Devon and Cornwall Police say the 26-year-old arrested on Friday is no longer part of the investigation — and that they do not believe there is a wider risk to the public.
Latest (12 July): A 28-year-old man has been arrested in South Yorkshire on suspicion of Ann Widdecombe’s murder and remains in custody — full story.
Updated 11 July 2026.
The man arrested over the murder of Ann Widdecombe has been released from custody and plays no further part in the investigation, Devon and Cornwall Police have confirmed — leaving detectives still searching for the killer of the former Maidstone MP.
The 26-year-old, detained on Friday afternoon at an address in Newton Abbot, a few miles from Ms Widdecombe’s Dartmoor home, was not charged. Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said the force’s priority remains “identifying those responsible and ensuring that all available evidence is thoroughly examined”.
Why “No Wider Risk” Matters
Despite the killer remaining at large, Mr Longman said: “We do not believe there is a wider risk to the public.”
That form of words is significant. Police issue that reassurance when the evidence points to an attack aimed at the victim specifically, rather than violence that could have struck anyone — if detectives thought a stranger was attacking people indiscriminately on Dartmoor, the public message would be one of caution, not reassurance. The statement is the clearest signal yet that investigators believe Ms Widdecombe was deliberately targeted, even though the force has not said why and is keeping an open mind on motive. Mr Longman has separately said the case is “not being treated as terrorism” and that he has “no information to believe that that is a politically motivated crime.”
What Has Happened So Far
Ms Widdecombe, 78, was found dead with serious injuries at her home at Haytor, on the edge of Dartmoor, after the ambulance service called police at around 11.40am on Thursday 9 July. Detectives from the force’s Major Crime Investigation Team launched a murder inquiry, codenamed Operation Hunlen, and believe the attack itself took place almost a day earlier — at around 12.30pm on Wednesday 8 July.
The Newton Abbot arrest came on Friday; by Saturday the man had been released and eliminated from the inquiry. Police say the suspect they are now hunting is believed to be a white male, and that inquiries are “moving at pace”.
Anyone with information — including CCTV, dashcam or doorbell footage from the Haytor area — can contact the force via its Major Incident Public Portal, quoting Operation Hunlen, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Police have urged the public not to speculate about the case on social media.
The Kent Connection
Ms Widdecombe represented Maidstone, and later Maidstone and The Weald, for 23 years from 1987 until 2010, serving as prisons minister under John Major before later fronting the Brexit Party and Reform UK. Tributes from across the political spectrum — and the full story of her life and career — are in our tribute: Ann Widdecombe, Former Maidstone MP and Conservative Minister, Dies Aged 78.
The Legal Position
No one is currently under arrest. The released man has not been charged with any offence and is no longer part of the investigation. The inquiry is active and at an early stage, and Kent Local News is limiting its reporting to what police and other official sources have confirmed.
Kent Local News will update this story as the investigation develops.
Sources
Original source: Devon & Cornwall Police — UPDATE: Murder enquiry following the death of Ann Widdecombe (11 July 2026) and Devon & Cornwall Police — man arrested statement (10 July 2026)
Additional reporting: ITV News, The Guardian and PA via the Irish Examiner.