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

[Lalalacasbah]

Questioning suicide - if the dogs were beloved as mentioned would AS leave the dogs in the house hungry and no way to relieve themselves until him and his wife were found? How did it know it wouldn't be days or weeks?

I understand they were social but that's quite a gamble to depend on someone coming knocking. Or was the front door open and dogs out? Either way - most dog owners wouldn't leave their dogs uncared for I would think.

 

[bringmeacupoft]

Questioning suicide - if the dogs were beloved as mentioned would AS leave the dogs in the house hungry and no way to relieve themselves until him and his wife were found? How did it know it wouldn't be days or weeks?

I understand they were social but that's quite a gamble to depend on someone coming knocking. Or was the front door open and dogs out? Either way - most dog owners wouldn't leave their dogs uncared for I would think.

It was reported the person who found them, was someone they walked their dogs with.

Post-mortem results reveal injuries of British couple found dead at home in France

The investigation continues into whether a third party was involved, or whether the deaths were the result of a murder-suicide.

news.sky.com

The pair are said to have been found dead by a German friend, who lives nearby, on Thursday after Mr Searle didn't arrive for one of their regular dog walks.

 

[Maat99]

Only if it's incorrect. It is a legitimate working theory of LE as far as we know, so it is fair to discuss it. IMO.

It’s very fair game to consider the murder/suicide scenario. But after pages of speculating based on rumor, conjecture etc..(which is absolutely fine with me, otherwise what the heck would we even post about?) it was a little jarring to suddenly see something shot down because there might be evidence we aren’t aware of.

 

[tree1]

Every murder suicide I have ever been aware of in the UK is usually very quickly identified as such with police stating they aren’t looking for anyone else. This is so confusing, we don’t know the half of it I imagine .

 

[iamshadow21]

Every murder suicide I have ever been aware of in the UK is usually very quickly identified as such with police stating they aren’t looking for anyone else. This is so confusing, we don’t know the half of it I imagine .

Once you make that statement, it's very awkward and alarming for the public to have to try and walk back, though. It happened in the Idaho college killings. Maybe the French police are just being thorough and making sure before making any kind of definitive statement.

MOO

 

[Lalalacasbah]

It was reported the person who found them, was someone they walked their dogs with.

Post-mortem results reveal injuries of British couple found dead at home in France

The investigation continues into whether a third party was involved, or whether the deaths were the result of a murder-suicide.

news.sky.com

The pair are said to have been found dead by a German friend, who lives nearby, on Thursday after Mr Searle didn't arrive for one of their regular dog walks.

Would AS have relied on the friend to be the one to find them and in a timely manner? If the friend hadn't come I wonder when the next time someone would've even came by the house?

*ETA: this I am wondering for the suicide angle and if AS would be concerned a friend finding them and dogs unattended

 

[bringmeacupoft]

Would AS have relied on the friend to be the one to find them and in a timely manner? If the friend hadn't come I wonder when the next time someone would've even came by the house?

Yes I’ve pondered similar. And whether or not they spoke daily to family/friends back home. I have certain people I would be worried about if I hadn’t heard from them at the usual time.

The perception is they are social and likeable people. I don’t think it would have taken long for someone to realise something was amiss, if that perception is true.

 

[Furore]

One can hang oneself from rather low things, in a seated or lying position, as we frequently have this problem with mental health patients, if it exists they will try and hang themselves from it! 18 years of healthcare experience…JMO

 

[Dotta]

"One of the last people to see Dawn Searle alive
says she was 'smiley and positive'
– hours before being bludgeoned to death.

A local who works at a nearby fireplace shop said Dawn
visited to book chimney sweep appointments for herself and villagers
around 18 hours before the couple met their 'violent deaths'.

She told how Dawn, a project manager,
was in good spirits
despite feeling unwell with the flu, adding:
'Her mood was very good, [and she was] smiley'.

The shopkeeper, who knew the couple well,
said Dawn, 56, and Andrew, 62,
were a 'very generous and united couple'
who gave up their Sundays
to teach their French neighbours to speak English free of charge.

A mechanic who regularly serviced Dawn's white Dacia Duster SUV said
he enjoyed bantering with Andrew
about England playing rugby against France.

Another local businessman described the pair as the 'perfect couple'
who were always involved
in social events held in the community."



Dawn and Andrew will be remembered in this community
as positive, sociable, generous people.
As good neighbours.

Mum's chilling last gesture sparks major clue in barbaric 'murder mystery'

Dawn Searle and her husband Andrew were found dead in their rural home in Les Pesquies, France, with a major investigation launched as police say they haven't ruled out foul play

www.mirror.co.uk

 

[jiminy]

I don't know who or why but my take is that the jewellery was there to try to get assumed burglars to leave. Except they weren't burglars. I can't make the jewellery fit with murder/suicide in my head.

