Nicolas Rigot-Muller, the Rodez prosecutor leading the investigation into the deaths of Andrew and Dawn Searle, said ‘a marital crime followed by a suicide’ was likely
Detectives have claimed that a British man who was found dead alongside his wife at their home in France likely killed her during a botched staged burglary before taking his own life.
The bodies of Andrew Searle and his wife Dawn – who left Britain and moved to the picturesque town 10 years ago – were discovered in the hamlet of Les Pesquies, near Toulouse, after neighbours became worried as they hadn’t seen the couple walk their dogs.
On February 6, Mrs Searle’s body was found outside their home by a horrified friend. She had suffered a head injury and there was jewellery scattered around her.
Mr Searle, who was a former financial investigator, was found dead inside the house. Initially, it was believed the woman had tried to run away from an attacker before she was battered to death. This theory was supported by the fact that cupboards and drawers were discovered open, with furniture upended.
However, now inquiry sources have said in a new update that if that was the case, and Mrs Searle was killed in the garden, neighbours would have likely heard the commotion. One investigator quoted by The Sunday Post said: “The Searle house is extremely close to other houses, and the noise of screams would have carried. In fact, nobody heard anything.
“What is very likely is that the victim was killed inside the house, with doors and windows shut on a winter’s night, and then her body dumped in the garden.” The source said this pointed to the theory of a “staged burglary gone wrong” which would fit the “murder-suicide” inquiry line that previously emerged in the investigation.
According to Nicolas Rigot-Muller, the Rodez prosecutor leading the investigation, “a marital crime followed by a suicide” was likely. He said that if the couple had been attacked by a stranger, they would have probably shouted, alerting their neighbours.
The prosecutor claimed that Mr Searle may have hoped he could explain the crime to the police by organising a staged burglary before changing his mind and taking his own life. No arrests have been made in connection with the couple’s deaths – and nobody has come forward despite public appeals made by the police.
The results of a post-mortem examination showed there were no defensive wound on Mr Searle and forensic evidence didn’t show any suggestion that someone else was in the home, or touched the man or his wife, who was the mum of former Hollyoaks star Callum Searle. The couple married in 2023 and Callum walked his mum down the aisle.
One local woman, Bénédicte, said the couple were “absolutely adorable, we would often meet like this simply walking our dogs around the village.” She told the BBC: “We are very shocked, of course we are.” One local who knew Dawn told The Mirror how the project manager had been in good spirits in the days before the couple’s deaths, despite having been suffering from a bout of flu. “Her mood was very good, [and she was] smiley,” the woman working at a nearby fireplace shop said.
For emotional support you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
For confidential support, call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Freephone Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit womensaid.co.uk. If you or your family have lost a friend or family member through fatal domestic abuse, AAFDA (Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse) can offer specialist and expert support and advocacy. For more info visit www.aafda.org.uk
