A manhunt was underway in England after a horrific scene unfolded Tuesday evening.
The wife and two daughters of BBC horse racing commentator John Hunt died in their Hertfordshire home after a galling attack that involved a crossbow, the BBC reported Wednesday.
Police identified 26-year-old Kyle Clifford as the primary suspect and were searching for him.
“Detectives investigating a triple murder which occurred in #Bushey yesterday evening (Tuesday 9 July) are actively seeking a man who is wanted in connection with the incident,” North Hertfordshire police said in a Facebook post.
“Police were called to a property in Ashlyn Close just before 7pm. Officers attended alongside colleagues from the East of England Ambulance Service and on arrival, found three women with serious injuries,” the post said. “Sadly, despite their best efforts, the women, who are believed to be related, died a short time later at the scene.
“Police have since been searching throughout the night for 26-year-old Kyle Clifford from the Enfield area who is wanted in connection with the incident.”
In a statement included in the post, Rob Hall, detective superintendent of the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, said, “This is an incredibly difficult incident for the victims’ family and we would ask that their privacy is respected as they come to terms with what has happened.
“Whilst we are still in the early stages of this investigation, we are actively seeking Kyle Clifford who we believe could be in the areas of Hertfordshire or North London.”
“Given the serious nature of the incident, I would ask anyone who knows where he is to contact police immediately,” Hall said. “If you believe you see him, please do not approach him and dial 999 straight away. He may still be in possession of a weapon.”
That weapon, according to the BBC, is the crossbow that was alleged to have been used in the killings.
The victims of a triple murder in Bushey, Hertfordshire have been named in media reports as the wife and daughters of BBC racing commentator John Hunt
— Racing Post (@RacingPost) July 10, 2024
Jon Simpson, chief superintendent of the Hertfordshire Constabulary, spoke about the horrific incident at a news conference.
“Our overarching objective today is to protect public safety and to locate Kyle Clifford who is wanted in connection with the murder of the three women in what we believe is a targeted incident,” Simpson said.
One of the victims has been identified as Carol Hunt, 61, the wife of the BBC commentator. The other two were the couple’s daughters, Hannah and Louise, ages 28 and 25, respectively.
The wife and two daughters of the BBC 5 Live racing commentator John Hunt, who are believed to be the victims of a triple crossbow murder, have been pictured
See the latest updates at the link below:https://t.co/WtTNXuoQaX? pic.twitter.com/aUSv8lBgRj
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) July 10, 2024
According to Deadline, Clifford was identified as an ex-boyfriend of one of the daughters.
Hunt has been a BBC horse racing commentator for some time, primarily working with BBC Radio 5 Live.
