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

[nathan.hogan21]

British couple found dead in French villa 'after burglary gone wrong'

Haven't seen any thread on this story yet but curious as to where it goes.

 

[nathan.hogan21]

www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/fears-brit-couple-were-tortured-34637927.amp

 

[wibbleflea]

“According to his LinkedIn page, Mr Searle had worked in financial crime prevention at companies including Standard Life and Barclays Bank during his career.”

British couple found dead at home in south of France

 

[wibbleflea]

The mayor is clear (BBC article above) that he believes it wasn’t a robbery gone wrong but a homicide.

 

[tesni]

Sounds awful.

 

[RobinCAL]

British couple found dead at home in south of France

Police are investigating after the bodies of Andrew and Dawn Searle were found by a neighbour.

www.bbc.co.uk

A British couple have been found dead in their home in south west France.

Andrew and Dawn Searle, who moved to France from Scotland about 10 years ago, were discovered by their neighbour on Thursday.

The mayor of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Jean-Sébastien Orcibal, told French television, external that the deaths were "clearly a homicide".

The couple's bodies were found at about 12:20 on Thursday after a neighbour went to check on them at their detached house when they failed to turn up as planned for a dog walk.

Mr Orcibal told BBC News the cause of the death was still unclear. He had earlier dismissed speculation the deaths were due to a burglary "gone wrong", and said "no knife was found".

 

[dotr]

British couple found dead in grisly circumstances in France

Husband formerly involved in fighting organised crime found dead with his wife at home near Villefranche-de-Rouergue

www.telegraph.co.uk

''Mrs Searle’s naked body was found outside the house, according to neighbours.
The 56-year-old had suffered head injuries and items of her jewellery were scattered around her body.
Mr Searles, 62, a former counter-fraud specialist, was reportedly discovered hanged inside the house with a gag stuffed in his mouth''

Feb 7, 2025
'A Scots couple found dead at their home in south-western France have been named locally.The bodies of Andrew and Dawn Searle were discovered by a neighbour at their home in Les Pesquiés, south of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, around 12.35pm on Thursday.The couple, in their 60s, are understood to have moved to the village, with a population of around 100, ten years ago and were “well integrated” into the community.'

Disturbing theory behind why Brit couple were murdered at France home

The disturbing theory was suggested on Friday after the lifeless bodies of the husband and wife, both in their 60s, were discovered on Thursday afternoon in Les Pesquiès, south of Villefranche-de-Rouergue.

www.dailymail.co.uk

'Andrew Searle is said to have moved his family to France a decade ago after working as a financial investigator in the 'fight against organised crime and terrorism'.''
''This included work in ‘sanctions screening’, which is the process of checking individuals and groups who might be barred from dealing in the UK because of their links with rogue nations, terrorist groups and drugs traffickers.
This would have brought Mr Searle to the notice of networks working across the globe, in countries such as Russia.''
Mr Searle retired to France in 2015 from his professional life in Scotland, after working in the financial crime assurance arm of Barclay’s Bank in Edinburgh.''

 

[Maat99]

The husband was formerly in charge of organized crime financial investigations at Barclays.

Briton killed in France was organised crime financial investigator

Andrew Searle and his wife Dawn were found dead at their home in the countryside. Police are looking at a possible link to his work tackling money laundering

www.thetimes.com

French police investigating deaths of retired British couple in Aveyron home

Andrew Searle, retired fraud investigator, and wife, Dawn, found dead in their rural home in south-west France

www.theguardian.com

 

[nathan.hogan21]

Actor Callum Kerr is son of one of the victims killed in France

 

[nathan.hogan21]

The mayor is clear (BBC article above) that he believes it wasn’t a robbery gone wrong but a homicide.

Totally agree with that viewpoint, the way it's being described now sounds more like something organised crime would do instead of a botched robbery

 

[wtiger]

nothing random about this.....police probably already know which mob are connected to this

 

[nathan.hogan21]

''Mrs Searle’s naked body was found outside the house, according to neighbours.
The 56-year-old had suffered head injuries and items of her jewellery were scattered around her body.

