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

[Bigditch]

I think one or both of them might have been hiding something deadly.

 

[Dotta]

Between the distressed phone calls and signs someone had accessed his home and left it open so he would know that someone had been there, these are worrying signs. I lean towards organized crime or some kind of personal vendetta against him.

Yes.
And them living in a foreign, isolated village as if hiding

 

[Sarahlou]

Yes.
And them living in a foreign, isolated village as if hiding

As someone mentioned before, there's nothing unusual about British people moving to villages like that in France, Spain etc. Many, many people do it.

 

[*LD*]

Between the distressed phone calls and signs someone had accessed his home and left it open so he would know that someone had been there, these are worrying signs. I lean towards organized crime or some kind of personal vendetta against him.

What if this was all staged to project the idea that he was being targeted?

 

[Dotta]

As someone mentioned before, there's nothing unusual about British people moving to villages like that in France, Spain etc. Many, many people do it.

Hmmm....
But he relocated there in his fifties
(10 years ago).
Many years before retirement UK age.
And then complained about issues with British pension.

Usually retired people change places.
After quitting job because of retirement age.
They don't jeopardize their pensions.

JMO

 

[Cardgame]

I think one or both of them might have been hiding something deadly.

Can you say more?

 

[OneLove]

Between the distressed phone calls and signs someone had accessed his home and left it open so he would know that someone had been there, these are worrying signs. I lean towards organized crime or some kind of personal vendetta against him.

OR, or.... could it have been his own wife who left the garage door open, maybe even after he'd asked her umpteen times not to? Maybe a worker of some sort, a housekeeper or gardener. Or maybe one of the present or former renters of their vacation rental unit. I know it was reported the listing for the rental had been withdrawn recently but it's not uncommon to do that once there are enough regular customers and word of mouth inquiries that online publishing is no longer needed. There are definitely financial incentives for that.

 

[Cedars]

Deleted my first message.

I noticed this:

"he is believed to have run into financial troubles when his rental business was forced into liquidation in 2023."

Everything we know about retired British couple found dead in France

The bodies of Andrew and Dawn Searle were found in Les Pesquiès, southwest France

www.independent.co.uk

 

[Bigditch]

Can you say more?

Their deaths were violent. So whatever prompted the kill was deadly Intel.

 

[Dotta]

Not sure what you're talking about. Can you link a source?

Here you are:

"Close friend Odile Marian described how Mr Searle had also been irate just hours before he died after
'finding the door of his garage open'.

She added:
'I know that someone had opened the door of his garage,
he was trying to find out who it was,
maybe it was him -
I don't know, maybe it's connected?'

'I just know he was very angry and irate that it was open,
but it may have been him who left it open.
We just don't know'."

Neighbours of 'murdered' Brit couple reveal how husband was acting

Andrew Searle, 65, was said to appear 'agitated' during a phone call, just hours before he and his wife of two years, Dawn, 56, were found dead in their rural home in Les Pesquies last week.

www-dailymail-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org

 

[MollyHarps]

For me it’s all pointing to murder suicide.The comments about him being angry regarding his garage door being left open could have just been him sowing the seed to make it look more like a double murder. MOO.

I think if it was a targeted murder then the dogs would’ve been killed imo to minimise risk

 

[*LD*]

Deleted my first message.

I noticed this:

"he is believed to have run into financial troubles when his rental business was forced into liquidation in 2023."

Everything we know about retired British couple found dead in France

The bodies of Andrew and Dawn Searle were found in Les Pesquiès, southwest France

www.independent.co.uk

So he needs money. Tells his dad it's bc someone is after him. . . .dad can't cover his debts and so he decides to opt out but stage it as a violent burglary.

 

[sunspun]

Why isn't this seen as a burglary or home invasion crime that turned deadly? A presumably wealthy older couple's home, somewhat isolated and apart from town center and not many close neighbors, backed up to woods for concealment of illicit acts and easy escape or hiding from view of any potential onlookers... if a burglar were out prowling for a good house to break into, this would surely fit the bill.

