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

[tree1]

I read it that the tracking devices not the dogs were taken for DNA testing

Thank you, that makes more sense. Feel so sad for dogs too. The level of trauma when both of their owners dead. We don’t know what they witnessed either

 

[Dotta]

I read it that the tracking devices not the dogs were taken for DNA testing

I guess dogs.
In Idaho4 investigation
Murphy the dog was also tested for DNA on him if IRC.

 

[SouthPark]

I read it that the tracking devices not the dogs were taken for DNA testing

Apologies, that is probably the case then - I scan read the article quickly, so I might have misunderstood. I certainly did in taking up the notion that it might have just been a terrible accident with the dogs!

 

[ch_13]

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

Someone could have been sitting in a cell and plotting

JMO

I would think a criminal seeking revenge would look farther up the chain: The cop who arrested him, the prosecutor who tried the case, or the judge who found him guilty. In comparison, Andrew's role in any conviction would seem to be much less prominent. Even if he testified at trial, he would have been just one of many witnesses. Why go after him in particular?

If this wasn't a murder-suicide, then I think the murders were personal. Someone who knew the couple; and perhaps linked to the angry phone call from the day before.

 

[Dotta]

"Friends of Andrew and Dawn Searle found dead in France
convinced they were murdered.



Brit expats are convinced the couple found dead in rural France
were murdered and would not have killed themselves.

Best friends of the pair
said they had been living a 'happy and comfortable' life in the rural countryside north of Toulouse.

Two British couples,
close friends of the Searles,
were last night keen to put down the suggestion of suicide.

The Brit expats, who are in their late 60s and live in a nearby village, said:
'Us Brits,
who knew Dawn and Andy very well,
are certain this is not a murder-suicide.

We saw them last at Christmas,
they were absolutely normal.
Life was good,
why would they want to kill themselves?' "

Friends of British couple found dead in France are convinced they were murdered

Andrew and Dawn Searle were found dead in mysterious circumstances in rural France with fellow expats believing the pair did not kill themselves amid rumours of suicide

www.mirror.co.uk

 

[bmacmillan1]

"Friends of Andrew and Dawn Searle found dead in France
convinced they were murdered.

View attachment 563619

Brit expats are convinced the couple found dead in rural France
were murdered and would not have killed themselves.

Best friends of the pair
said they had been living a 'happy and comfortable' life in the rural countryside north of Toulouse.

Two British couples,
close friends of the Searles,
were last night keen to put down the suggestion of suicide.

The Brit expats, who are in their late 60s and live in a nearby village, said:
'Us Brits,
who knew Dawn and Andy very well,
are certain this is not a murder-suicide.

We saw them last at Christmas,
they were absolutely normal.
Life was good,
why would they want to kill themselves?' "

Friends of British couple found dead in France are convinced they were murdered

Andrew and Dawn Searle were found dead in mysterious circumstances in rural France with fellow expats believing the pair did not kill themselves amid rumours of suicide

www.mirror.co.uk

I agree that this does not sound like a murder suicide or a burglery.
But wonder if it could be some business deal gone wrong/money lending, along those lines

 

[Sarahlou]

Us Brits,
who knew Dawn and Andy very well,
are certain this is not a murder-suicide.

We saw them last at Christmas,
they were absolutely normal.
Life was good,
why would they want to kill themselves?'

That quote from the friends is a bit muddled/odd, unless it's just the reporting. If it was murder/suicide then it wasn't agreed on like in a suicide pact case. So they both didn't want to kill themselves.

But nobody truly knows what's going on in someone's lives, even close friends.

 

[Dotta]

More from the link above:

"Questions about the couple's possible financial difficulties also emerged yesterday.

Local sources said
it had taken him over a year to settle a bill of several thousands euros,
and was spotted looking tearful in December
amid issues with his UK pension."

Hmmm...

And:

"Antoine Da Silva, a retired council worker,
told how he saw the dad-of-two hurrying through the village and looking
'very worried'
while on the phone to his dad Fred."

Plus:

"Two neighbours said they saw Andrew having a heated phone call on Wednesday."

Friends of British couple found dead in France are convinced they were murdered

Andrew and Dawn Searle were found dead in mysterious circumstances in rural France with fellow expats believing the pair did not kill themselves amid rumours of suicide

www.mirror.co.uk

 

[Kittypoo]

I agree that this does not sound like a murder suicide or a burglery.
But wonder if it could be some business deal gone wrong/money lending, along those lines

What about jealous ex spouses? Or disgruntled guests as they run air bnb

 

[Dotta]

"Mystery deepens
over deaths of the British couple in France
as colleague rules out gangland hit.



A former counter-fraud specialist found dead alongside his wife at their French home
would not have been killed in a gangland hit,
a former colleague said last night.

'There is no way he could have been the target of a gangland hit'.

'He was senior but not hierarchical.
The bad guys just see the organisations declining them
and try new routes
or try to learn how to circumnavigate'.

'Criminals just see the organisation,
not the individuals in the teams or running the teams.
They'd have a full-time job following through on vendettas'.

He said
'everyone who knew Andrew was in total shock at his death'.