This seems a bit staged though? Or more personal then what you would expect if it was related to his work?

 

[FromGermany1]

Crime-fighting Brit 'tortured to death with wife' by 'gangster wanting revenge'

WARNING GRAPHIC DETAILS: French investigators are considering whether gangsters "with a score to settle" were responsible for the brutal killings of Andrew and Dawn Searle

www.mirror.co.uk

The Searle’s house included a two-bedroom flat that was regularly occupied by paying visitors. There is a swimming pool outside, and then thick woods which put the house in an isolated position, away from the centre of the hamlet, where around 100 people live. Nicolas Rigot-Muller, the Rodez prosecutor, is in charge of the investigation, with judicial police and gendarmes supporting him.

Major soap star’s star's mum killed with husband in French 'gangster' slaying

Dawn Searle, 56, and her husband Andrew, 62, were both found dead at their holiday home in the southwest of France with gangsters being suspected of being behind the killing

www.mirror.co.uk

 

[Dotta]

"Killer who murdered British couple
was 'definitely caught on camera'
say police
as they quiz neighbours of rural French hideaway.



(Pictured is the house where Dawn and Andrew Searle, 56 and 62, were discovered on Thursday afternoon in Les Pesquiès, south of Villefranche-de-Rouergue)

The hamlet is surrounded by police
and road video surveillance cameras
that operate 24 hours a day.

There are also private devices belonging to neighbours of the Searles
who often leave their properties empty.

'It would be absolutely impossible
to get in or out without being filmed,'
an investigating source said on Saturday.

'The likelihood is that a car was used,
but even if someone managed to get across the countryside on foot,
they were definitely caught on camera at some point'."



(Villefranche-de-Rouergue is in the Aveyron department, the French version of a county.
It is full of British expats,
and holiday home owners from the UK.)

Killer who murdered British couple in France 'caught on camera'

The bodies of Andrew and Dawn Searle, who were both in their 60s, were discovered on Thursday afternoon by a dog walker in Les Pesquiès, south of Villefranche-de-Rouergue.

www.dailymail.co.uk

RIP to the victims

 

[dotr]

Reminded of the unsolved 'doorstep' murder of Scottish banker, Alistair Wilson. imo.

 

[wtiger]

Reminded of the unsolved 'doorstep' murder of Scottish banker, Alistair Wilson. imo.

doubt that planning permission comes into this one!

 

[Sarahlou]

This seems a bit staged though? Or more personal then what you would expect if it was related to his work?

Yes.
I mean it could be murder suicide. The scattered jewellery is strange though. Could be staged deliberately to throw people off.

 

[Cardgame]

Yes.
I mean it could be murder suicide. The scattered jewellery is strange though. Could be staged deliberately to throw people off.

It seems you are not the only one to think so

Prosecutors considering murder-suicide in deaths of British couple in France

The bodies of Dawn and Andrew Searle were discovered at their luxury home in a rural village

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[Sarahlou]

It seems you are not the only one to think so

Prosecutors considering murder-suicide in deaths of British couple in France

The bodies of Dawn and Andrew Searle were discovered at their luxury home in a rural village

www.telegraph.co.uk

This article also says Mrs Searle was in pajamas, a previous article said she was naked. I wonder if she was attacked in bed and tried to make a run for it?

 

[Dotta]

"CCTV footage shows British man
buying chocolates and lottery tickets
just hours before dying violently in his rural French home alongside his wife -
as detectives reveal new lead on 'killer'.



Appearing happy and relaxed
he is seen buying a chocolate bar and two 3 Euro Lottery tickets
before thanking the shopkeeper and walking away to his car outside where wife Dawn was waiting.

Around his neck is a tracking device used to keep an eye on the couple's two hunting dogs
and which were found at the scene and taken away for DNA testing by police
following what has been described as their 'violent deaths'."

CCTV footage shows British man buying chocolates hours before dying

Andrew Searle can be seen entering a tobacconist in the nearby town of Villefranche de Rouergue at just before 6pm on Wednesday evening as the shop was closing.

www.dailymail.co.uk