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A Canadian military commander has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of two eastern Ontario women.

Col. Russell Williams, 46, of Tweed, 8 Wing Commander of Canadian Forces Base Trenton, was arrested Sunday in Ottawa, Ontario Provincial Police Det. Insp. Chris Nicholas said at a news conference Monday.

Williams has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 27-year-old Jessica Lloyd, whose body was found Monday off Cary Road in the Municipality of Tweed. Lloyd had been missing since Jan. 28 from her home outside Tweed, about 30 kilometres north of Belleville.

Williams has also been charged in the death of 38-year-old Cpl. Marie-France Comeau, of Brighton, Ont., who was slain in her home on Nov. 25, 2009. Comeau had been serving with the 437 Squadron at CFB Trenton.

Nicholas said police linked the two crimes to a single suspect due to similarities in the cases. They do not expect to make any other arrests.

In addition to the murder charges, Williams faces counts of forcible confinement, breaking and entering, and sexual assault in relation to two home invasions in the Tweed area in September 2009.

Nicholas said Williams was brought to the attention of police based on evidence gathered while questioning people along Highway 37 on the night of Feb. 4.

Police would not comment on any possible linkages among the cases other than that they took place within the same geographic area. They said they were looking at where Williams has been for the past several years and were continuing their investigation.

OPP at accused's Westboro home

As of 3 p.m. Monday, OPP officers were parked outside the couple's home in Ottawa's Westboro neighbourhood, waiting for a search warrant that would allow them to enter.

On Monday morning, police searched their home in Tweed.

Lt.-Gen. André Deschamps, chief of air staff for the Canadian Forces, issued a statement Monday that "although one is considered innocent until proven guilty, in light of the seriousness of the charges, and in consideration of the high level of responsibilities" attached to Williams's position, an interim wing commander for 8 Wing Trenton will be appointed to replace him.

Williams joined the Canadian Forces in 1987 after earning a degree in economics and political science at the University of Toronto. He moved steadily up through the ranks, taking postings in Shearwater, N.S., and Ottawa and receiving his master's in defence studies at Royal Military College along the way. He became wing commander at CFB Trenton in 2009.

According to his biography on the Canadian air force website, Williams is married. Police said his wife was at home at the time of his arrest.

Lloyd was last heard from on the night of Jan. 28, when she sent a text message to a family friend. She did not report for work in Napanee the next morning.

Her disappearance prompted a massive air and ground search by police, the military and more than 100 volunteers. It was called off by police after two days.