David Russell Williams was born on March 7, 1963, in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England. He was the son of Christine Nonie and Cedric David Williams. When he was a child, his family moved to Canada, settling in Chalk River, Ontario. His father worked as a metallurgist at Chalk River Laboratories, which was part of a Canadian nuclear research facility.

When Williams was six years old, his parents divorced. Shortly after, his mother married Dr. Jerry Sovka. During this time, Williams took his stepfather's name and moved to Scarborough, Ontario, which is a suburb of Toronto. In Scarborough, he attended Birchmount Collegiate for high school but later completed his education at Upper Canada College (UCC). While in high school, he delivered newspapers and learned to play the piano.

In 1979, Williams' family relocated to South Korea. His stepfather was in charge of overseeing a reactor project there. While his parents were in South Korea, Williams completed his last two years of high school as a boarding student at Upper Canada College. He was selected as a prefect in his final year in 1982.

After high school, Williams attended the University of Toronto Scarborough, where he studied economics and political science. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1986. During his time at university, he played pranks on his roommates, like picking locks and hiding to surprise them.

In 1987, Williams joined the Canadian Forces. He received his flying wings in 1990 and served as an instructor for two years in Manitoba. As his career progressed, he achieved various promotions and worked in notable positions within the military, gaining a reputation as a model officer. He was eventually promoted to colonel and became the Wing Commander at CFB Trenton, Canada's busiest military airbase. During his military career, he earned several awards and had the honor of flying notable dignitaries, including Queen Elizabeth II.

On June 1, 1991, Williams married Mary Elizabeth Harriman, who worked as an associate director for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. The couple lived in Orleans, a suburb of Ottawa, starting in 2006. By December 2010, Harriman began filing for divorce.

David Russell Williams was involved in a series of serious crimes, leading to his arrest in February 2010. On January 28, Jessica Lloyd, a 27-year-old woman, went missing from her home in Belleville, Ontario. The investigation into her disappearance uncovered distinctive tire tracks in the snow near her property. After examining the evidence, police noticed that Williams' Nissan Pathfinder matched the tire tracks left at the scene.

On February 7, 2010, Williams was questioned by police. After hours of interrogation, he confessed to his involvement in Jessica Lloyd's murder, as well as other serious offenses. He revealed details about breaking and entering and sexual assaults connected to two other women who had been bound and assaulted in their homes near Tweed, Ontario, in September 2009. Williams also confessed to murdering Corporal Marie-France Comeau, who was found dead in her home in November 2009.

As a result of his confessions and the evidence gathered during the investigation, Williams faced multiple charges. He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of forcible confinement, sexual assault, and numerous counts of breaking and entering. In total, he was connected to at least 82 incidents of breaking and entering, primarily focused on stealing women's underwear.

On October 18, 2010, Williams pleaded guilty to all charges. During the trial, more details emerged about his escalating criminal behavior, which included a range of violent acts and sexual assaults. The court sentenced him to two life terms in prison, with a minimum of 25 years before he could be considered for parole. His military titles, rank, and decorations were revoked following his conviction. He was initially housed in Kingston Penitentiary and later transferred to the Port-Cartier Institution, a maximum-security prison.