Searches take place in canal in relation to murder investigation

Searches have been taking place in a canal in Gloucester over the weekend in relation to an ongoing murder investigation.

Specialist police dive teams have been searching the Gloucester & Sharpness canal in the Hempsted area, off Quayside Way, since yesterday, Saturday 18 December.

These are due to continue tomorrow, Monday 20 December, and are in relation to the ongoing investigation into the fatal stabbing of 16-year-old Ramarni Crosby earlier this week.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Almond, from the Major Crime Investigation Team, said: "Those living in the community will continue to see an enhanced police presence while these searches continue.

"We are doing all we can to piece together what took place on the evening of Wednesday 15 December, but we are still urging for anyone with information to please come forward.

"Any piece of information, no matter how small you feel it may be, could be very important. If you feel you can't talk to police, you can give information anonymously to Crimestoppers instead."

Anyone who has any information or footage relating to the incident is asked to contact police using the following online reporting tool: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/53GLOS21G67-PO1

You can also call police on 101 and quote incident 389 of 15 December.

Alternatively you can contact the independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online https://crimestoppers-uk.org/

Two women from Gloucester, aged 18 and 21, who had been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender have since both been released under investigation pending further enquiries.