Detectives fear a British couple who were found dead at their home in France may have been murdered by “criminals from the United Kingdom”.
The lifeless bodies Andrew and Dawn Searle, who were in their 60s and believed to have originally been from England and Scotland, were discovered in Les Pesquiès, south of Villefranche-de-Rouergue on Thursday afternoon.
As reported by the Mirror, Mr 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’.
The Searle’s property and surrounding land in the hamlet had been turned into an extensive crime scene on Friday.
An investigating source said: “A criminal enquiry has been launched and the fear is that the couple were murdered. They were very fit, and very popular locally, but there is a theory that they were being pursued by criminals from the United Kingdom. This is currently the prioritised line of enquiry, because Mr Searle was once involved in the fight against organised crime and terrorism.”
Police and prosecutors have not officially released the name of the Searles, but at least three neighbours confirmed they were the victims. One said: “Andy and Dawn were lovely – hearing about this is extremely distressing. They were extremely friendly, and always out and about. What has happened has caused a lot of fear.”
It’s believed the Searles were killed inside their detached property, which includes a two-bedroom flat that was regularly occupied by paying visitors. The Searles advertised it extensively online, saying it was an ‘Andrew and Dawn at home’ (Chez Andrew et Dawn) gite – the French word for a furnished holiday home.
There is a swimming pool outside, and then thick woods which put the house in an isolated position, away from the centre of the hamlet. While investigators originally feared ‘a burglary gone wrong’, local officials on Friday suggested there could be other motives.
Jean-Sebastien Orcibal, the Mayor of Villefranche, said: “We do not really have burglaries in our town, and especially not violent burglaries.”
Local prosecutors have launched a criminal enquiry, with judicial police and gendarmes supporting them. The house and its grounds remained cordoned off on Friday, with forensics officers examining the entire property.
Drones could also be seen circling overhead, while house-to-house enquiries being carried out by gendarmes. Nobody has yet been arrested in connection with the deaths.
Villefranche-de-Rouergue is in the Aveyron department – the French version of a county. It is full of British expats, and holiday home owners from the UK.
Another local source said the Searles “had numerous friends locally and further afield including in Britain, and often organised dinner parties”. He added: “They both loved the countryside, and were very happily settled. They were very proud of their house, which is situated well away from other buildings in the hamlet.”
A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said: ‘We are supporting the family of a British couple who died in France and are liaising with the Local Authorities.’