Overview
- Devon and Cornwall Police opened a murder inquiry after Ann Widdecombe was found dead at her Haytor home, with officers locating her on Thursday, July 9, and believing the attack took place the day before.
- A 26-year-old man arrested in Newton Abbot on Friday was released and is no longer part of the inquiry, while a separate 28-year-old white British man was arrested in Rotherham on Saturday night and remains in custody.
- Police say they are not looking for any other suspects and have reported no evidence so far that the killing was terrorism or politically motivated, although counter-terrorism teams were consulted as a precaution.
- A cordon remains at Widdecombe’s property as specialist forensic teams carry out examinations, detectives continue house-to-house and CCTV enquiries, and the force has opened a Major Incident Public Portal for witness information.
- Widdecombe’s death has prompted national condolences and tightened protections for some Reform UK figures, and the case is fuelling renewed public scrutiny of security for high-profile public figures in Britain.