Andrew and Dawn Searle: Deaths of British couple in France ‘treated as murder-suicide’ | UK News

Officials investigating the death of a British couple in the rural Southwestern France consider it a murder murder.

The bodies of Andrew and Dawn Searle were discovered on February 6 at their home in the Hamlet or Les Pesquies.

Mrs. Searle’s body was found outside the property with a significant head injury, while the body of Mr. Searle was discovered and “no visible defense injuries”, a statement issued by the French prosecutors said at the time.

Prosecutor Fabrice Belargent has now said that “the analysis performed so far shows no evidence that a third party was involved”.

Mr. And Mrs. Searle, who previously lived in Musselburgh in East Lothian, has been living in the Aveyron region for five years.

They lived in Les Pesquies and got married in the nearby city of Villefranche-de-Rouergue in 2023.

Neighbors described them as a happy couplewhich has fully integrated into rural French life and had an annual party for residents.

Jean-Sebastien Orcibal, the mayor of Villefranche-de-Rouergue who led the couple’s wedding, told Sky News “Very happy, very friendly and didn’t seem to have trouble”.

Mrs Searle, 56, grew up in the Scottish borders in Eyemouth, while Mr. Searle, 62, was originally from England.

According to his LinkedIn page, Mr. Searle retired in 2015 after previously working in financial crime prevention at companies, including Standard Life and Barclays.

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After the deaths, investigators said they were following several investigations – including whether the couple had died during a burglary or possible ties with Mr. Searle’s previous work in the UK.

Mrs Searle’s son, Country musician and former Hollyoaks star Callum Kerr, issued a statement on Instagram at the time of death.

Mr. Kerr, who walked down his mother in the hallway when she was with Mr. Searle married, said in Die Post that he and his sister Amanda Kerr were grieving the loss of their mother “.

He added that the two children of Mr. Searle, Tom and Ella Searle, “mourn the loss of their father”, while requesting that the family’s privacy be respected during this ‘difficult period’.