'He was a really nice guy,
would chat to anyone',
the former colleague said.

'His plan was to buy a house in the south of France and do it up.
He was excited about it.

He was also bilingual, fluent in German and loved his dogs.
He was not shady in any way'."

Mystery death of Brit mum of Hollyoaks star Callum Kerr and husband

The bodies of Andrew and Dawn Searle were discovered by a neighbour in a village around 65 miles from Toulouse on Thursday.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Kittypoo]

More from the link above:

"Questions about the couple's possible financial difficulties also emerged yesterday.

Local sources said
it had taken him over a year to settle a bill of several thousands euros,
and was spotted looking tearful in December
amid issues with his UK pension."

Hmmm...

And:

"Antoine Da Silva, a retired council worker,
told how he saw the dad-of-two hurrying through the village and looking
'very worried'
while on the phone to his dad Fred."

Plus:

"Two neighbours said they saw Andrew having a heated phone call on Wednesday."

Friends of British couple found dead in France are convinced they were murdered

Andrew and Dawn Searle were found dead in mysterious circumstances in rural France with fellow expats believing the pair did not kill themselves amid rumours of suicide

www.mirror.co.uk

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.

 

[Dotta]

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.

IMO
money is at the root of this tragedy.

As we say in my country
"If nobody knows what it is about,
Then it surely is about money".

Condolences to both families.
These poor children

JMO

 

[GemFitz]

As a number of members have commented, and as the news articles are hinting if you read closely, this is, very sadly, a probable domestic violence murder-suicide. I suspect the investigation will show escalating financial and mental health problems in the husband, possibly including a gambling habit and debts hidden from his wife. The odd findings at the scene may suggest an attempt at staging by him to imply a robbery rather than a DV murder. The weapon may have been concealed before he died. His work history is, in all likelihood, irrelevant and a distraction. We have seen too many of these. Extremely sad for Dawn and her family.

 

[ilovewings]

As a number of members have commented, and as the news articles are hinting if you read closely, this is, very sadly, a probable domestic violence murder-suicide. I suspect the investigation will show escalating financial and mental health problems in the husband, possibly including a gambling habit and debts hidden from his wife. The odd findings at the scene may suggest an attempt at staging by him to imply a robbery rather than a DV murder. The weapon may have been concealed before he died. His work history is, in all likelihood, irrelevant and a distraction. We have seen too many of these. Extremely sad for Dawn and her family.

Where did.you come up with that scenario??? Are you privy to information that he had a,gambling habit?

 

[GemFitz]

Where did.you come up with that scenario??? Are you privy to information that he had a,gambling habit?

The lottery tickets he was seen buying on CCTV.

 

[ilovewings]

The lottery tickets he was seen buying on CCTV.

A lot of people buy lottery tickets----l would not presume they have a gambling habit!!!

 

[Kemug]

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

If the mentions are true of difficulty in paying bills, the argument on the phone, something about his pension - then he was certainly worried about something. But was he afraid? <modsnip - speculation outside the bounds of the known facts of the case> I can imagine that stuffing a rag into someone's mouth in that scenario might be to send a message that "He won't be doing any more talking".

 

[Dotta]

If the mentions are true of difficulty in paying bills, the argument on the phone, something about his pension - then he was certainly worried about something. But was he afraid? <modsnip - speculation outside the bounds of the known facts of the case> I can imagine that stuffing a rag into someone's mouth in that scenario might be to send a message that "He won't be doing any more talking".

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

 

[asmi106082]

"Mystery deepens
over deaths of the British couple in France
as colleague rules out gangland hit.

View attachment 563640

A former counter-fraud specialist found dead alongside his wife at their French home
would not have been killed in a gangland hit,
a former colleague said last night.

'There is no way he could have been the target of a gangland hit'.

'He was senior but not hierarchical.
The bad guys just see the organisations declining them
and try new routes
or try to learn how to circumnavigate'.

'Criminals just see the organisation,
not the individuals in the teams or running the teams.
They'd have a full-time job following through on vendettas'.

He said
'everyone who knew Andrew was in total shock at his death'.

'He was a really nice guy,
would chat to anyone',
the former colleague said.

'His plan was to buy a house in the south of France and do it up.
He was excited about it.

He was also bilingual, fluent in German and loved his dogs.
He was not shady in any way'."

Mystery death of Brit mum of Hollyoaks star Callum Kerr and husband

The bodies of Andrew and Dawn Searle were discovered by a neighbour in a village around 65 miles from Toulouse on Thursday.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Sorry but I don’t believe this anonymous individual could possibly know all of this information for certain. Clearly his opinion only.

MoO

 

[Bigditch]

Fairly poor attempt at staging the crime scene to make it look like a B&E with jewels strewn about Dawn's body on the lawn.

Criminal intent, maybe? Andrew had a job where he probably made more enemies than friends.

They lived in an exclusive area. Yet they rented it out. Likely to fund travel, potentially a lavish lifestyle.

If I recall correctly he was involved in insurance at one point? Fraud cases?

Just because someone is retired doesn't mean they aren't freelancing.

The jewels, the gag, (her found naked, if the last detail is true) all sound very personal.