Maybe the garage door found left open was an earlier attempt that was interrupted somehow. Maybe someone unlocked an interior door then or did something else for later ease of access. Then was caught in the act of robbing them and ended up killing them both. Or went in as a home invader, not trying to be undetected, restrained them both, killing the husband, wife attempts to escape during this and is also killed. Maybe they ran off with a jewelry box and dropped some items out of it in their escape.

 

[Bigditch]

Interesting that no one has mentioned the life insurance factor either.

 

[Dotta]

Interesting that no one has mentioned the life insurance factor either.

In case of suicide
Insurance Companies don't pay families anything if IRC.

But maybe this policy has changed.
IDK.
Just saying.

 

[OneLove]

Deleted my first message.

I noticed this:

"he is believed to have run into financial troubles when his rental business was forced into liquidation in 2023."

Everything we know about retired British couple found dead in France

The bodies of Andrew and Dawn Searle were found in Les Pesquiès, southwest France

www.independent.co.uk

Hmm.. so for his vacation rental (on the same premises as their home or no?) to be "forced into liquidation", there must have been a loan on only that stand alone property? Or could the whole property have been moving into foreclosure? Even without loans, inability to pay taxes and insurance sometimes forces foreclosure.

Since he left his bank fraud job so soon after he started it, less than a year I believe, could he have been *enticed* to leave in a way that made it possible to buy this dream property in the south of France and simply retire?

 

[ch_13]

As someone mentioned before, there's nothing unusual about British people moving to villages like that in France, Spain etc. Many, many people do it.

I agree. The UK doesn't have the equivalent of a Florida or Arizona. So, lots of retirees move to sunnier parts of Europe, where they can still return home with a short plane ride. I think it was easier pre-Brexit, but even with new visa requirements in place, it's remains quite common.

 

[Cedars]

Hmm.. so for his vacation rental (on the same premises as their home or no?) to be "forced into liquidation", there must have been a loan on only that stand alone property? Or could the whole property have been moving into foreclosure? Even without loans, inability to pay taxes and insurance sometimes forces foreclosure.

Since he left his bank fraud job so soon after he started it, less than a year I believe, could he have been *enticed* to leave in a way that made it possible to buy this dream property in the south of France and simply retire?

Perhaps he bought additional properties in France for vacation rentals, but then there was Covid, the sharp rise in interest rates, and, apparently, falling real estate prices/slow market. "Property slump eases in France but sellers still need to be patient" Property slump eases in France but sellers still need to be patient

I think the word 'liquidate' means it was more than just their own in-house vacation suite. No need to 'liquidate' that, as long as you're still living there.

JMO

 

[asmi106082]

In case of suicide
Insurance Companies don't pay families anything if IRC.

But maybe this policy has changed.
IDK.
Just saying.

That is only for the first year or two after the policy is issued.

MOO from being a licensed insurance agent in the past

 

[Kemug]

I have really done a complete u-turn on this one. From revenge in the financial word, to burglary gone wrong, right back down to murder-suicide. Which I refused to even consider in the beginning.
So I'll lay out my current thoughts for you. Probably all to do with money, or lack of, as a lot of things are. Andrew and Dawn started their new life in France, probably pretty well set up. A bit of pension, a bit of savings, a bit of income from renting out a holiday unit. But then a few things happened - Covid arrived, and half the world ground to a halt. No more tourists coming to stay at their nice little unit. Maybe they didn't actually own their home and property outright, but were still paying off a mortgage. Soon their savings and a pension weren't quite enough. I'm beginning to.wonder if Andrew had complete control of their finances, that being his background. I doubt if Dawn knew about their financial troubles, or at least the extent of them. Because hadn't she made several overseas trips recently? So it's a pity (I'm guessing here) that Andrew didn't talk it through with his wife (guessing again!) So that they could work something out together.
But no, apparently, the bills kept mounting up and up (didn't it take about a year to pay off one bill?) And Andrew kept getting more and more stressed. He maybe asked to have the rest of his pension paid out to him in one lump sum, but it wasn't allowed. So he kept asking and begging friends and family to help him out. Apparently they couldn't or wouldn't, but maybe gave him advice. And finally I think Andrew was slipping into madness, hence the open door, and their tragic deaths.