Investigation Underway in Former Minister's Suspicious Death
WHO:
CNN - Ann Widdecombe, a 78-year-old former government minister and Conservative member of Parliament.
ABC News - Ann Widdecombe, a former member of Parliament and prisons minister, known for her appearance on Strictly Come Dancing and her involvement with the Brexit Party and Reform UK party.
ABC News - Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.
WHAT:
IJR - Ann Widdecombe was found dead with a head wound in her Devon home.
CNN - A murder investigation has been launched into the death of Ann Widdecombe.
ABC News - Police stated that Widdecombe had “sustained serious injuries” when found dead.
ABC News - Police are seeking a white male as a suspect in the investigation.
WHERE:
CNN - Widdecombe was found dead at her home in Haytor, on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, southwest England.
ABC News - The investigation is being conducted by Devon and Cornwall Police.
WHEN:
CNN - The death was announced on a Friday, and police were called to her address around midday on a Thursday.
ABC News - The murder investigation was launched on a Friday.
WHY:
ABC News - Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood described the circumstances of Widdecombe's death as “extremely distressing.”
HOW:
CNN - Devon and Cornwall Police stated that the murder inquiry is in its early stages but moving at a significant pace, deploying all necessary resources to find the responsible person.
CNN - A cordon remains in place at the property while specialist officers continue forensic examinations.
(UPDATED July 10, 2026 17:34 UTC)
Ann Widdecombe has been found dead at her home in Devon, suffering from a head wound. The discovery was made at 17:34 UTC, and authorities are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding her death. Further details are expected to emerge as the investigation unfolds.
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(UPDATED July 10, 2026 16:47 UTC)
A murder investigation has been launched into the death of Ann Widdecombe, a 78-year-old former government minister and Conservative member of Parliament, who was found dead at her home in Haytor, southwest England. Police reported that Widdecombe had sustained serious injuries and are currently seeking a white male as a suspect in the case, with a cordon in place at her property for forensic examinations. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood described the circumstances surrounding Widdecombe's death as extremely distressing, and Devon and Cornwall Police are moving swiftly in their inquiry, deploying all necessary resources to find the responsible person.