Russell Maurice Johnson was born in 1947 in Canada. He lived a seemingly quiet life on the surface, working as an automotive store clerk and weightlifter. At one point, he was employed by Ford Motor Company of Canada in Talbotville, Ontario. However, beneath this ordinary façade, Johnson carried deep psychological issues. In 1969, he voluntarily admitted himself to the London Psychiatric Hospital, where he was diagnosed as a sexual deviant. Despite this diagnosis, he was released back into society without sustained medical intervention.

By the early 1970s, Johnson’s dark compulsions began manifesting. He lived alone or in apartments where he could easily monitor nearby residents, often focusing on young women living in upper-level units. Though he had previously been married, the relationship ended, and Johnson’s behavior became increasingly obsessive and dangerous. He developed what appeared to be obsessive-compulsive tendencies, which influenced the disturbing rituals he followed during and after his murders—such as cleaning victims' bodies and tucking them into bed.

He later claimed that if he had received proper treatment, he might never have acted on his compulsions. However, his actions escalated into violent, sexually motivated murders that left a permanent mark on the communities of London and Guelph, Ontario.

Between 1973 and 1977, Russell Johnson terrorized women in Ontario, Canada. Nicknamed “The Bedroom Strangler,” Johnson would stalk his victims—many of whom lived in high-rise apartment buildings. He gained access to their homes by climbing balconies and scaling the outer walls of buildings, sometimes reaching several stories high. Once inside, he would wait until his victims were asleep, then strangle them, often after raping them. In at least one case, he raped a victim post-mortem. His compulsions led him to clean their bodies, tuck them neatly into bed, and remove evidence, leaving behind almost no sign of struggle.

His first known victim was 20-year-old Mary-Catherine Hicks in the autumn of 1973. She was initially believed to have died of a medical issue until Johnson later confessed to her murder. He also admitted to killing 42-year-old Alice Ralston and 27-year-old Eleanor Hartwick in similar fashion. The pattern of women dying peacefully in their sleep led investigators to initially rule many of the deaths as natural, highlighting the meticulous nature of Johnson’s crimes.

The tide began to turn with the murder of 23-year-old Diane Beitz on New Year's Eve, 1974. She was found strangled with a brassiere and sexually assaulted. Johnson had known of her through his ex-wife, who once lived in the same building. More murders followed. On April 15, 1977, he climbed to the fourth floor and killed Louella Jeanne George. Then on July 16, 1977, he murdered Donna Veldboom, a woman who lived in the apartment directly above him. This was his only known stabbing; afterward, Johnson cleaned the scene and washed the bloody sheets.

In total, Johnson killed at least seven women and non-fatally assaulted 11 others. He was finally arrested in July 1977 after confessing to the murders of Beitz, George, and Veldboom. During police interviews, Johnson also admitted to four other murders and multiple assaults. His confession shocked authorities, who had believed several of the women died of natural causes. He claimed he had been overwhelmed by an “uncontrollable urge” and blamed a lack of proper psychiatric care.

At trial, Johnson was found not guilty by reason of insanity. He demonstrated an inability to understand the gravity of his crimes and was indefinitely confined to the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care in Penetanguishene. He was chemically castrated and prescribed Lupron to lower his testosterone levels. Despite annual applications for lighter confinement conditions, Johnson remains confined, with repeated opposition from victims' families and Ontario courts.

His crimes left a lasting impact in Ontario. The investigation became the most expensive in provincial history at the time. In 2012, his request to be transferred to another facility was denied by the Ontario Court of Appeals. Johnson continues to apply for leniency, but as of the latest updates, he remains under strict mental health confinement.