TWO DEAD IN MURDER/SUICIDE
Two Clearwater men died this
morning in a murder/suicide shooting event investigators believe
stemmed from an eroded business relationship.
The men have been identified
as 63-year-old Lawrence Godwin (06-10-39) of 105 North Fredrica
Avenue, Apt. B, in Clearwater and 34-year-old Elgin E. Boykin
(01-03-69) of 1613 Maple Street, also in Clearwater.
Boykin shot Godwin to death,
and then took his own life.
According to Clearwater Police
Criminal Investigations Division Detectives, the men were in vehicles
westbound on Cleveland Street at 11 o'clock this morning when
Boykin – driving a Ford Explorer – began ramming the vehicle into
the Cadillac Godwin was driving. Witnesses told detectives the
cars collided a number of times from the intersection of Keene
Road to Jupiter Avenue, where Godwin's Cadillac ran up on the
northeast curb of the roadway.
At that point, Boykin got out
of the Ford and – armed with a 12-guage shotgun – fired three
shots through the window of the Cadillac, killing Godwin.
Boykin then turned the gun
on himself and fired one round.
Both men were pronounced dead
at the scene.
Investigators have established
a business relationship existed between the two men, and believe
the erosion of that relationship led to this morning's murder
and suicide. The specifics of the business arrangement between
the two men is not being released at this time.
This shooting was not the result
of "road rage," as has been speculated, but rather an
intentional act of assault with a motor vehicle that culminated
in the shootings.
Cleveland Street – from Duncan
Avenue to Saturn Avenue, was closed to all traffic for about five
hours today, to facilitate the shooting investigation. The roadway
has been reopened. No one else was involved in this event, nor
was anyone else injured.
Additional details will be
made public as the investigation and circumstances warrant.
For additional information
about this case, please call Public Information Officer Wayne
Shelor at 727-562-4343.
/s/ Wayne Shelor
Public Information Officer