Gen. Walter Natynczyk says it felt like a "body blow" when he found out that Col. Russell Williams was facing two first-degree murder charges. (CBC)Canada's military is in a "state of shock" after the head of CFB Trenton was charged with murder and two violent home invasions, Gen. Walter Natynczyk, the chief of defence staff, said Wednesday.

Natynczyk spoke at a news conference after he addressed troops at Trenton, Canada’s largest military air base, where Col. Russell Williams was base commander.

Williams, 46, of Tweed, Ont., was arrested Sunday in Ottawa. He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Jessica Lloyd, 27, and Cpl. Marie-France Comeau, 38.

Williams was also charged with two sexual assaults that happened in Tweed in September.

A report in the Globe and Mail Wednesday suggested Williams gave police a statement outlining his alleged crimes, but Natynczyk wouldn’t comment on the report.

Natynczyk said it felt like a "body blow" when he heard a senior officer had been charged with murder.

"We've put additional rigour over the past five years into the selection of our leadership. … it's a sacred trust."

Background checks done

Natynczyk said he wasn’t aware of any complaints filed against Williams during his 23-year career but said military leadership will conduct an administrative review to see if they missed any important information about the colonel.

“We have a security screening process that goes across government, which is updated every five years," Natynczyk said. "It’s reliability checks, it is background checks, military police checking on people."

About 95,000 people belong to the Canadian Forces, and Natynczyk noted that while the military regularly reviews performance, it doesn’t have the resources to put all of its troops through psychological testing.

“We train them under great rigour, and we put a lot of stress on them — but then we have to trust them,” Natynczyk said.

Military officials “pounce” as soon as they detect an emerging personnel issue, he added.

Col. Russell Williams is charged with two counts of murder and two counts of sexual assault. (Gerri Weatherbee/Northumberland Today)

Personnel should 'stand tall'

Natynczyk said some military personnel at the Trenton base are reluctant to go into the community in uniform now, but he has told them they can still be proud.

"We have a duty. We have a responsibility to Canadians," Natynczyk said. "I told them to stand tall. I told them to stand proud."

He himself went in uniform to a local Tim Hortons on Wednesday to make that point.

Natynczyk said his thoughts are with the community and the family and friends of Lloyd and Comeau. He also praised local officials for their continued support of the troops at CFB Trenton.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay was not available for comment Wednesday, but a spokesman said the minister has been thinking of the victims' families. He added that the Canadian Forces are co-operating fully with the investigation.

Williams, a career military man who's been stationed in various cities across Canada and internationally, was arraigned and remanded into custody Monday and is scheduled to appear in court via video on Feb. 18.

As Williams sat in a cell at the Quinte Detention Centre in Napanee, Ont., investigators remained at his properties in Tweed and Ottawa.

"We're trying to do, obviously, a very thorough job in our investigation," said Sgt. Kristine Rae of the Ontario Provincial Police. "As we progress through this it will take some time. It's not going to be quick."

The OPP said in a statement Wednesday that police are working with other police services to examine unsolved cases in other jurisdictions, adding that investigators can't discuss "evidentiary or investigative matters" to protect the integrity of the case.

with files from The Canadian Press