British police made a second arrest in the killing of former lawmaker Ann Widdecombe, detaining a 28-year-old man in South Yorkshire several hours north of her home in Devon, according to The New York Times.
Counter Terrorism Policing North East and South Yorkshire Police took the man into custody Saturday night; authorities described him only as a white British national. Despite the involvement of counter-terrorism units in the arrest, Devon and Cornwall Police said the case showed "no information to suggest that this is a terrorism-related incident," according to The Times.
The arrest came after a first suspect, a 26-year-old man, was released earlier the same day. Authorities had picked up the earlier suspect on murder charges the day before, but concluded he was unconnected to Widdecombe's death and let him go, according to The Times.
Her body, bearing serious injuries, was discovered at her residence in Haytor — a remote Dartmoor community in Devon — after police responded to the scene, according to The New York Times. Widdecombe was 78. (Earlier coverage here.) Police had been called to the scene by the ambulance service.
At a news conference, Devon and Cornwall's assistant chief constable Matt Longman said the force had found nothing to indicate "a politically motivated crime" and declined to address whether Widdecombe and the suspect had any prior relationship, calling it "too early" to say, according to BBC News.
A Conservative MP for Maidstone for 23 years, Widdecombe held Home Office and employment ministerial roles during John Major's government before retiring from Parliament. She went on to champion the Brexit cause and, in 2023, took up a position with Nigel Farage's Reform U.K. party as its spokesperson on immigration and justice, according to BBC News.
Following the second arrest, Devon and Cornwall Police issued a statement saying they would not be releasing additional details that evening, describing the inquiry as "live and active," according to The Times.
More on this story: Suspect freed in Ann Widdecombe murder case as inquiry continues
