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

[Beachlife926]

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

From the article “But she said that Mr Searle had been agitated on the day before his death because someone had apparently opened the door of his garage without him knowing.

“He had seen that the door of his garage was open, although he was sure he had closed it.

“He was looking for who opened his garage. He didn’t find who did it. We don’t know if it’s connected, maybe it was him who left it open…”
…

“The neighbour, who did not wish to be identified, said: “I saw them the day before they were found, they were walking the dogs and Andrew was on the phone.

“He was very agitated and he was arguing violently in English. He just waved at me and then carried on.”

 

[Kemug]

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?

That could explain the jewellery found with her. Maybe it happened in the middle of the night - they were in bed, maybe asleep, and heard someone in the house. Either a thief, or someone wanting revenge for whatever. There was a struggle of some sort, and Dawn tried to escape, maybe grabbing her jewellery box on the way. She managed to exit the house, but tragically no further.

 

[crespo29]

The French Press seem to be going with what they call a marital drama, where an argument between the spouses had degenerated into murder-suicide. Reports from the British press about a possible organized hit being another theory. The local Mayor reports that the couple were well integrated into local life and regularly invite the whole neighborhood to come and have an aperitif at their house.

If the post mortem scheduled for Monday does not reveal any new leads, I have a feeling that the case will just fade away from the news.

 

[Dotta]

The man was found hanged and GAGGED.
Would a person kill oneself putting a gag in one's mouth?

- What about an open garage door?
- And man's intense argument with someone on the phone?
- Would a person intending suicide next day buy lottery tickets?

JMO

 

[Sarahlou]

The man was found hanged and GAGGED.
Would a person kill oneself putting a gag in one's mouth?

- What about an open garage door?
- And man's intense argument with someone on thephone?
- Would a person intending suicide next day buy lottery tickets?

JMO

No idea about the gag.

1. Garage door could be totally unrelated
2. Same as 1
3. He might not have had murder/suicide in mind then. An argument could have got out of hand and he saw the only option after killing her was to kill himself.

 

[Dotta]

No idea about the gag.

1. Garage door could be totally unrelated
2. Same as 1
3. He might not have had murder/suicide in mind then. An argument could have got out of hand and he saw the only option after killing her was to kill himself.

Hmmm...

I think both an open garage door and argument on the phone are related to the deaths.
And the gag in the victim's mouth is just the last dot to convince me of third party involvement.

It is also interesting
that the man decided to emigrate to another country and buy a house in an isolated village.

Not to mention his former job as a counter fraud specialist.

But it is JMO
Maybe I read too many thriller/mystery murder novels?

 

[tree1]

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

View attachment 563282
'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.''

How can olive say not a burglary gone wrong when items of her jewellery were scattered around her body? Very odd

 

[tree1]

How can olive say not a burglary gone wrong when items of her jewellery were scattered around her body? Very odd

Ignore ‘olive’ Should say police

 

[Sarahlou]

One article did say it wasn't confirmed that he had a gag in his mouth.

French media have reported Mr Searle, a former counter-fraud specialist was found inside hanging from a banister with a gag in his mouth, but local officials have refused to confirm this. - Daily Mail

So that would be one less suspicious detail if that's not true about the gag.

 

[Dotta]

One article did say it wasn't confirmed that he had a gag in his mouth.

French media have reported Mr Searle, a former counter-fraud specialist was found inside hanging from a banister with a gag in his mouth, but local officials have refused to confirm this. - Daily Mail

So that would be one less suspicious detail if that's not true about the gag.

"Refused to confirm"
does NOT mean to "deny" in my book

 

[detective.moon]

Would a person kill oneself putting a gag in one's mouth?

rsbm

probably only when they want to make it look like it’s not a suicide?

i’m curious to know more about why some people according to the articles are suspecting murder-suicide.

 

[FromGermany1]

Hmmm...

I think both an open garage door and argument on the phone are related to the deaths.
And the gag in the victim's mouth is just the last dot to convince me of third party involvement.

It is also interesting
that the man decided to emigrate to another country and buy a house in an isolated village.

Not to mention his former job as a counter fraud specialist.

But it is JMO
Maybe I read too many thriller/mystery murder novels?

bbm
..... IF the argument on the phone wasn't with his wife .....

But I wouldn't like the thought about M/S at all.

 

[19thcenturynovel]

Nothing happens out of the blue so if this man had a propensity for violence, there would have been clues along the way. His former wife might cast some light on that.
The jewels scattered around the wife's body seem odd. Someone previously described it as 'staged' and I can see that point of view. I strongly doubt that she would grab her jewels if she was literally running for her life.
Something may have triggered a disagreement that escalated to extreme violence and he didn't want to go down in history as a murderer. Whatever the outcome, it's terrible for the family left behind.
For anyone who lives in the British climate, a move to France does not seem unusual in any way. Many British people retire to warmer climes, often in rural areas.

 

[Dotta]

bbm
..... IF the argument on the phone wasn't with his wife .....

But I wouldn't like the thought about M/S at all.

He was with his wife while arguing on the phone with somebody.

A neighbour about the couple:

'I saw them the day before they were found,
they were walking the dogs
and Andrew was on the phone.

He was very agitated,
and he was arguing violently in English,
he just waved at me and then carried on.

I don't know, maybe it's relevant but I can't see burglary as a motive'."

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

 

[FromGermany1]

Theoretically, the jewels could have been thrown in a fit of anger onto Mrs. S.
But as I said: don't want to believe M/S.

 

[FromGermany1]

He was with his wife while arguing on the phone with somebody.

A neighbour about the couple:

'I saw them the day before they were found,
they were walking the dogs
and Andrew was on the phone.

He was very agitated,
and he was arguing violently in English,
he just waved at me and then carried on.

I don't know, maybe it's relevant but I can't see burglary as a motive'."

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

Thank you; I remembered wrong.

 

[Sarahlou]

Nothing happens out of the blue so if this man had a propensity for violence, there would have been clues along the way. His former wife might cast some light on that.
The jewels scattered around the wife's body seem odd. Someone previously described it as 'staged' and I can see that point of view. I strongly doubt that she would grab her jewels if she was literally running for her life.
Something may have triggered a disagreement that escalated to extreme violence and he didn't want to go down in history as a murderer. Whatever the outcome, it's terrible for the family left behind.
For anyone who lives in the British climate, a move to France does not seem unusual in any way. Many British people retire to warmer climes, often in rural areas.

Completely agree.
If it was murder/suicide then I can imagine he would not have wanted to be remembered for that.
And yes there's nothing unusual about a British couple moving/retiring to a rural part of France.

Didn't they rent out part of their property at one point? Not something you'd think you'd do if you were in hiding or feared people were looking for you.

 

[detective.moon]

i wonder if a criminal organisation would really have such a seemingly personal vendetta against someone who investigated financial crimes ten years ago. i think maybe some journalists came across information about his former job and thought it would be an interesting angle, but i don’t really think it will have much to do with it. jmoo.

 

[Dotta]

i wonder if a criminal organisation would really have such a seemingly personal vendetta against someone who investigated financial crimes ten years ago. i think maybe some journalists came across information about his former job and thought it would be an interesting angle, but i don’t really think it will have much to do with it. jmoo.

Maybe somebody left prison recently in the UK and decided on revenge?

Someone could have been sitting in a cell and plotting

JMO

 

[19thcenturynovel]

Maybe somebody left prison recently in the UK and decided on revenge?

That's possible - it occurred to me too - though I think gangsters can conduct these operations from inside prison walls.