A tragic incident unfolded in the quiet French village of Les Pesquiès, where a British couple was discovered dead under disturbing circumstances. The couple, identified as Andrew Searle, 62, a retired financial investigator, and his wife, Dawn Searle, 56, were found in their home. The last known sighting of Andrew was at a local tobacco shop where he purchased two Euro Lottery tickets and a chocolate bar, mere hours before the grim discovery.
The circumstances surrounding the couple’s death were horrifying. Andrew was found hanged inside the house with a gag in his mouth, while Dawn’s body was discovered outside their home, unclothed, with signs of head trauma and her jewelry scattered around her. No weapons were found at the crime scene or the surrounding property, adding to the mystery of the incident.
Isabelle Palazy, the proprietor of the tobacco shop where Andrew was last seen, remembered the couple as regular patrons. She recounted Andrew’s final visit to her shop, noting that he appeared content and at ease, engaging in casual conversation while purchasing the lottery tickets and chocolate.
A neighbor, who chose to remain unnamed, reported seeing Andrew in a distressed state while walking his dog the day before the bodies were discovered. The neighbor noted that Andrew seemed agitated during a phone call and was heard arguing in English.
A close friend of the Searles, Odile Marian, disclosed that Andrew had expressed concern about finding his garage door open in the days leading up to their deaths. He was uncertain about who had opened it and found no signs of forced entry. This led the police to speculate that the couple might have been victims of a burglary.
However, Jean-Sébastien Orcibal, the mayor of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, dismissed the burglary theory, asserting that the incident was undoubtedly a homicide. The authorities are currently awaiting autopsy results to determine the official cause of death, with all possibilities, including murder-suicide, being thoroughly investigated.
The Searles, originally from the UK, had resided in the region for the past ten years. They were well-regarded in the community and known for their social gatherings and travels across Europe. Andrew had a distinguished career as a financial investigator, instrumental in dismantling organized crime groups, tracing terrorist funding, and combating sanction violators linked to rogue states.
The couple’s children have asked for privacy during this challenging time. Dawn’s son, Scottish-born actor Callum Kerr, released a statement on Instagram expressing his and his sister Amanda Kerr’s grief over their mother’s loss. Similarly, Andrew’s children, Tom and Ella Searle, are mourning the loss of their father.