A senior police officer had said earlier that the deaths were being treated as murders.
Ch Supt Jon Simpson had said "other weapons may also have been used".
Mr Clifford left the British army after a short period of service in 2022, the BBC understands.
Ch Supt Simpson had said the police's "overarching objective" was to protect public safety and to locate Mr Clifford.
He said the three women were believed to have been murdered in a "targeted incident"
Ch Supt Simpson had appealed to Mr Clifford and asked him to " please make contact with the police via 999".
He described was had happened as an "horrific incident" and said armed police and specialist search teams had involved in the manhunt.
Det Supt Rob Hall earlier said: "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."
He also appealed for anyone who was in the area of Ashlyn Close between lunchtime and 19:00 on Tuesday, and who may have something to assist the investigation, to get in touch.
Local councillor Louise Nicolas wrote in a post on Facebook that she was "deeply saddened to learn this morning of the tragic news that three women have lost their lives in a violent incident".
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