The Devil Wears A Uniform

Now that the shock, horror and utter disbelief has dulled a little, I thought I’d take a moment share my thoughts on the story that not only rocked my own community but the entire Country.

For eleven days the people in and around the Bay of Quinte region wondered what had happened to 27-year-old Jessica Lloyd. She just vanished and despite a massive ground and air search that involved family, friends, complete strangers, police and search and rescue aircraft from 8-Wing Trenton, she couldn’t be found.

Her image was everywhere you went with posters in restaurants, factories, coffee shops on the side of transports and in the windows of people’s cars. If she wasn’t going to be found, it wouldn’t have been for a lack of trying.

On Monday morning February 8, 2010 bits and pieces of information started to come to light that had everyone believing there might be a break in the case, although it didn’t look like the outcome was going to be a positive one.

Police had cordoned off an area near Tweed, Ontario, not far from where she was living and in a community that had seen two women forcibly confined and sexually assaulted just last September. Our worst fears were soon realized as the body of beautiful Jessica had been located in a remote area with thick underbrush.

How could this have happened? Why did it happen? Tragedies like this are very rare in our community but it had happened again. You see, as recent as last November, the body of 38-year-old Cpl Marie-France Comeau had been found in Brighton, Ontario. She worked as a flight attendant at the base in Trenton. All of these events were taking place in a rather small area of Eastern, Ontario and all around the Air Base at CFB Trenton.

As if all of this wasn’t shocking enough, it was soon learned that a suspect had been arrested in Ottawa which is about three hours away. How did they find this evil person so quickly and what was he doing in Ottawa? There in lies the twist. You see, he had a home in Ottawa and he also had a home in Tweed. The dots were starting to be connected.

Then the bombshell was dropped that would jolt the Canadian military community from coast to coast and around the world and leave the citizens of Trenton and the surrounding area stunned in amazement. The man that had been charged with all of these crimes and is alleged to have committed other home invasions was none other than 46-year-old Col. Russell Williams, the top dog and commander of 8-Wing at CFB Trenton, the largest Air Force Base in Canada.

The announcement left everyone stunned. It didn’t matter if you wore a uniform of the Canadian Forces or were just a local resident; we were all left with feelings of disbelief, astonishment, rage and a sense of loss.

It didn’t take long for the news to travel and everywhere you went it was all anybody could talk about. A short time later the national news broadcasters had the story and it became the story of the day and week.

I spoke with friends who are in the military and many of them were embarrassed to be seen wearing their uniform. There was a report that someone in their uniform was spat on at a local gas station while filling their tank. Stories like this were few but they infuriated me to no end.

This evil man may have worn a uniform but it wasn’t the uniform that made him wicked. That most likely began long before he first put on the Air Force dress blues. Those details may eventually be unearthed and could shed light on what led to his alleged horrific acts. Already we’ve learned that he was a pal of infamous Canadian killer Paul Bernardo back in school. A strange and sickening coincidence…I think not, but only time will tell there.

It has been reported that Williams gave a full confession and it was he that led police to Jessica’s body along the side of a rural road. If that isn’t an admission of guilt, then I don’t know what is.

It’s my hope that the community will rally around the members of our neighbourhood who work in the military and in particular those who work at 8-Wing CFB Trenton. They are likely in as much or more disbelief than we civilians. They should in no way share any of the guilt or face any negative repercussions because one of their own has been charged.

This past Saturday, Jessica Lloyd was laid to rest in Belleville with family, friends, representatives of the Police and Military in attendance to provide support. Approximately 300 mourners attended the funeral with many not able to find room inside the chapel but instead having to stand outside and listen to the service over loudspeakers.

The questions are starting to be answered for the families of those affected by these horrifying acts of violence but the wounds left by the evil actions of one sick individual will remain forever.