“This wouldn’t have been pre-planned to the level that they wouldn’t have left clues. It’s likely there will be DNA, fingerprints, footprints and other forensic evidence”
Ann Widdecombe’s killer is likely to have left key clues that mean he will be brought to justice, a retired detective has said.
Former Met Det Chief Insp David McKelvey said it was “just a question of time” before the murderer was identified and tracked down. Police believe former MP and MEP Ann Widdecombe was attacked in her home nearly 24 hours before her body was discovered and said they are hunting for a white male suspect.
The ex-Tory prisons minister was found dead at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor at around 11.40am on Thursday after sustaining serious injuries. Devon and Cornwall Police said on Saturday it is believed Miss Widdecombe was attacked on Wednesday at around 12.30pm.
Mr McKelvey said: “This does have the smell of a burglary gone wrong. We always see an increase when it gets warm because people are leaving their windows open, it makes life so easy for the burglars.
“In this day-and-age the things that catch them are CCTV and phones. The police will be looking at doorbell cameras and car footage. They will look at ANPR cameras in the general area to check the movements of known offenders at the relevant time. I have no doubt it’s just a question of time before they find the killer.”
Police have been able to narrow down the timeline of the murder to a key 29 minute period on Wednesday afternoon when Ms Widdecombe failed to reply to messages. Mr McKelvey said he suspects the killer left the evidence needed to jail him at the scene.
He added: “This wouldn’t have been pre-planned to the level that they wouldn’t have left clues. It’s likely there will be DNA, fingerprints, footprints and other forensic evidence. There is probably blood spatter if she suffered blunt trauma to the head and potentially that has transferred to the clothes of the attacker.”
The ex-cop said detectives would have acted during the “golden hour” after Ms Widdecombe was found to secure the key evidence.
“This will involve collecting forensic evidence, going house to house, securing CCTV locally and analysing ANPR footage across the region and that will be quite a significant area in this case,” he said. “They will be looking at the details of known offenders’ vehicles coming in and out of the Devon area and examining organised burglary gangs, trying to get intelligence on them, and seeing which offenders have been released from prison.
“Possible suspects can then be compared to the ANPR using their vehicles which can then be linked to their phones. The killer could have escaped abroad in the 23 hours before she was found but I think that is highly unlikely.
“If they went into the premises with a phone the evidence will be there in the cell site data and if they had a vehicle that will also be there in the cameras. All of that needs to be collected to ensure continuity of evidence and when they catch the suspect they can use it to build the case.”
The investigation is still at an early stage and detectives are believed to be investigating the burglary hypothesis among a number of other possible scenarios. A 26-year-old white British man who was arrested at an address in Newton Abbot on suspicion of the murder of Miss Widdecombe on Friday was released from custody on Saturday.
In a statement released on Saturday evening, Mr Longman said: “I want to start with expressing my thanks to the local community and to the people who have come forward so far with their information. We have been working at pace on this investigation.
“Officers are making progress and are pursuing a number of lines of inquiry. At this time, we have made the active decision not to release further information, including descriptions of any potential suspects or releasing CCTV footage.
“Releasing such information prematurely could compromise ongoing inquiries and may prejudice future investigative opportunities.”
He said the decision not to disclose further details is made on an “operational basis”, adding that the force will release information to the public when it is “appropriate and necessary”.
“I would ask the public again, please do not to speculate on social media,” he continued. If you have any relevant information and have not yet reported, please do so via the major incident public portal. Our thoughts remain with Ann Widdecombe’s family and friends at this sad time. They continue to be supported by specialist officers.”