PROSECUTORS have revealed a British ex-pat was found hanging by a rope attached to a radiator at his rural home in France.
Andrew Searle, 62, was discovered inside by firefighters after a neighbour spotted the body of his wife Dawn, 56, lying outside the front door.
Dawn died from a significant head wound and was found partially undressed next to a box containing jewellery around 12.30pm on Thursday.
Autopsies carried out in Montpellier on Monday showed project manager Dawn had suffered “multiple blows to the skull” – but no weapon was recovered.
Retired financial investigator Andrew died from hanging and “showed no visible defence wounds” according to the post-mortem examination.
Further tests are ongoing to determine the precise circumstances of their deaths, according to local Rodez prosecutor Nicolas Rigot-Muller.
In a statement released by his office on Tuesday, he mentioned, “Investigations are still ongoing, particularly to ascertain whether the tragic incident occurred due to a domestic conflict followed by a suicide or due to the involvement of a third party.”
Cash was found in the couple’s bedroom and their home in Les Pesquies, near Villefranche-de-Rouergue, appeared to have been “roughly searched”.
The analysis at the Montpellier forensic institute have made it possible to reject any trace of sexual assault on Dawn, said the prosecutor.
The investigation is now trying to establish the precise chronology of events and the responsibilities of each party.
A helicopter and drone was used to scour the surrounding area and grieving relatives have been interviewed after flying out to south west France.
Initially, the police kept their options open, considering possibilities such as a failed burglary, a case of murder-suicide, or a potential connection to Andrew’s anti-fraud activities in the financial crime field.
His 21-year career at British banks Standard Life and Barclays included spotting accounting irregularities linked to organised crime groups.
The couple, who cops say lived in Aveyron county for five years, were found dead after failing to turn up for a dog walk.
They got married in September 2023 and Dawn was walked down the aisle by her son Callum Kerr, 30, a country singer and former Hollyoaks actor.
He revealed the four children from their previous marriages are all mourning and grieving their parents in an Instagram statement.
It came as detectives were uncovering “vital clues” about the couple’s final hours from trawling through their mobile phones.
Andrew’s mobile device is proving “particularly helpful”, according to one detective, after he was spotted making animated calls in previous days.
An investigating source said: “There is a mine of information and recent calls made by Mr Searle which are providing vital clues.”
One line of inquiry is whether it was a possible murder-suicide.
Others include a botched burglary or a hitman linked to Andrew’s anti-fraud work with British banks Standard Life and Barclays.
The local mayor who officiated the couple’s wedding just two years ago, Jean-Sébastien Orcibal, expressed his belief that the couple had been victims of foul play and rejected the idea of it being “a burglary gone awry.”
Like many in the hamlet, Mr Orcibal said the couple also had “too much to live for” for one to commit suicide after murdering the other.
CCTV footage from a local news agency caught Andrew’s last sighting, the day before the couple were found dead.
He was seen buying two lottery tickets and a bar of chocolate on Wednesday, shortly before 6pm.
The shopkeeper who served Andrew, Isabelle Palazy, 58, shared details about her interaction with the Brit.
She said: “I just couldn’t believe it when I heard the news. He and Dawn were regular customers. He would come in every day and buy Fortuna Blue cigarettes.
“That day he came in just before I was closing and he seemed perfectly happy, he was relaxed and he chatted and bought some chocolate and two lottery tickets.
FAMILY’S PAIN
Andrew’s heartbroken father, Fred Searle, 88, said he has been left with “thousands of questions” following the shock news.
Fred flew to Toulouse on Saturday, near his son’s home, as he wanted to bring the whole family together.
The former British Army major from Littlehampton, West Sussex, said: “We’ve got thousands of questions and very few answers.”
Andrew and Dawn were labelled by local friends as being a “popular” and “happy couple”.
Family friend, Odile Marian said: “They never talked about threats. They were not hiding. They were not feeling threatened.
“I don’t know anyone who didn’t like the couple – it would be impossible not to appreciate them.”
