British couple, Andrew and Dawn Searle, found deceased in Les Pesquiès, south of Villefranche-de-Rouergue 6th February 2025

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Kittypoo said:
I wonder if the happy and smiling photos of the couple are historic. They certainly don’t look in their 60s here. In the CCTV shot in the shop he looks much older more matching of someone with worries.
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I wouldn't say he appeared happy in the CCTV pic either as per the shop owner's description. He appeared serious looking.
 
Dotta said:
This report about problems/issues with British pension seems strange IMO.
The guy was working in banking and some kind of LE.
He should have been comfortable living as a pensioner.

JMO
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However, he retired age 52, he hasn't been working for 10 years, state pension eligible age is 66 in the UK.

Banks stopped handing out pensions a long time ago, they let you save your own money...and they don't contribute much if you don't spend your whole career at one bank.

The Daily Mail claims (unsourced/uncredited) that at some point he worked for the UK government, but his own biography says he worked at banks in Edinbugh - in fraud prevention, not in trading stocks or some highly lucrative position.

Also, Dawn wasn't working for the last 10 years, ie retired age 46. Was she independent of the need for any income for the next few decades?

IMO, if there were financial problems, they could arise from retiring too early. The dream of living in a large villa in France vs the reality that there really isn't enough investment money to keep doing it until you die. And selling up, going back home, getting a job, impossible when you're 62. Maybe bad investments (which is a kind of gambling).

I think it is the report about one victim found hanging that raises thoughts about possible suicide.

JMO
 
Cedars said:
However, he retired age 52, he hasn't been working for 10 years, state pension eligible age is 66 in the UK.

Banks stopped handing out pensions a long time ago, they let you save your own money...and they don't contribute much if you don't spend your whole career at one bank.

The Daily Mail claims (unsourced/uncredited) that at some point he worked for the UK government, but his own biography says he worked at banks in Edinbugh - in fraud prevention, not in trading stocks or some highly lucrative position.

Also, Dawn wasn't working for the last 10 years, ie retired age 46. Was she independent of the need for any income for the next few decades?

IMO, if there were financial problems, they could arise from retiring too early. The dream of living in a large villa in France vs the reality that there really isn't enough investment money to keep doing it until you die. And selling up, going back home, getting a job, impossible when you're 62. Maybe bad investments (which is a kind of gambling).

I think it is the report about one victim found hanging that raises thoughts about possible suicide.

JMO
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I read they were both still working. Dawn as a project Manager and Andrew did some freelance work. I will find the link
 
Very interesting and confusing case.

I do wonder if you stuff something in your mouth, then "jump/drop" to end your life, wouldn't that action make your mouth relaxed and whatever was in your mouth, drop? I mean its possible I guess, if you tied in place with something.

Also the jewelry outside by her body could have been dropped by the killer/robber.
 
ms_x_to_the_m said:
Very interesting and confusing case.

I do wonder if you stuff something in your mouth, then "jump/drop" to end your life, wouldn't that action make your mouth relaxed and whatever was in your mouth, drop? I mean its possible I guess, if you tied in place with something.

Also the jewelry outside by her body could have been dropped by the killer/robber.
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Yet odd that police were very quick to discount a burglary gone wrong. I am afraid I have thought the scene was staged. If murder, genuine question, is it common to hang the victim?
 
The Press keeps reporting that they were in their sixties, then immediately gives Dawn's age as 56! We already knew that today's reporters have no spelling and grammar skills, now it appears that simple arithmetic is also beyond them.
 
Mr Searle Senior is reported as having said how many questions there are to be answered. He should be able to answer some of them himself, if it was indeed he who was at the other end of Andrew's agitated phone call.
 
Dotta said:
This report about problems/issues with British pension seems strange IMO.
The guy was working in banking and some kind of LE.
He should have been comfortable living as a pensioner.

JMO
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Yes I agree plus property in France is very cheap compared with the UK and their house pictured looks pretty modest for the region. If they were renting part out this should have helped cover costs.
I don’t think however we can discount any kind of debts or addiction for him or his wife or within the wider family that they could have been trying to fund.
No one is going to advertise this and the fact that they threw an annual party for all the locals could mean they had certain expectations put upon them??
Just my thoughts and opinions
 
"Neighbours say
Brit found dead along with his wife at their French home
had seemed 'very different'
and was seen making 'worried phone calls' before their deaths
as cops say victims' mobiles
hold 'vital clues'.

1739181390958.jpeg

A former counter-fraud specialist found dead alongside his wife at their French home
was spotted engaging in a 'very worried' phone call
shortly before his death,
it has emerged.

Investigators say that the mobile phones of Mr and Mrs Searle
are providing 'vital clues' about how and why they died,
with Andrew's phone proving 'particularly helpful'.

Police technicians have meanwhile been examining all devices belonging to the couple,
and leads are being followed up.

'There is a mine of information,
and recent calls made by Mr Searle are providing vital clues',
said the investigating source."

www.dailymail.co.uk

Brit found dead in France was seen making 'worried phone calls'

The lifeless bodies of Andrew and Dawn Searle were discovered by a neighbour in the rural village of Les Pesquies, around 65 miles (100km) north-east of Toulouse, on Thursday
www.dailymail.co.uk www.dailymail.co.uk
 
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wibbleflea said:
The mayor is clear (BBC article above) that he believes it wasn’t a robbery gone wrong but a homicide.
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the daily mail reports he made a phone call at a convenience store and did seem somewhat nervous...is this going to start another bankers suicide as in 2016...they never got to the real bottom of that...suicide my foot
 
ekc said:
the daily mail reports he made a phone call at a convenience store and did seem somewhat nervous...is this going to start another bankers suicide as in 2016...they never got to the real bottom of that...suicide my foot
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I had wondered about him entering that store just as it was about to close - 2 lottery tickets and 2 chocolates could surely have waited. Now I wonder if it was really to make that phone call, without Dawn hearing it. And maybe it was in English, and he knew the shopkeeper wouldn't understand it very well.
 
19thcenturynovel said:
They were both intelligent and resourceful people - problem solvers - with the ability still to earn money. They had assets. What was so catastrophic to make him (it appears) completely flip and end both their lives?
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I'm not satisfied that he killed himself and his wife. Not really. But it seems that he was incredibly worried and frantic about something. It seems like she wasn't, but she must surely have noticed that he wasn't his normal self? But what could have been so bad that he would think the only solution was to end both their lives? So maybe he did "flip out"?
 
Interesting that he was irate about open garage door.
What was it all about? :oops:

- Did somebody enter the house using this door?
- Did somebody snoop in their house?
Looking for something?
- What exactly was in the garage?

I doubt he forgot to close this door.
Something sinister was happening there :(

JMO
 
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