Former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe was bludgeoned to death in her Devon home at 12.30pm on Wednesday, just 30 minutes before she was due to appear via video link on Channel 5’s Matt Allwright show. Her body was not discovered until 11.40am the following day, giving her killer a 24-hour head start that has sparked fears they may have fled the country.
Final Messages and Timeline
Widdecombe, 78, last messaged a producer at 12.19pm but failed to respond to a text at 12.48pm. Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed the time of death as 12.30pm. Her isolated bungalow on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, where she lived alone with her cat, became a crime scene.
Police have decided not to release CCTV images or suspect descriptions. ACC Matt Longman said: “Releasing such information prematurely could compromise ongoing enquiries and may prejudice future investigative opportunities. The decision not to disclose further details at this time is made on an operational basis. We will release information to the public when it is appropriate.”
Suspect and Investigation
Detectives are working on the theory that the former Strictly Come Dancing contestant was murdered after interrupting a burglar. Police had warned Devon residents on Tuesday to keep doors and windows closed as criminals exploited the heatwave to target homes. A 26-year-old British man was arrested in Newton Abbot, 10 miles from the crime scene, but was released and cleared of any involvement.
Widdecombe sustained severe blunt trauma wounds to her head. ACC Longman said officers were “making progress and are pursuing a number of lines of enquiry.” He previously referred to a single suspect, believed to be a white male. The killer is thought to have been caught on CCTV on her property.
Community Reaction and Tributes
Stephen Codner, a member of the parish council covering Widdecombe’s Haytor village, said: “There will be a lot of elderly people worried who live alone there. Crime is not common in the parish.” Local Christine Maloney said the area was very safe, adding: “My husband saw her a week ago, driving around. It’s horrific. Everyone knows that’s her house, perhaps that’s the problem. It’s got to be someone that’s local or knows her.”
Alison Gilbert, who lives nearby, said: “She was a really nice woman with a great sense of humour. Everyone saw her as quite opinionated, but to us she was just a person in the community.” Widdecombe’s driver Peter Horrell laid flowers at her home, saying she never mentioned safety fears and was “absolutely a privilege to take in the car, and funny at times.”
Political Reactions
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he had spoken to his likely successor Andy Burnham, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, and Reform UK’s Nigel Farage to “urge everybody to come together at a moment like this.” Badenoch said: “It was a nasty, horrific attack and my heart is breaking for her family.” Farage visited Haytor to pay tribute, noting his party had checked emails and found no patterns of abuse towards her.
Police previously said the case was not being treated as terrorism and there was no information to suggest it was politically motivated. ACC Longman appealed: “I ask people not to speculate about what might have happened, particularly on social media. This is not only potentially harmful to our investigation but deeply distressing for Ms Widdecombe’s family and friends.”
