On Tuesday, July 9, 2024, the peace of Bushey, a small town in Hertfordshire, England, was broken by a brutal attack that left the wife and two daughters of BBC horse racing commentator, John Hunt, dead in their home.

Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters, Hannah, 28, and Louise, 25, were killed in an assault involving a crossbow. The alleged attacker, 26-year-old Kyle Clifford, Louise Hunt’s former boyfriend, was captured after a town-wide search and is currently receiving treatment for serious injuries.

Officers were called to the Hunt family residence on Ashlyn Close just before 7 p.m. where they found the victims with grievous injuries. “Sadly, despite their best efforts, the women died a short time later,” informed Jon Simpson, the local policing commander for Hertfordshire Constabulary, during a press briefing.

Clifford, the subject of the “targeted incident” as described by the authorities, was located the next afternoon in Lavender Hill Cemetery, Enfield, with self-inflicted stab wounds to the chest, and was subsequently taken to a hospital and is under police guard.

Detective Inspector Justine Jenkins of the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit expressed the emotional burden being carried by the family, and requested privacy on their behalf during this time of grief.

“This remains an extremely challenging period for the family of the victims, and we kindly request that their privacy be honored as they process this tragic event,” Jenkins said. She expressed concern that the early identification of the victims had compounded the family’s distress.

John Hunt’s colleagues and the wider horse racing community have expressed their heartfelt condolences. “Today’s news about John Hunt’s family is heartbreaking,” read a message circulated among BBC employees. The Hunt family was described as “beautiful souls” and “the loveliest, gentlest family.”

Expressions of shock and sorrow came from friends and neighbors. A neighbor, Su Kehinde, spoke warmly of the family as “the meekest human beings. They did not deserve this. They were beautiful souls.” Glyn Nicholas, another local resident, reminisced about Louise’s successful dog grooming business, underlining the high regard in which the family was held in the community.

Clifford, who had a brief stint in the British Army until 2022, was familiar to the Hunt family through his previous relationship with Louise. Sources suggest that Clifford had been controlling in his relationship with Louise, limiting her social activities and behavior.

The police have seized the crossbow employed in the attack and are looking into the possibility of other weapons being used. Authorities believe the women were held tied up and gagged for several hours before the actual attack. In response to the incident, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has demanded a prompt review of crossbow regulations. “We keep legislation under constant review,” a Home Office spokesperson said, referring to a call for evidence launched earlier in the year to determine if stricter crossbow controls are required.

The untimely deaths of Carol, Hannah, and Louise Hunt have had a deep impact on their community and the larger horseracing fraternity. Vigils and memorial services have been organized by friends and colleagues to remember and honor them.