A man suspected of killing a BBC star’s wife and two daughters is an army dropout who failed to impress his superiors, according to reports. 

Triple murder suspect Kyle Clifford was being hunted by police after Carol Hunt, and her daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28, were found fatally injured at their £800,000 detached home in Bushey, Hertfordshire, last night.

The three women, who are the wife and daughters of BBC Five Live racing commentator John Hunt, are thought to have been tied up and shot dead with a crossbow in a ‘target attack’ which police believe may have included ‘other weapons’.

The fugitive was finally caught on Wednesday afternoon and was seen being bundled into the back of an ambulance at a cemetery in the Hilly Fields area of Enfield, north London, by armed police and paramedics. 

Now it has been reported that Clifford, who is the ex-boyfriend of Louise, briefly served as a trooper – the equivalent to a private – in the Queen’s Dragoon Guards.

A picture has emerged showing the 26-year-old in his army gear holding a gun with a face covered in camouflage paint. 

One of his bosses, who saw Clifford join the Army in 2019 and went through Basic Training with him, said he dropped out after he joined the Household Cavalry Regiment.

He told The Sun: ‘When he joined the Army he was immature for his age and had a bit of a chip on his shoulder.

‘He struggled to grasp basic military concepts but managed to reach the standard to pass out from training.

“After passing out he joined the Household Cavalry Regiment but I’m unsure how his career developed from there. I hear he was working in private security so would indicate that he is no longer in the military.’

The horror of the attack unfolded yesterday, with doorbell footage coming to light that allegedly shows Clifford striding away from the family home while carrying a large object underneath a white sheet shortly before 7pm.

Armed police and paramedics were filmed this afternoon running into Lavender Hill Cemetery in Enfield as the hunt continued for Clifford, a former soldier and security guard.

Later, armed police closed down the cemetery, a five-minute walk from the house linked to the suspect. Up to four black-clad officers – two carrying automatic rifles – stood guard at the cemetery gates, preventing members of the public from entering.

Meanwhile, an ambulance rushed into the cemetery grounds with blue lights flashing and sirens on. It re-emerged about 20 minute later, still in emergency mode.

Two helicopters were also spotted hovering- one believed to be an air ambulance which landed in the cemetery grounds.

Earlier, officers raided a house where Clifford is known to live, with dramatic footage from today showing officers storming the property.

Police found the suspect’s car and were searching a nearby park. Members of the public were told to immediately call 999 if they see Clifford but not approach him, describing him as dangerous and potentially still armed.

Nearby schools had gone into precautionary lockdowns, with teachers at one primary telling parents to collect their children at the end of the day and take them directly home.

The BBC has called the murders ‘utterly devastating’, adding in a note to staff: ‘Our thoughts are with John and his family at this incredibly difficult time and we will provide him with all the support we can.’

Clifford’s neighbours told today how police had put the road into lockdown as a house was searched by armed officers.

They spoke as two police helicopters hovered above the neighbourhood and two uniformed PCs stood guard at the door of the terraced home.

One local mother told how she arrived back from dropping her children off at school to find armed police at the house opposite hers.

‘They had cordoned off the road and were ushering people away from the house they were going into,’ she told MailOnline. ‘They had the full protective gear on, guns, shields and helmets – the kind you’d expect to see in riots.

‘They let me through to get home and they remained there for about an hour before they left. Then there was just the ordinary police there. ‘I don’t know the family at all. I know the father passed away some time ago but that’s about it.’

One woman who lives across the road from the house said he had been working from home when she heard a commotion.

‘I was upstairs, when I heard cars honking and then looked out the window and realised that there were police there,’ she said.

‘I came down and looked across. And they were saying ”armed police” and then they went right in. There were dogs barking and everyone realised there was something big going on.’

The mother added: ‘We’ve now been told that my daughter’s school around the corner has gone into an amber lockdown. A few other schools have shut their doors as well. So we’re just a little bit worried. I think everyone is really, really concerned.’

The BBC confirmed that Mr Hunt’s wife and two daughters had died and messages of condolence have been posted on social media by figures from the racing world.

ITV racing commentator Matt Chapman wrote on X: ‘No words needed for what has happened to @HuntyCaller and family today.

‘Impossible to comprehend the pain. Just know we are all here for you John. We love you pal – racing loves you.’

The Amateur Jockeys Association of Great Britain and Beverley Racecourse were among others sending their sympathies.

This morning, the usually quiet cul-de-sac in Bushey where the killings took place was swarming with armed police and forensic officers.

One neighbour, who lives on the ‘serene and quiet road’ and did not want to be named, said she did not know the victims well but they were a ‘friendly family’.

‘We would see them every day passing by and they would say ‘good morning’,’ she said. ‘It’s really sad what’s happened, very shocking.’

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is being kept ‘fully updated’ on the killings and urged anyone with information about the case to contact police.

The Labour MP said in a post on X: ‘The loss of three women’s lives in Bushey last night is truly shocking. My thoughts are with the family & friends of those who have been killed & with the community.

‘I am being kept fully updated. I urge people to support (Hertfordshire Police) with any information about this case.’

One local resident, who lives on a nearby street, told MailOnline that his friends went to school with some of the victims.

He said: ‘From 7pm there were like 20 police cars coming down, four ambulances and then armed police came and they were here till midnight.

‘I know of them (the victims). So a few of them went to school with people that I know. That’s all I know. I didn’t know them personally.

‘I know they went to schools in the area. They didn’t go to my school.’

Local councillor Laurence Brass, who lives nearby, said the area is ‘a typical leafy British suburb’.

He told the BBC: ‘At about eight o’clock last night, I was watching the football on television, and suddenly a helicopter landed in the lawn outside my flat, which is at the top of this road, and then my phone started going, and I was told that there was a major incident here in Bushey and we should all keep away because there was somebody apparently on the run.

‘This is not something that happens in Bushey.

‘We can’t remember a murder in our rather quiet neck of the woods, so (it’s a) terrible shock and our sympathies and prayers and thoughts are with the families of the three women.

‘That really is a terrible thing to happen to anybody, and I’ve gathered they’re all from the same family, which obviously makes it even more tragic, and we’ll do everything we can as the local council to add our source of comfort where we can.’

Another man who lives close to the murder scene in Bushey said the incident was ‘tragic’ and claimed the victims were ‘a middle class family’.

Riaz, who is in his 50s and declined to give a second name, said: ‘At 6 o’clock, my wife called me while I was at work, saying ‘there are so many police cars down the road which I’ve never seen before’, and she was distressed.

‘I didn’t know (what had happened) at that point, then at that very moment my nephew phoned me saying something tragic had happened and was I OK. I came early evening and I saw the cars and realised something tragic had happened.

‘This has been an awful situation and I can’t even imagine what the family must be going through.

‘My wife and I walk down that road often and it is quiet. It is surprising, especially in the magnitude. To have three individuals who have been tragically killed, it is tragic.’

Another resident living in the proximity of the attacks described the terrifying police response that descended on the quiet cul-de-sac.

They said: ‘There were 11 police cars, an armed response unit, 4 ambulances and a fire engine.

‘We’re not allowed to park on our driveway and have had to park round the corner. Whatever happened, it’s really bad and everyone is shaken up.’

Telecoms specialist Diaz Hussein, who is in his 50s, told The Telegraph he didn’t recognise Clifford and had ‘not noticed him around here before’.

He added: ‘It’s absolutely terrifying. Everyone around here is deeply shocked.

‘This is a lovely friendly street where everyone gets on. Lots of professionals live here and we all get on very well. I’m stunned at what’s happened.’

Detective Superintendent Rob Hall from 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. 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.’