Kyle Clifford was alleged to have become ‘enraged’ when Louise Hunt ended their relationship (Image: PA Images/Herts Constabulary)
Crossbow killer Kyle Clifford has been found guilty of raping his ex-girlfriend before murdering her along with her mum and sister. Clifford, 26, had denied the sex attack on Louise Hunt in Bushey, Hertfordshire, in July last year.
He admitted at an earlier hearing to three counts of murder, false imprisonment and two counts of possession of offensive weapons – a crossbow and a 10 inch butcher’s knife. Jurors found the him guilty at Cambridge Crown Court, where he refused to appear to face his crimes.
Clifford, of Enfield, north London, brutally murdered Louise Hunt, sister Hannah Hunt and their mum, Carol Hunt, 61, the wife of racing commentator John Hunt, after tricking his way inside the family home.
Jurors were shown CCTV footage during the trial revealing the movements of the triple killer on the day he fatally shot his former partner and her sister with the crossbow and stabbed their mother to death with the butcher’s knife.
Kyle Clifford killed Louise Hunt, Carol Hunt and Hannah Hunt (Image: Facebook)
Screengrab of Clifford’s police interview (Image: PA)
Clifford deceived Carol to enter her home, and stabbed her to death in a “brutal knife attack”. Then, he “lay in wait” for an hour for Louise to enter the house, before restraining, raping and ultimately murdering her with a crossbow.
Prosecutors said the “violent misogyny promoted” by controversial social media influencer Andrew Tate “fuelled” Clifford’s attacks.
Clifford searched for Tate’s podcast less than 24 hours before the murders, the court was told.
The court heard how the killer hid the fact he had relationships with other women during his time with Louise and was signed up to online dating sites Hinge and Bumble.
The court heard that customers of Louise’s dog grooming business, based in a pod in the Hunt family’s garden, were using the gate at the side of the house “not realising what was happening” when Carol was murdered.
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Undated handout photo issued by Hertfordshire Police of the crossbow used by Kyle Clifford (Image: PA)
The jury panel was told a faint scream could be heard from the address shortly after Louise entered the house, and she was found to have been restrained with tape at the wrist and ankles.
Hannah is heard on audio at the Hunt family home saying “Kyle I swear to God” after returning home and appearing to find Clifford in the house, the court heard.
Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said Hannah messaged her partner, Alex Klein, telling him to “call police… immediately. To mine. Now. Kyle here. Police now. He’s tying us up”.
Clifford’s sister had messaged him on the day of the attacks asking him “what are you playing at?” when she realised he had taken the crossbow out with him.
The defendant told her he was doing nothing “illegal” and that he was shooting it in his friend’s back garden.
Following the attacks, Clifford, who served in the military from 2019 for around three years, became the subject of a manhunt for a number of hours before he was found injured in Lavender Hill Cemetery in Enfield, north London.
He had shot himself in the chest with the crossbow he had used to kill Louise and Hannah, which left him paralysed from the chest downwards.
Clifford will be sentenced at the same court on Tuesday.