WESTERN Division detectives were kept busy on Monday evening following two separate murders in their district about five hours apart.

While one of the murders was described as a ’clear-cut’ case of gang-related violence the other is believed to have stemmed from, ’an old grievance’, according to investigators.

As a result the year’s murder toll stood at 422 up to press time last night.

The first to be killed was Ronnie Clarke. The 25-year-old man was outside his Lanse Mitan Road, Carenage, home washing his Nissan AD Wagon around 5.30 p.m. when he was approached by a gunman who opened fire at him at close range.

Clarke was hit a number of times.

The gunman escaped. Neighbours took the injured man to the Community Hospital in Cocorite but he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Police believed that his killing was as a result of a previous altercation Clarke may have had with another man.

The other murder occurred in Diego Martin at 9.45 p.m.

According to investigators, Onassis Goddard, 19, of Queen Drive, Bagatelle, was walking through his neighbourhood with friends when a car stopped alongside the group.

Two men came out and opened fire at Goddard. The teenager’s friends ran. Goddard was hit several times to his head, chest and abdomen. He died on the spot, police said.

Insp Henry Dann of the St James CID along with Sgt Michael Veronique of the Homicide Unit are leading investigations into the latest case. Police described the killing as a gang related.