A horrific event unfolded on July 9, 2024 in Bushey, Hertfordshire, England when Carol Hunt, 61, and her two daughters, Hannah, 28, and Louise, 25, were discovered lifeless in their home.
The accused, Kyle Clifford, 26, a former soldier in the British Army’s Queen’s Dragoon Guards, has been charged with their murders. Clifford is also facing charges of unlawful imprisonment and the possession of two dangerous weapons: a nearly 10-inch butcher’s knife and a crossbow.
On July 10, 2024, the day after the attack, Clifford was found injured in a cemetery in Enfield. The Hertfordshire police stated that initially, they were unable to question him due to his medical condition.
Upon his arrest, Clifford was officially charged and held in custody. He appeared remotely before the Westminster Magistrates’ Court on September 17, 2024, where the charges were read. The charges against Clifford include three counts of murder for the deaths of Carol, Hannah, and Louise Hunt. He also faces charges related to the possession of weapons and the illegal detainment of Louise Hunt, who was discovered tied to a chair upon the arrival of the police.
Judge Paul Goldspring, during the court proceedings, informed Clifford that the murder and false imprisonment charges would only be heard at the Crown Court. Clifford was kept in custody and is set to appear before the Central Criminal Court at the Royal Courts of Justice. No bail was considered due to the serious nature of the charges.
Court documents reveal that Clifford, who was previously in a relationship with Louise Hunt, attacked the family with a crossbow and a butcher’s knife. Hannah Hunt courageously managed to call the police on the evening of the attack. “She said that her mother and sister had been shot and that she feared she was going to die,” the court was told. Despite her valiant effort, the phone call was abruptly terminated. When the police arrived at the scene, they found the front door ajar and Louise restrained. Both Hannah and Louise had been shot with a crossbow, while their mother, Carol, had been fatally stabbed with a knife.
Expressing sympathy for the Hunt family, Detective Chief Inspector Nick Gardner stated: “We have been working hard to gather as much evidence as possible and establish the full circumstances of what happened that day. We can now move forward with the judicial process and seek justice for their family.”
John Hunt, father of Hannah and Louise and husband of Carol, who is a well-known BBC racing commentator, shared his and his surviving daughter Amy’s deep sorrow, stating the pain they are experiencing is beyond words.