 

[Bethan]

RS&BBM - So, we're back to the radiator. As @bmacmillan1 mentioned above, I have a really difficult time picturing this.

https://academic.oup.com/ije/article-abstract/34/2/433/747066?redirectedFrom=fulltext

According to this article in the International journal of Epidemiology,

“ Around 50% of hanging suicides are not fully suspended—ligature points below head level are commonly used”

( Sorry, I now see several others have made this point before me….I was a bit behind catching up on the latest posts!)

 

[iamshadow21]

I don't know who or why but my take is that the jewellery was there to try to get assumed burglars to leave. Except they weren't burglars. I can't make the jewellery fit with murder/suicide in my head.

I think that everything about this is a mess.

Unlike a planned, methodical killing like, say, List's annihilation of his family, this is incredibly disorganised.

I think it's possible that finances were a trigger. Maybe she thought things were fine, and he knew that they were absolutely ruined, financially. Maybe she found out, and his reaction was to retaliate. Maybe the jewellery and the disorder in the house was because he was looking for something to steal or to sell to try and keep their heads above the water for five more minutes, or maybe he did it after he'd killed her to stage the scene to try to make it seem like a third party was involved.

I think this was most likely at his hand, and I will never feel anything but fury for individuals, mostly men, who decide to kill their families rather than just themselves. It's the most selfish, narcissistic act.

Suicide, I can feel sympathy and empathy. Deciding that the world revolves around you and killing everyone to ensure they don't live beyond when you decide because you don't want them to exist without you will never be anything but repulsive.

MOO

 

[Bethan]

A horribly sad situation. My heart goes out to the shocked & grieving family members, friends and this close-knit community.

I’m sure the investigators have a pretty good idea what’s happened here but are waiting for all results of forensic testing ( including toxicology) before making their findings public.

 

[Dotta]

IMO

To shift the blame on the husband
is too easy.
"Ladies & Gentlemen, nothing to see here,
deranged man killed his wife and hanged himself.
He had financial problems, you know, it happens, had emotional breakdown, murder suicide happen a lot, etc etc"

Really?

What about positive opinions of neighbours?
Describing the couple as loving?
Over decade of living together as a pair?
Would a woman marry him recently (2023) if he was treating her badly during all these years while living together?

Did he have MH problems?
Were there worrying signs earlier?
Surely a wife would notice them.

Because, really,
what normal person decides to commit murder suicide?

OK, there seemed to be problems, financial problems.
But who hasn't got them?
A person usually negotiates with banks, downsizes, sometimes declares bankruptcy.
So what?
Life goes on.
One has to roll up one's sleeves, clench one's teeth and start solving problems.
There is always a solution.

Something else was happening there IMO.
I hope Police will really try to get to the bottom of this.

The man cannot defend himself any more.

JMO

 

[Kemug]

Questioning suicide - if the dogs were beloved as mentioned would AS leave the dogs in the house hungry and no way to relieve themselves until him and his wife were found? How did it know it wouldn't be days or weeks?

I understand they were social but that's quite a gamble to depend on someone coming knocking. Or was the front door open and dogs out? Either way - most dog owners wouldn't leave their dogs uncared for I would think.

I should think that somebody in the middle of committing suicide-murder might not be thinking logically.

 

[acutename]

was there a financial reason they got married in 2023? were they planning to earlier but covid delayed it? supposedly together for a decade so wondering about 2023.

 

[Kemug]

was there a financial reason they got married in 2023? were they planning to earlier but covid delayed it? supposedly together for a decade so wondering about 2023.

Waiting for years seems to be the norm these days - it makes choosing a wedding present very difficult.

 

[sapphire blue]

I think that everything about this is a mess.

Unlike a planned, methodical killing like, say, List's annihilation of his family, this is incredibly disorganised.

I think it's possible that finances were a trigger. Maybe she thought things were fine, and he knew that they were absolutely ruined, financially. Maybe she found out, and his reaction was to retaliate. Maybe the jewellery and the disorder in the house was because he was looking for something to steal or to sell to try and keep their heads above the water for five more minutes, or maybe he did it after he'd killed her to stage the scene to try to make it seem like a third party was involved.

I think this was most likely at his hand, and I will never feel anything but fury for individuals, mostly men, who decide to kill their families rather than just themselves. It's the most selfish, narcissistic act.

Suicide, I can feel sympathy and empathy. Deciding that the world revolves around you and killing everyone to ensure they don't live beyond when you decide because you don't want them to exist without you will never be anything but repulsive.

MOO

Have they now found the item/weapon used to murder Dawn? Last I read they hadn’t found anything that could have caused her injuries.

 

[Bigditch]

Their friends don't think they could have had money problems:

"They weren't flashy by any means, but they were definitely comfortable and had it good out here. They were always travelling. They recently went to a family wedding in Goa and they went to South America for their honeymoon." (They got married in September 2023.)

In the same article:
Publicly available financial documents in France also show that a rental business he (the husband) set up in Les Pesquies folded in December 2023 with no accounts filed.

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co...at could have caused her injuries. [/QUOTE]

http://

 

[Bigditch]

I might have missed it, but we've heard of Dawn's state of undress, but nothing about what Andrew was wearing. Just wondering about DNA evidence.