Local

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Family wonders if soldier involved in cold case here

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 02/13/2010 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

Enlarge Image

Glenda Morrisseau

Related Items

Articles
- Project for slain women faces end

THE family of a Winnipeg woman slain nearly two decades ago is considering the possibility her death may be linked to Russell Williams, a military colonel recently charged with two deaths.

Glenda Morrisseau was 19 when she was beaten to death in Winnipeg in the summer of 1991. She disappeared July 17, 1991 from a Logan Avenue hotel and her body was found a month later in a St. Boniface industrial yard.

No one was ever arrested.

Morrisseau was slain during the two-year period Williams was stationed in Manitoba as an instructor at the Canadian Forces flying training school in Portage la Prairie.

Williams was arrested in Ottawa on Feb. 7 and charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Jessica Lloyd, 27, and Marie Comeau, 38. He also faces charges of forcible confinement, breaking and entering and sexual assault related to attacks on two women near Tweed, Ont., last September.

He was the commander of the air force base at Trenton, Ont., but was relieved of the command after his arrest. He has not yet entered a plea to any of the charges and is considered innocent until proven guilty.

Glenda Morrisseau's niece said Friday the family was caught off guard about any possible connection to Morrisseau's death and hasn't decided whether to approach police about it.

"We are still sort of absorbing the news as it has been a huge shock," Roxanne Morrisseau said.

Glenda Morrisseau's name has appeared in a number of lists of cold cases police may probe for connections to Williams, but as of yet no officials have confirmed her case is being reviewed. Sgt. Kristine Rae of the Ontario Provincial Police said investigators are still dealing with the four cases in Ontario and have not started looking at any other unsolved cases. She could not say which police services had contacted OPP investigators in relation to other cold cases.

"The officers are still focusing on these four that we have... we haven't had the opportunity to look at anything else except what we're still dealing with," she said.

Rae said it would be a "long investigation."

"We expect this investigation, even after this core investigation is done, that it's going to take quite a few months to compare other cases," she said.

"We're tracking those calls (from other police services), so that when we do have the opportunity we can go back and check for any similarities from their cases to ours."

The Winnipeg Police Service and Manitoba RCMP have not said Williams is being treated as a suspect in any cold cases.

-- Staff

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 13, 2010 A3

Factual inaccuracy? Something missing? Help improve our journalism.

Know about news? Share your story suggestions, photos and video.

Spelling error? Punctuation problem? Send us an email if you’ve found a typo.

More Local

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

Have Your Say

Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscribers only. why?

Have Your Say

Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press Subscribers only. why?

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.