Dateline: Conduct Unbecoming - Who was Russell Williams and what do we know about his crimes? Details revealed 

In 2011, NBC’s Dateline featured the appalling case of Russell Williams, a commander at the Royal Canadian Air Force, who was convicted for multiple murders and sexual assault. Starting September 2007, Williams committed several crimes including killing 27-year-old Jessica Lloyd and 37-year-old Corporal Marie-France Comeau. In October 2010 he was sentenced to two life sentences with no possibility of parole for 25 years.

Williams lived an unsuspecting double life as his family and friends were oblivious to his criminal activities. In the two-hour special episode titled Dateline: Conduct Unbecoming NBC’s Keith Morrison interviews William’s victims, neighbour and police officials involved in the case. Americans who were unaware of the gravity of the case were shocked to learn about the story of a decorated military officer who turned out to be a dreadful predator and killer.

As per NBC News, when Williams was asked if he thought about why he committed the crimes, he said,

“Yeah, but I don’t know the answers and I’m pretty sure the answers don’t matter.”

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Who was Russell Williams?

Colonel Russell Williams, 47, and his wife lived in Tweed, Ontario in a cottage. He was the senior commander of Canada’s Air Force. He had frequently piloted planes that carried VIPs such as the Canadian Prime Minister and even Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip during their 2005 visit to Canada. He was regarded as a devoted husband and a great friend among his close circle.

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What did Russell Williams do?

As per NBC News, Williams began breaking into homes in Eastern Ontario to steal lingerie from September 2007. He broke into more than 40 homes repeatedly. Many of his victims were not even aware of the break-ins initially. Eventually, this led him to commit assault and murder.

In September 2009, two women reported that they were blindfolded and assaulted. Williams, who had broken into their homes, even took photographs of his crime. However, the police could not find the culprit, at the time.

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Russell Williams was arrested in 2010

After his second victim, Jessica Lloyd disappeared in January 2010, investigators matched his car and boots to the snow outside the victim’s house. Williams was arrested as a suspect. He confessed to the murder and other crimes, and also led the police to where he had dumped Lloyd’s body in the wooded area.

During the investigation, he also confessed to having raped and physically assaulted Cpl. Marie-France Comeau in her home the previous November. He had photographed and videotaped the whole ordeal. He had also tortured and raped Jessica Lloyd for 24 hours before killing her.

After Williams was charged in February 2010, his crimes shook the entire country. Williams had also kept a record of his criminal activities. He had two hard drives filled with photographic, videographic and written evidence.

During the trial, the court played parts of the videotape of Lloyd’s torture, where she asks Williams,

"If I die, will you make sure to let my mom know that I love her?"

As per BBC, a heart-broken Lloyd's mother, Roxanne, told the court,

"There is no punishment that could make this better for me. No sentencing will make this sorrow disappear."

The case was widely considered to be one of the most gory and unbelievable incidents of brutality. Government prosecutor Lee Burgess said,

"I've been doing this job for 20 years. This is the most awful case I've ever been involved in."

In the Dateline episode, Morrison expressed his shock at the extent of crime committed by a person of his social standing.

In October 2010, Russell Williams was sentenced to life imprisonment, with no possibility of parole for 25 years. He was registered as a sex offender and stripped of his rank and dismissed from the Canadian Forces. His wife, who reportedly did not know anything about her husband’s crimes, filed for divorce. Williams is currently in a maximum security prison in Quebec.

ALSO READ: Dateline correspondent Keith Morrison interviews murder convict Lori Vallow Daybell and here's a sneak peek

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