Suspect Canadian colonel's past probed

TRENTON, Ontario, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- The past of a Canadian air force colonel charged with two homicides and sex attacks in Ontario was being probed internationally Tuesday, police said.

Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Kristine Rae told reporters all cold cases at locations worldwide where Col. Russell Williams served in his 23-year career were being reopened, the Canwest News Service reported.

Until his arrest Sunday, Williams, 46, was commander of Canadian Forces Base Trenton in southeastern Ontario. Police wouldn't say what led to his arrest in four cases in the past five months. Two women were sexually assaulted in their homes and two women were killed. The body of the second victim was found Monday.

Global TV reported one of the cold cases reopened involves a 19-year-old woman killed on the base in 2001.

Meanwhile, the Toronto Star quoted a former FBI expert on serial killers as saying all signs in the investigation suggested more victims would be uncovered.

Mark Safarik told the newspaper whoever the perpetrator is, the five-month history in the same area is ominous.

"People don't just wake up one day and say, 'I'm going to abduct someone and murder them.' I'm sure there's a history," he said. "For me, the surprise is the number of assaults in a relatively short period of time."