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| French police investigating deaths of retired British couple in Aveyron home | French police investigating deaths of retired British couple in Aveyron home |
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| Andrew Searle, retired fraud investigator, and wife, Dawn, found dead in their rural home in south-west France | Andrew Searle, retired fraud investigator, and wife, Dawn, found dead in their rural home in south-west France |
| French police are investigating the deaths of a retired British couple who were found in their renovated rural home in Aveyron, south-west France. | French police are investigating the deaths of a retired British couple who were found in their renovated rural home in Aveyron, south-west France. |
| The bodies of Andrew Searle, a retired fraud investigator, and his wife, Dawn, were discovered at about 12.30pm on Thursday at their home in the village of Les Pesquiès, south of Villefranche-de-Rouergue. | The bodies of Andrew Searle, a retired fraud investigator, and his wife, Dawn, were discovered at about 12.30pm on Thursday at their home in the village of Les Pesquiès, south of Villefranche-de-Rouergue. |
| According to local media reports, Dawn Searle was found naked outside the property with a serious head injury and jewellery strewn around her. She was reportedly found by a neighbour, who thought she had passed out, and called the emergency services. | According to local media reports, Dawn Searle was found naked outside the property with a serious head injury and jewellery strewn around her. She was reportedly found by a neighbour, who thought she had passed out, and called the emergency services. |
| When police arrived they searched the property and discovered Andrew Searle dead inside. He was reportedly found hanging with a gag in his mouth. Police say no theories are being excluded for the motives of the apparent killings. Theories include a burglary gone wrong or a possible domestic dispute. | When police arrived they searched the property and discovered Andrew Searle dead inside. He was reportedly found hanging with a gag in his mouth. Police say no theories are being excluded for the motives of the apparent killings. Theories include a burglary gone wrong or a possible domestic dispute. |
| The couple married in 2023 and had two children each from previous relationships. They had lived in the village for a decade. | The couple married in 2023 and had two children each from previous relationships. They had lived in the village for a decade. |
| A forensic pathologist was flown in by helicopter to carry out an initial examination of the bodies. The results of autopsies were not expected before Monday. | A forensic pathologist was flown in by helicopter to carry out an initial examination of the bodies. The results of autopsies were not expected before Monday. |
| The public prosecutor Nicolas Rigot-Muller said on Friday: “Both died violent deaths, but I cannot establish that either was a homicide. All hypotheses remain open.” | The public prosecutor Nicolas Rigot-Muller said on Friday: “Both died violent deaths, but I cannot establish that either was a homicide. All hypotheses remain open.” |
| According to his LinkedIn profile, Andrew Searle retired in 2015 after a career in financial crime prevention. | According to his LinkedIn profile, Andrew Searle retired in 2015 after a career in financial crime prevention. |
| After quitting as a consultant in financial crime assurance at Barclays in Glasgow, Searle posted that he was “enjoying life in rural France – renovating!”. He previously worked for 21 years at Standard Life, in Edinburgh, where he was responsible for the bank’s anti-crime initiatives across Europe. Dawn Searle was a project manager. | |
| A claim made by MailOnline that police were investigating the possibility that the couple were murdered by UK-based criminals has not been confirmed by the French authorities. | A claim made by MailOnline that police were investigating the possibility that the couple were murdered by UK-based criminals has not been confirmed by the French authorities. |
| Searle went to a grammar school in Steyning, West Sussex, and graduated from Liverpool John Moores University. | Searle went to a grammar school in Steyning, West Sussex, and graduated from Liverpool John Moores University. |
| A spokesperson for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: “We are supporting the family of a British couple who died in France and are liaising with the local authorities.” | A spokesperson for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: “We are supporting the family of a British couple who died in France and are liaising with the local authorities.” |