UK Man Murders Ex-Girlfriend, Sister, Mother With Crossbow
Kyle Clifford was able to disguise himself as "an ordinary human being," as reported by BBC. But the mask didn't just slip — it shattered. On a quiet summer day in July 2024, Clifford launched a meticulously planned, horrific attack on his ex-girlfriend, her sister, and their mother in their home in Bushey, Hertfordshire.
A Triple Homicide With a Crossbow and Knife
Louise Hunt had ended her relationship with Clifford after enduring 18 months of what Judge Joel Bennathan called "arrogance and anger," according to BBC. Clifford, described by Judge Bennathan as "soaked in self-pity," did not take the breakup well.
Fueled by jealousy, rage, and toxic online influences — he had reportedly been binge-watching Andrew Tate videos — in July 2024 Clifford showed up at the Hunt family home armed with a knife and a crossbow. After gaining entry by deceiving Louise's mother Carol, 61, he fatally stabbed her.
He then waited for Louise to return, raped her, and shot her in the back with the crossbow. When her sister Hannah, 28, came home from work, she was also shot.
The next day, he was found in a cemetery in Enfield, North London — alive but paralyzed from a self-inflicted crossbow wound.
A Quiet British Town Shaken
The triple homicide rocked the peaceful town of Bushey, Hertfordshire, and grabbed headlines across the U.K. Cambridge Crown Court later became the setting for Clifford's day of reckoning — though the man himself didn't bother to show up for sentencing on March 11, 2025.
The courtroom, however, was full of raw emotion. John Hunt, Louise and Hannah's father and Carol's husband, called Clifford a "psychopath," as reported by PEOPLE, while another daughter, Amy, described him as a "monster," according to BBC. Hannah's boyfriend, Alex Klein, didn't mince words either, calling Clifford "a coward" destined for a "miserable fate," according to BBC.
Misogyny, Jealousy, and a Dangerous Descent
The prosecution painted a chilling picture of motive: Louise had had enough. She left Clifford — and that was his breaking point. "Like any woman should be allowed to do, she worked you out despite repeated deceit and said enough is enough," John said in a statement that moved many people to tears, according to PEOPLE. "I hope women around the world will take Louise's bravery as a shining beacon for their lives. If you feel enough is enough, then it is."
Judge Bennathan didn't hold back: Clifford received three whole-life orders, plus additional time for rape, false imprisonment, and possession of weapons. "They showed a gentle heroism of which you, Kyle Clifford, could only dream," the judge said of the victims, according to BBC.
References: Crossbow Killer Sentenced to Life for Triple Murder of Girlfriend, Her Sister and Mother | Crossbow killer jailed for life for triple murders
