Ontario police spearheading a "large" investigation of a top Canadian military commander facing murder and sexual assault charges said Tuesday they're fielding calls from other forces and families of victims of crime about so-called cold cases.
Col. Russell Williams, 46, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Jessica Lloyd, 27, of Belleville, Ont., and Marie France Comeau, a 38-year-old air force corporal. CFB Trenton's top commander is also charged in two sexual assaults in Tweed in September.
A career military man who's been stationed in various cities across Canada and internationally, Williams was remanded into custody Monday after being arraigned on the charges.
"We are looking at other areas where he has been posted. That will be part of the investigation," said Sgt. Kristine Rae of the Ontario Provincial Police.
Other forces are looking at unsolved crimes, Rae said, but she wouldn't reveal which forces they have been in contact with, citing the need to protect the investigation.
"Whenever you have two homicides and two home invasions and sexual assaults it's prudent to ensure that if there's any other investigations that have gone unsolved to see if there's any similarities. That's just good policing," she said.
"Unsolved crimes, if there's similarities to the incidents that we already have him in custody for, they will probably be reviewed."
The primary focus of the investigation for now, she added, is on the four cases Williams is charged in.
Lloyd's body was found Monday. Comeau, who was based at CFB Trenton, was found in her Brighton home in November.
Rae said it's expected the investigation will be a lengthy one.
"It's going to take time. That's the only thing we can say," she said.
"It's a very large investigation at this point."
In addition to being 8 Wing commander at CFB Trenton, Williams was posted to Shearwater, N.S., in 1992, and also worked at 412 Squadron in Ottawa, Camp Mirage in Dubai, and went to the Canadian Forces language school in Gatineau. He obtained a degree at the University of Toronto before he joined the Canadian Forces in 1987.
Toronto police haven't been asked by provincial police to reopen specific cases, nor have they been provided with new evidence or information with regards to anything unsolved at this point related to the Williams' investigation, said Const. Wendy Drummond.
There are unsolved murder cases involving sexual assault in Toronto from the late 1980s, Drummond added.
Ottawa police weren't immediately available for comment Tuesday, but said Monday it was too early to tell if there might be some connection between Williams and unsolved crimes in Ottawa.
Family members of victims of other crimes have called in looking for information and police have asked them to be patient, Rae said.
"Those inquiries will be reviewed and looked at," she said.
"If it's another police service, obviously there would be some information sharing there to see if there's anything we can help them with to see if there's anything out there that's outstanding."
The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service has been working with provincial police investigators since the slaying of Comeau last November and Ottawa police are also aware of the investigation, said Rae.
Police were at Williams' Ottawa home and his cottage in Tweed on Tuesday to continue the search for evidence, said Rae.
Officers that entered his Ottawa home were seen leaving the residence with bags.