Here is what we know about the incident so far:
– Time and location
The force said they were called to the 78-year-old’s home in Haytor at about 11.40am on Thursday by the ambulance service.
It said Ms Widdecombe was found dead inside at her home, having sustained “serious injuries”.
The police said they believe she was attacked on Wednesday, at about 12.30pm, nearly 24 hours before she was found.
Ms Widdecombe appeared on TalkTV on Wednesday morning, and was due to appear on Channel 5’s Matt Allwright show after 1pm.
WhatsApp messages published by ITV News show a conversation between Miss Widdecombe and a producer from the show on Wednesday.
She last sent a message at 12.19pm on Wednesday acknowledging she had received a Zoom link to appear on the programme, which read “Received! Panic Over!”
Ms Widdecombe did not respond to a message asking her to join the Zoom call at 12.48pm, and did not answer further calls or other messages attempting to contact her.
Mr Allwright then confirmed at 1.27pm live on air she was booked to appear on the show, but had not turned up.
The production team then followed up with Miss Widdecombe’s agent on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.
– Police investigation so far
On Friday, a 26-year-old white British man was arrested at an address in Newton Abbot on suspicion of the murder of Ms Widdecombe.
Devon and Cornwall Police Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said the case was “not being treated as terrorism” and there was “no information” at this time to suggest it was a “politically-motivated crime”.
On Saturday morning, the police confirmed that the man has been released from custody and is no longer part of the investigation.
Mr Longman said the investigation was moving at a “significant pace” and appealed for anyone who may have information about the incident to come forward.
– The victim
Ms Widdecombe was a Conservative MP between 1987 and 2010 for the Kent constituency of Maidstone, later Maidstone and the Weald, and held several ministerial positions in Sir John Major’s government.
In her post-Commons career, she appeared on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2010, partnered with Anton du Beke, and reached the semi-finals thanks to the public vote.
She became a member of Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party from 2019 and served as an MEP representing South West England in Brussels between 2019 and 2020.
Ms Widdecombe became immigration and justice spokeswoman for Mr Farage’s Reform UK and remained active in the media.
