Police and forensic investigators have closed down a house and area following a brutal death of a British couple in their home in France, with officials saying no investigation has been opened
A British couple have been found dead in their home in the south west of France. Reports suggest they might have suffered a brutal incident before hand.
Originally from Scotland, Andrew and Dawn Searle made the move over the Channel around 10 years ago. The couple lived a quiet life, but their neighbours found them dead on Thursday. There is an investigation being carried out currently, but the mayor of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Jean-Sébastien Orcibal, told French television, external, that the deaths were “clearly a homicide,” with new brutal details suggesting the couple put up a battle.
The supposed murder took place in Les Pesquiès in a rural area north of Toulouse. Husband and wife were in their 60s and lived together in Musselburgh.
Andrew is originally from England and Dawn grew up in Eyemouth in the Scottish Borders. Mrs Searle is also the mother of actor and country musician Callum Kerr. He previously shared a photo of him walking his mum down the aisle to marry his now step-dad, Andrew.
Callum has enjoyed a varied career in TV, after starring as PC George Kiss in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. He’s also been in a couple of Netflix shows such as Virgin River.
Following this, he made a move into country music. According to his LinkedIn page, Andrew worked in finance throughout his life, particularly in crime prevention at companies including Standard Life and Barclays Bank.
The couple’s bodies were found at about 12.20pm on Thursday after a neighbour went to check on them at their detached country house. They had planned for a dog walk, but the couple failed to turn up.
Mayor Orcibal told BBC News the cause of the death was still unclear, pending an investigation. Early specualtion suggested the deaths were due to a burglary “gone wrong”, but he denied these and said “no knife was found”. However, officials have now revealed the disturbing circumstances in which Mr Searle’s body was found as inquiries into the puzzling crime continue.
French police have recently revealed that Andrew Searle was discovered hanged inside the house with a gag in his mouth. With no weapon nearby, fears that he may have suffered a horrifying death by torture have arisen.
Similarly, Dawn was found nearby, naked and with a wound to the head. Her body was lying by the front door, just in front of the house, with jewellery scattered around her.
The whole house and area has been closed off to people walking by, with police and investigators examining the area closely. At the moment no criminal case has been opened, and police say there is no preferred theory about how the couple died, nor any potential suspects have been identified.
Mr Orcibal also said the couple had become “very well integrated” in the village and used to regularly invite neighbours for a drink.
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