Key Takeaways:
- A 36-year-old Edmonton man, Matthew Edward Williams, is wanted for uttering threats to cause bodily harm and criminal harassment.
- Williams has a history of harassing and threatening women he meets on online dating apps and escort sites in Edmonton and Calgary.
- He is known to use fake names and photos to avoid being recognized and has been targeting women on dating apps and escort sites.
- Williams is already bound by two release orders for uttering threats and assault in similar investigations out of Calgary and B.C.
- Edmonton police believe there may be other complainants in the region and are encouraging them to come forward.
Introduction to the Case
The Edmonton Police Service has issued an arrest warrant for a 36-year-old man, Matthew Edward Williams, who is accused of harassing and threatening women he meets on online dating apps and escort sites. Williams, who is also known as Matthew Galpin, has a history of engaging in this behavior, and police believe he may have targeted multiple women in Edmonton and Calgary. According to police, Williams’ behavior has been going on for years, and he is known to use fake names and photos to avoid being recognized.
History of Harassment
In 2022, Edmonton police received a complaint from a woman who had matched with Williams on Tinder. After exchanging phone numbers, Williams began harassing and berating her, and when she blocked his number, he used several other phone numbers to continue the harassment and threats. The harassment stopped for a few years but resumed this year when Williams found the victim on an escort website, LeoList, where he began messaging her again under a pseudonym. Williams arranged a date with the woman using a fake name and photo, and when she refused to continue the date, he allegedly progressed to threatening her.
Investigation and Charges
Edmonton police obtained warrants for Williams last month, and he is wanted for uttering threats to cause bodily harm and criminal harassment. Williams is described as being five feet nine inches tall, approximately 180 pounds, with light brown hair and blue eyes. The Edmonton Police Service is issuing a warning in the interest of public safety, as investigators believe Williams is targeting women on dating apps and women who advertise as sex workers on escort sites. Williams is already bound by two release orders for uttering threats and assault in similar investigations out of Calgary and B.C.
Previous Incidents
In 2023, the Calgary Police Service issued a near-identical warning about Williams, and three women filed complaints about receiving messages threatening violence from a man they met on a dating site. The first woman said she met and interacted with a man online, and when she didn’t respond for several hours, the man allegedly threatened physical harm in a text message. The second woman said she met a man on a dating site and later met him in person, and she later received threatening text messages from him, allegedly saying he would break into her home and harm her. The third woman told police she allegedly received similar threatening messages from a man with the same description who she met on a dating site.
Court Records
Court records show that Williams was charged with multiple counts of issuing death threats and threats of bodily harm, along with criminal harassment, stalking, and mischief. Several of the charges were withdrawn on March 5, 2025, when Williams was sentenced to two years of probation and issued a firearms ban after being found guilty of mischief committed on May 2, 2023, and death threats on May 8, 2023. On that same day, he also pleaded guilty to another charge of threats to cause death/bodily harm.
Call to Action
Edmonton police believe there may be other complainants in the region and are encouraging them to come forward by contacting EPS at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. Anyone with information about Williams’ whereabouts is asked to contact police. The Edmonton Police Service is committed to ensuring public safety and is working to bring Williams to justice. If you or someone you know has been a victim of online harassment or threats, it is essential to report it to the authorities immediately.
