The 'recluse' prime suspect in the Ann Widdecombe murder investigation was living alone after his father's death, it was claimed today. Specialist officers from Counter Terrorism Policing have taken over the investigation into the death of the 78-year-old former minister in Devon last week.A 28-year-old white British man from Rotherham was arrested on suspicion of murder on Saturday.One neighbour who knew the suspect said he was 'in shock' over the arrest, describing him as 'quiet as a mouse' and from 'a loving family'. A second neighbour, who also asked not to be named, said the suspect's father was admitted to hospital before Christmas 'and never came out'. The father had previously been made redundant and developed diabetes, which led to him having a leg amputated. According to the neighbour, the family tragedy appeared to lead to a change in the suspect's behaviour. 'I don't know if that had an impact or not but I certainly saw him out and about less,' he said. 'I remember that the Christmas decorations were still up in March or April, which I thought was quite strange.'At a bakery a short distance from the home in Rotherham, staff also expressed surprise.One told how the arrested man's brother served in the RAF while his grandfather was in the Coldstream Guards.She said: 'I knew his mum and his grandparents, they were lovely. I used to see him as a little boy with his mum but I haven't seen her for many years now.'The suspect was captured on CCTV climbing into his car with what appeared to be a large baton or pole more than a foot long bulging from his left pocket on the day she was allegedly beaten to death. Today, it emerged that Ms Widdecombe gave a tour of her £600,000 Dartmoor home for a television programme broadcast just five days before she was allegedly murdered. The show featured the kitchen where she was found dead, as well as the property's front door, driveway and grounds. The suspect in Ann Widdecombe's murder was captured on CCTV leaving the property on a Rotherham estate shortly before 8am on Wednesday with what appears to be a pole in the pocket of his shorts The murder of Ms Widdecombe, pictured on a TV show two weeks ago, may have been terror-related