The three victims in a triple murder in Hertfordshire are the wife and two daughters of BBC Five Live racing commentator John Hunt.
Three women – aged 25, 28 and 61 – were found with serious injuries after officers were called to a property in Bushey on Tuesday evening.
Despite the efforts of paramedics, the women died at the scene in Ashlyn Close shortly after emergency services arrived just before 7pm, Hertfordshire Police said.
They were the wife of John Hunt, Carol, along with two of their daughters.
Police have been searching through the night for 26-year-old Kyle Clifford from the Enfield area, with an extensive manhunt now under way in Hertfordshire and north London. He is wanted in connection with the triple murder, police said.
Members of the public have been urged not to approach him as he may be carrying a crossbow potentially used in the triple murder alongside other weapons, according to police.
Contact The Independent newsroom at Amy-Clare.Martin@independent.co.uk
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Victims were wife and daughters of BBC racing commentator John Hunt
The three women killed in Bushey on Tuesday are the wife and two daughters of BBC Five Live racing commentator John Hunt.
Three women – aged 25, 28 and 61 – were found with serious injuries after officers were called to a property on Tuesday evening, believed to be the home of Mr Hunt, who has a wife and three daughters.
Joe Middleton10 July 2024 13:55
Emergency services on scene as police hunt Kyle Clifford
Andy Gregory10 July 2024 13:46
Resident says he was told to stay indoors due to fears of ‘man on the loose with crossbow’
Simon Powler, 49, a tennis coach who lives nearby to the scene in Bushey, said: “I got told to go inside because a man might be on the loose with a crossbow.”
Asked how he felt about the situation, he said: “I’m a realist about what goes on behind closed doors.
“It’s shocking though – I do boast about the fact that we live close enough to Watford to walk, and close to London. And while it’s really freaky and sad, we still live in a nice area.
“I don’t know what’s made that person tip over the edge.”
Andy Gregory10 July 2024 13:32
Triple murder will send shockwaves through community, police and crime commissioner says
Hertfordshire police and crime commissioner Jonathan Ash-Edwards said: “My thoughts are with the family and friends of the women who have been shockingly killed in this terrible incident in Bushey.
“It will no doubt send shockwaves through the local community and across Hertfordshire.
“I am being kept updated by the police and I urge the public to support the police with any information about the whereabouts of the named suspect.”
Andy Gregory10 July 2024 13:17
Watch: Police issue direct plea for triple murder suspect Kyle Clifford to call 999
Andy Gregory10 July 2024 13:02
New police press statement in full
Here is the full statement from superintendent Jon Simpson at the press conference held moments ago:
“Police were called to a property in Ashlyn Close, just before 7pm last night. Officers attended alongside colleagues in the East of England Ambulance Service and on arrival found three women with serious injuries.
“Sadly despite their best efforts, the women – who are believed to be related – died a short time later at the scene. The victims are aged 25, 28 and 61. 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.
“We have extensive police resources deployed to various locations in north London and also the Bushey area of Hertfordshire. The manhunt also involves armed police officers and specialist search teams responding at pace in the wake of what has been a horrific incident, involving what is currently believed to be a crossbow, but other weapons may also have been used.
“If members of the public see Kyle Clifford they are urged not to approach him at any point, and to dial 999 immediately. Kyle, if you are seeing or hearing this, please make contact with the police via 999
“Beyond the immediate search operation, a major crime inquiry has been launched and we also appeal to the public for any information relating to the incident. This incident will be of course of concern to local residents. Additional local officers will be in the area today so please do speak to them if you need to.”
![](https://i0.wp.com/static.independent.co.uk/2024/07/10/12/Screenshot-2024-07-10-at-12.46.45.jpg?ssl=1)
Andy Gregory10 July 2024 12:47
Suspect urged to contact police
Kyle Clifford has been urged to make contact with the police.
In a direct plea to the subject of the current manhunt, superintendent Jon Simpson said: “Kyle, if you are seeing or hearing this, please make contact with the police via 999.”
![Forensic officers at the scene in Ashlyn Close](https://i0.wp.com/static.independent.co.uk/2024/07/10/12/43789aabad6b44657e5f4122c648a256Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzIwNjk3MDc3-2.76807008.jpg?ssl=1)
Andy Gregory10 July 2024 12:43
Other weapons beside crossbow may have been used, police say
Other weapons besides a crossbow may have been used in the triple murder, police have said.
Superintendent Jon Simpson told a press 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.
“We have extensive police resources deployed to various locations in north London and also the Bushey area of Hertfordshire.
“The manhunt also involves armed police officers and specialist search teams responding at pace in the wake of what has been a horrific incident, involving what is currently believed to be a crossbow, but other weapons may also have been used.”
Andy Gregory10 July 2024 12:41
Police reveal ages of three victims in Bushey triple murder
The three female victims in the triple murder are aged 25, 28 and 61, Hertsfordshire Police superintendent Jon Simpson has told a press conference.
Andy Gregory10 July 2024 12:40
Resident describes hearing screaming prior to ‘absolute chaos’ in Ashlyn Close
A resident of Ashlyn Close in Bushey where police are investigating the murders of three women said they heard screaming on Tuesday evening as the “absolutely traumatic” incident unfolded.
The 46-year-old, who did not wish to share their name but works in the media, said: “It was between 6.30pm and 7pm last night and it literally just sounded like kids, somebody, screaming, and then it was more shrill and I was like, ‘that’s definitely a woman screaming’, and within 15 minutes, it was absolute chaos.
“We had armed police running down, screaming ‘stay in your house’ … they shut us off and basically put us into lockdown.”
The resident said multiple ambulances, helicopters and “at least 16 police cars” arrived at the scene quickly, with armed police going from house to house to question locals, request doorbell camera footage and tell them to stay indoors.
The woman said she was upset and stressed to know a man sought in connection with the triple murder is still at large, adding: “It’s really, really stressful now to think that that happened in such a close vicinity and none of us were aware and none of us could help.
“It’s just absolutely traumatic, I think, for the family involved, for everyone.
“I think that’s the stressful thing, that it happened at peak family time between 6pm and 7pm, when people were probably cooking for their kids and getting their kids ready for bed, and all of us in a tight little road, completely unaware of the trauma and tragic circumstances that other people were going through at that particular time.”
Andy Gregory10 July 2024 12:31