always) unnecessary. It’s also problematic for health workers like doctors and nurses, who are pledged to act both in the patient’s best interest and with their consent. That means we try to give them what they need (not what they want) but they can refuse. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-absolutely-fd-up-weird-ass-sick-and-horrible-case-of-colonel-russell-williams/528225/88 "2010-05-07T03:27:47Z")
New development: As Commanding Officer of CFB Trenton, Col. Williams got regular updates from the police about the hunt for the killer of Cpl. Marie France Comeau, who was serving on the base. [Accused Colonel Kept Tabs on Police Probe](http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/805300--accused-colonel-kept-tabs-on-police-probe). > [@](#): > > Word of Cpl. Marie France Comeau’s murder arrived in her alleged killer’s inbox at 12:13 a.m. on Nov. 26, 2009. > > The message was marked “significant occurrence” and kicked off a stream of messages that would keep Col. Russ Williams, her commander at Canadian Forces Base Trenton, abreast of the unfolding police probe, one that would lead months later to his stunning arrest. > > … > > But as the criminal investigation began, Williams signed off on a plan to respond to media questions, prepared by a public affairs officer who predicted that “interest will continue until either charges are laid (and then continue as the trial progresses) or the OPP ceases their investigation.” > > Williams received briefings on the latest details of the police probe. He gathered emails from the same military police investigators who would later participate in his arrest and prosecution. Some of those he forwarded to a private email account. Logical, given his position, and very creepy. ---
**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 8, 2010, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-absolutely-fd-up-weird-ass-sick-and-horrible-case-of-colonel-russell-williams/528225/89 "2010-10-08T14:36:02Z")
Just an FYI. Yesterday, Williams pleaded guilty to all charges. - 2 first degree murder. - 2 sexual assault. - 82 break and enter and theft. Sentencing to begin Oct. 18. ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-absolutely-fd-up-weird-ass-sick-and-horrible-case-of-colonel-russell-williams/528225/90 "2010-10-08T15:07:32Z")
> [@astro](#): > > > [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > > > A good commander knows how to delegate. > > > > Plus as a military commander, he might have an opportunity to order the deaths of others. He might REALLY get off on that. > > The problem is that real sociopaths are rarely keep their dysfunction contained in neat little boxes, and are generally dysfunctional enough to keep them from advancing socially and professionally into top level jobs. There are two types of serial killers - the disorganized and the organized. I suppose we tend to think of the disorganized type most often when we hear the phrase because their stories are so spectacular. We don’t expect exemplary people to be murderers. Hits close to home and makes us all feel unsafe and unsure of our perceptions perhaps. It isn’t unusual for sociopaths to excel in military roles. The job is made for them. Many of them do best with a great deal of structure in their lives. They like to have control of the people around them. They thrive on dangerous situations. I once had a psychiatrist tell me that a large number of our war heroes are probably sociopathic. Where else can you do the blood and guts thing and come out looking good? Ideally a soldier is trained to kill. And kill without it affecting his emotional makeup. Guess that’s what he was doing. ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-absolutely-fd-up-weird-ass-sick-and-horrible-case-of-colonel-russell-williams/528225/91 "2010-10-08T15:09:46Z")
ETA: Rather I should have begun with “Serial killers can be divided into two groups - the disorganized and the organized.” ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-absolutely-fd-up-weird-ass-sick-and-horrible-case-of-colonel-russell-williams/528225/92 "2010-10-08T17:56:42Z")
The CBC is reporting that he will plead guilty. Then we can stop saying “alleged”. Must be a real Jeckyll/Hyde type is all I can think of. ---
**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 8, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-absolutely-fd-up-weird-ass-sick-and-horrible-case-of-colonel-russell-williams/528225/93 "2010-10-08T19:15:49Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > The CBC is reporting that he will plead guilty. Then we can stop saying “alleged”. Must be a real Jeckyll/Hyde type is all I can think of. See a couple of posts up; he already _has_ pleaded guilty. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-absolutely-fd-up-weird-ass-sick-and-horrible-case-of-colonel-russell-williams/528225/94 "2010-10-09T07:15:58Z")
Not according to the Glove & Mail: [Colonel Russell Williams to plead guilty to all charges](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/colonel-russell-williams-to-plead-guilty-to-all-charges/article1747202/) - his lawyer has advised that he will plead guilty, at a hearing set for October 18: > [@](#): > > Col. Williams’ formal plea and sentencing are set to begin Oct. 18. The sentencing process is expected to last four days, and will encompass numerous victim-impact statements. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-absolutely-fd-up-weird-ass-sick-and-horrible-case-of-colonel-russell-williams/528225/95 "2010-10-09T07:18:08Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > Must be a real Jeckyll/Hyde type is all I can think of. This [Toronto Sun article](http://www.torontosun.com/news/columnists/michele_mandel/2010/10/07/15620931.html) reports that it began as a lingerie fetish and escalated: > [@](#): > > He is slated to admit to a secret life of crime which escalated slowly. > > When not impressing his superiors by day, the decorated colonel will not contest charges he broke into residences near his Ottawa home and Tweed cottage, meticulously covering his tracks as he stole lingerie to add to his trophy collection, sometimes hitting two different locations in just one night and sometimes returning to the same home as many as nine times. > > By September 2009, his underwear fetish is alleged to have taken a sudden violent turn. Two women living alone were awoken by an intruder who blindfolded and bound them, sexually assaulted them and forced them to pose naked. But neither was raped. > > One of the victims, her name sealed under a publication ban, has launched a $2.4-million civil suit for the “horrific and reprehensible” assault. The other, Laurie Massicotte, a mother of three, asked the court Thursday to lift the ban on her identity. > > Two months after the women’s frightening ordeals, the indictment accuses Williams of graduating to murder. > > Comeau was found slain in her Brighton home on Nov. 25, 2009. Lloyd’s body was discovered Feb. 8 of this year in the woods outside Tweed. Both women had been beaten and asphyxiated. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-absolutely-fd-up-weird-ass-sick-and-horrible-case-of-colonel-russell-williams/528225/96 "2010-10-09T19:06:19Z")
Is there a conflict in military and civilian jurisdictions in a case like this in Canada? ---
**Author:** ![Kilmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a6a055/32.png) [@Kilmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilmore)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-absolutely-fd-up-weird-ass-sick-and-horrible-case-of-colonel-russell-williams/528225/97 "2010-10-09T19:33:23Z")
> [@Tethered\_Kite](#): > > ETA: Rather I should have begun with “Serial killers can be divided into two groups - the disorganized and the organized.” You can say that for the victims as well. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-absolutely-fd-up-weird-ass-sick-and-horrible-case-of-colonel-russell-williams/528225/98 "2010-10-10T03:28:33Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Is there a conflict in military and civilian jurisdictions in a case like this in Canada? I’m not aware of any. Our criminal law is federal and uniform across the country, as is the military law. Since none of these crimes are alleged to have occurred in a military context, he’s being tried in the civilian courts. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-absolutely-fd-up-weird-ass-sick-and-horrible-case-of-colonel-russell-williams/528225.md?page=4)