On July 10 local time, the police in Devon and Cornwall, UK, announced that former Conservative Party member Ann Wiedeckom was found dead in her home in Devon, with severe injuries. The British police have launched an investigation into the murder and have arrested a suspect.
According to the British newspaper The Guardian, on the morning of the 9th local time, police responded to a call from an ambulance service department and arrived at a residence in Haverston, Devon. The body of Videcoom was found inside the house. On the 10th local time, police confirmed that a 26-year-old white British man was arrested in Devon, and the investigation is still underway.
Dee County and Cornwall Assistant Sheriff Matt Lamman said at a press conference that the police do not currently believe this murder was politically motivated. After preliminary discussions with counter-terrorism officials, the possibility of terrorism as the motive has also been ruled out. He stated, “The investigation is still in its early stages, so we remain open-minded.”
Regarding whether the suspect knows Videkom, Langman refused to disclose any information.
Image file: An-Vi-d-Ko-m IC photo
78-year-old Weidick Com held the position of Member of Parliament for the Conservative Party in the UK from 1987 to 2010, representing the constituency of Medstead & District in Kent. In 2019, she joined the Brexit party and served as a member of the European parliament from 2019 to 2020. After the Brexit Party reorganized into the Reform Party, Weidick Com joined it in 2023, serving as spokesperson for immigration and judicial affairs.
This incident has drawn high attention from British politics. British Prime Minister David Cameron issued a statement saying, "This is a shocking news. At this sad time, my heart is with the family and friends of Widcombe." Cameron added that he had communicated with the British police, and he called on British politicians to "bridge their differences and divisions" in order to focus on assisting the police investigation.
The Labour Party member Bernham, who is expected to replace Sturgeon as the next Prime Minister, also spoke through a spokesperson, stating that it was “completely correct” for the police to invest all their resources in investigating this matter.
The leader of the UK Conservative Party, Badenoch, said that this case shocked her, "It's terrible to learn that she was murdered."
In a media interview, Roger Videcom, nephew of Videcom, said that he thanked everyone who sent condolences to Videcom's family. However, the relatives of the deceased will not make any comments at this stage.
