Forces chief who flew Queen admits sex murders amid serial killer fears

A SENIOR Canadian military commander who once flew the Queen and other dignitaries around Canada is to plead guilty to murder, sex assault and dozens of burglary charges.

Colonel Russell Williams commanded Canada's largest air force base until he was charged earlier this year with murdering two women, sexually assaulting two others and 82 break-ins, during which he stole women's underwear.

His lawyer Michael Edelson told a judge at a hearing yesterday that Williams intends to plead guilty to all the charges at his next court appearance on 18 October. Williams appeared at the hearing but did not speak.

The case shocked Canada, dented soldiers' morale and prompted fears Williams could have been a serial killer.

In 2005, Williams, who was born in England but grew up in Canada, was pictured with the Queen and Prince Philip on the front page of the newspaper of Canadian Forces Base Trenton while he served as their pilot during a visit.

The 47-year-old is charged with the first-degree murder of Jessica Lloyd, 27, whose body was found in February, and Marie Comeau, a 38-year-old corporal under his command who was found dead in her home last November. Both women were strangled.

Her brother Andy Lloyd said he doesn't want an apology from Williams for his sister Jessica's death, just the truth.

"Why, why her? How did all this come about? There are so many questions everybody wants to ask," Lloyd said outside court yesterday.

"I think everybody would like to hear him explain what happened. I'm not looking for an apology. It's not going to hold its weight in anything."

Mr Lloyd's mother, Roxanne, held a photo of Jessica in court.

Williams is also charged with forcible confinement, breaking and entering and sexual assault after two other women were attacked during separate home invasions in the Tweed area of Onatario in September 2009.

He is also charged with breaking into 47 homes 82 times, beginning in 2007, including one home nine times.Most homes were broken into repeatedly on the same street.

Most of the homes Williams was accused of breaking into were in Ottawa, where he shared a house with his wife, and in the Tweed area of Onatario, where Williams lived while he worked at Canadian Forces Base in Trenton.

"He's just a very twisted individual, there's no two ways about it," said retired Lieutenant-General Angus Watt, who once promoted Williams.

"He was able to lead an elaborate double life and was able to keep it successfully concealed."

Lt-Gen Watt added: "This was the act of a depraved individual and really has no reflection on the men and women of the Canadian Forces."

Angela McCanny, whose Ottawa home was broken into on back-to-back days in 2008, said that all the lingerie in the house was stolen.

The Ottawa Citizen cited police sources as saying police seized 500 items of women's underwear from Williams' Ottawa home.

Court documents allege he broke into Comeau's home days before he is accused of killing her. Another alleges that Williams twice returned to the home of one of his victims to steal items after he sexually assaulted her.