Ann Widdecombe’s missing hours revealed that could hold key to finding her killer

Ann Widdecombe suddenly stopped responding to messages minutes before going on air for an interview on Wednesday, a day before she was found dead at her Dartmoor home.

Ms Widdecombe, 78, was due to appear on 5 Daytime on Wednesday afternoon but stopped responding to the broadcaster and did not appear on his channel, according to Channel 5 presenter Dan Walker.

“The team contacted his manager and asked them to check on him. This information was passed on to the police as part of the investigation,” he said in a post on social media.

ITV News reports He said the former Tory minister contacted a Channel 5 investigator to arrange an interview for the Matt Allwright program at 1pm on Wednesday.

The pair were said to have exchanged messages following the meeting, with Ms Widdecombe sending her last message at 12.19pm.

However, when the investigator asked Widdecombe to join the Zoom link at 12.48pm before the interview, he did not respond. According to ITV, messages asking whether the woman was okay also remained unanswered.

The team then contacted Ms Widdecombe’s manager and reportedly found it unusual that the woman, a regular on the show, had suddenly gone silent on them. I was told they would follow up on Thursday.

A source told Sun: “They tried multiple times on the phone and via text message, but he wouldn’t read the messages or respond.

“Obviously there wasn’t much they could do other than tell his manager he wasn’t showing up and wasn’t returning calls.”

Ms Widdecombe made her final public appearance earlier that day, speaking live on TalkTV with Mark Dolan.

Dolan told Sun He said his interview, which aired at 8 a.m. Wednesday, was “like any other.”

“He had his usual energy, passion and good humor,” he said.

Ms Widdecombe was found dead at her home in Dartmoor on Thursday with “serious injuries” after police were called by the ambulance service at around 11.40am.

A neighbor said he thought Ms Widdecombe’s gardener, who came every Thursday morning, found the politician, who was declared dead, allegedly suffering from head injuries.

Others suggested that her friend and babysitter, who was believed to live nearby, found her at the house.

His death was announced by his representative early Friday morning.

In the afternoon, Devon and Cornwall police announced they had arrested a 26-year-old man, identified only as a white British citizen, on suspicion of murder.

An update on Saturday morning stated that the suspect had been released and was no longer part of the investigation.

A cordon remained at the scene until Saturday, with a large police presence in the area.

A timeline of Ann Widdecombe’s last known movements as the murder investigation was launched:

Wednesday, July 8:

08:00: Anne Widdecombe makes her last public appearance with a remote interview on TalkTV.

Afternoon: According to ITV, Widdecombe is in contact with an investigator from Channel 5 before joining the Matt Allwright show remotely at 1pm.

12:19: After an exchange of messages, the investigator receives a final message from Widdecombe, 40 minutes before his interview.

12:48: The investigator messages again, asking Widdecombe to join a Zoom connection. He doesn’t answer. They tried texting and calling again but to no avail. The investigative team contacts his representative and follows up on Thursday.

Thursday, July 9:

11.40am: Police officers are called to Widdecombe’s home in Haytor by ambulance. There are reports that he was found by a gardener or caretaker early that morning.

Sun reports someone came home “in the middle of the night” in hiking clothes.

Friday, July 10:

6.30am: Sky News reports that Widdecombe has died aged 78.

5.47pm: Devon and Cornwall police say a man has been arrested on suspicion of murder. They identified him as a 26-year-old white British national and arrested him in Newton Abbot, about nine miles away.

Saturday, July 11:

6:30 a.m.: Police say the man arrested Friday “has since been released” and is no longer part of the investigation.