The Crossbow Killer
Kyle Clifford, the “Crossbow Killer” of Louise Hunt, her sister Hannah and mother Carol, has been convicted this week of raping Louise as part of his rampage.
Louise had been dating Clifford for 18 months, but just days before she was murdered she ended the relationship, telling him it was “sucking the life out of [her]”. She made a note on her phone 5 days before she was murdered, saying Clifford was “racist”, had “commented he did not like transgender people” and had used “belittling language”. MailOnline quotes an unnamed family friend as saying “Kyle was controlling and used to ridicule Louise … [Louise was] being controlled all the time”.
The Guardian reports that “One of the reasons Louise and her friends turned against Clifford was because he played them an [Andrew] Tate video involving animals being harmed which he found ‘funny’.” It has also now been revealed that Clifford searched for Tate’s podcast in the hours leading up to his murder spree, and watched up to 10 of his videos. This was not revealed to the jury at Clifford’s rape trial as the judge ruled it would be “deeply prejudicial” because Tate is “almost a poster boy for misogynists”.
For all of Clifford’s macho bravado, this coward was only prepared to unleash his violence on women. Before going into the Hunt home, he searched “horse racing today” to ensure that Louise’s father John, a horse racing commentator, would not be home. He then attacked 61-year-old Carol with a knife, after blagging his way in with the claim he was returning Louise’s belongings. He then raped and and restrained Louise, before texting her father using her phone asking when he would be home. When Louise’s sister Hannah returned home Clifford murdered Louise, before murdering Hannah.
The extent of Clifford’s planning was clear: in the days leading up to the murders he bought petrol cans, rope, a butcher knife and a crossbow. He discussed the purchase of the knife and crossbow with his brother, Bradley, 5 days after Louise left him and again the day before the murders. Bradley Clifford is also a convicted murderer, serving life for murdering Soban Khan and attacking Jashua Francis after they “damaged his car”.
Louise’s last message on Twitter, 6 days before she was murdered, read “I admire women who leave whether you left after the 1st time or the 12th time. If ppl was calling you dumb for 11 years but in the 12th year you decided you was done…it takes ALOT of strength to break a tie. it takes ALOT of self love to choose yo self.”
We admire Louise for leaving her abuser.
