Neighbours have been left in “shock” and fear after the sudden deaths of a popular British couple found dead at their home in rural France.
Dawn and Andrew Searle, who have not yet been officially named by French authorities, moved to the hamlet of Les Pesquies, south of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, in southern France, around a decade ago.
The couple, who are in their 60s, are believed to have been found dead by a German friend who lives nearby, after Mr Searle did not turn up for one of their regular walks.
Ms Searle’s son, the country musician and former Hollyoaks star Callum Kerr, said in a statement posted online that he and his sister, Amanda Kerr, and Mr Searle’s two children, Tom and Ella Searle, were grieving.
Investigators are reportedly looking at whether the British couple were killed during a burglary, but all lines of enquiry, including murder-suicide or potential links to Mr Searle’s previous work as an organised crime financial investigator in the UK – are open.
A neighbour who knew them very well told Sky News they were “very happy people, joyful, very nice and would talk to people even if they didn’t know them. They always had a smile on their face.”
Ms Searle’s body was reportedly found outside their home, naked, with jewellery found scattered nearby, while Mr Searle’s body was discovered inside the house and had been gagged, according to local media.
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British couple found dead at house in southern France
There was little sign of their deaths at their home in the idyllic village on Monday, apart from the yellow and red Gendarmerie tape still on the white gate.
Locals described them as “good neighbours” who would often be seen walking their two dogs.
“Each year in September they would do this big dinner with all the village and invite everyone. They were very nice people,” said a woman who lived nearby.
“It’s very sad, it’s tragic. It’s a very low-key village, everybody gets along with each other and everybody’s in shock right now, they’re surprised.
“It’s scary too. The newspapers are saying possibly it’s because of what he used to do as a job. Here locally, nobody would hold grudges.”
A LinkedIn profile in his name says he retired in 2015 after working for Barclays and Standard Life, and was “enjoying life in rural France”.
His page talks about having “over 20 years experience specialising in Financial Crime Prevention (AML, Fraud and Anti-Bribery) with a high profile in the industry and an extensive network of contacts”.
Another woman said she was about to buy a house in the hamlet but is now having second thoughts, adding: “I don’t feel safe here anymore”.
A postman said there was a big UK expat community in the area, with around 20 British people on his round.
The Searles have lived in the village permanently for 10 years and are said to be very integrated with the community.
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“They would enjoy life, they would travel and sometimes go home as well,” a neighbour said.
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The mayor of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Jean-Sebastien Orcibal, who also lives in Les Pesquies, previously told broadcaster France 3 the deaths were “something criminal, a homicide very clearly”.
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However, the public prosecutor Nicolas Rigot-Muller said that while both “died violent deaths… all hypotheses remain open” while investigations continue.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British couple who died in France and are liaising with the local authorities.”
