Kyle Clifford, who today pleaded guilty to the murders of Louise, Hannah and Carol Hunt, went on the run after the killings and was found in Lavender Hill cemetery in Enfield, North London
This is the spot where triple killer Kyle Clifford hid after murdering his ex-girlfriend alongside her sister and mother.
Clifford was arrested the following day after he killed 25-year-old Louise, her older sister Hannah, 28, and 61-year-old Carol Hunt. The three women, all family members of BBC racing commentator John Hunt, were found dead at their home in Bushey, Herts., on July 9, after Hannah called police to raise the alarm.
Police then launched a major manhunt for Clifford, who was discovered in Lavender Hill cemetery in North London. Armed officers swarmed the site, with pictures showing him being taken away on a stretcher. The court heard how Clifford had shot himself in the chest with a crossbow.
Pictures from inside the cemetery, where it’s understood Clifford hid in the undergrowth, showed armed officers searching the greenery around the outside of the plots. A heat-seeking infrared camera helped to locate him in the wooded area after his car was found outside. Clifford was later taken to hospital for emergency surgery, and was interviewed by officers days later.
Both Louise and Hannah were killed with the crossbow, a court heard, while mum Carol was stabbed multiple times with a 10 inch butcher’s knife, suffering injuries to her torso, back, hands and knee. Older sister Hannah was discovered still alive with a crossbow bolt in her chest in the home’s main doorway when police arrived at the scene that evening.
Louise meanwhile was bound with duct tape to her wrists and ankles and shot through her chest. Clifford, 26, pleaded guilty to the three murders and a count of false imprisonment of Louise at Cambridge crown court on Wednesday. He also admitted two counts of possession of offensive weapons, namely the crossbow and knife.
A statement later released by John Hunt, a racing pundit for 5 Live, and his third daughter Amy said: “The devastation we are experiencing cannot be put into words.” Louise had recently launched her own business, a dog grooming firm called Groom and Glow, while sister Hannah was described as a “talented” beautician who also had her own firm.
Clifford, of Rendlesham Road, Enfield, who served in the military from 2019 for around three years, appeared in court via video link on Wednesday. He pleaded not guilty to a charge of raping Louise Hunt, and is due to go on trial over the rape charge on March 3.
Following the attacks, the Home Office said Home Secretary Yvette Cooper was urgently considering whether tougher crossbow laws were needed. In the King’s Speech, which took place just days after the killings, there was no proposal to take action on crossbows.
It’s understood the review is ongoing and no decisions have yet been made but the findings could be published soon. The previous government looked at bringing in firearms licensing-style rules in the wake of an attempt to kill the late Queen with a crossbow.
There is currently no registration system for owning a crossbow, no requirement for a licence and they appear to be readily available to buy online. But it is illegal for anyone under 18 to buy or own one, with anyone carrying a crossbow in public without a reasonable excuse facing up to four years behind bars.
