The father of a former financial crime investigator who was found dead near his farmhouse in rural France has said his death leaves “thousands of questions”.
Fred Searle, 88, from Littlehampton, West Sussex, flew to France yesterday following the death of his son Andrew Searle, 62, who was discovered dead alongside his wife Dawn Searle in nearby hamlet Les Pesquiès.
“We’ve got thousands of questions and very few answers,” Mr Searle, a former British Army major, told The Sunday Times.
Ms Searle, 56, was found lying outside the house in pyjamas with head injuries. Items of jewellery were scattered around her body, according to local media.
Mr Searle was discovered inside the rural home by police, with one unconfirmed report claiming he was hanged.
Town mayor Jean-Sébastien Orcibal said the deaths were “clearly a homicide” and dismissed speculation that it was a “burglary gone wrong”.
Mayor Mr Orcibal said Mr and Ms Searle’s deaths were not a “family tragedy”, suggesting officials believed they did not take their own lives or kill each other.
He added: “These people were well integrated into the village. [Mr Searle] was part of the festival committee a few years ago.
“They regularly invited the whole neighbourhood to come and have an aperitif at their place and share a festive moment. They knew a lot of people.”
Detectives conducted a neighbourhood survey but locals said the couple had no obvious enemies. “We knew them well,” neighbour Dominique Loubière said.
“They had dogs and sometimes we went for walks with them. They got along well with everyone. When we arrived, they introduced us to the neighbours. They were very nice.”
Ms Searle’s son is former hollyoaks">hollyoaks">Hollyoaks actor Callum Kerr. In a statement posted to social media, the 30-year-old said: “At this time, Callum Kerr, Amanda Kerr, Tom Searle & Ella Searle are grieving the tragic loss of their mother and father, Dawn and Andrew Searle.
“No family member is available for media interviews or comments. We kindly request that their privacy be respected during this difficult period. We will provide updates as appropriate.”
Mr Kerr moved to the United States to pursue a career in country music after starring in the soap as PC George Kiss.
He previously shared images on social media of him walking his mother down the aisle to marry Mr Searle in 2023.
He wrote at the time: “Not many people can say they walked their own mother down the aisle. What a pleasure! I love you mum.
“Congrats to Dawn and Andy on their wonderful wedding day and here’s to a tremendous life together for the happy couple.”
The couple moved to France from Scotland a decade ago after Mr Searle spent his career fighting organised crime and terrorism.
This included tackling money-laundering syndicates in countries where sanctions have been imposed, such as Russia.
Mr Searle reportedly also worked in financial crime prevention at Standard Life and Barclays Bank. Their home is situated in a wooded area near the hamlet of Les Pesquiés which has a population of just 100 people.
It has been turned into an extensive crime scene, where forensic teams have been hunting for evidence. A helicopter and drones flew overhead in the search for clues.
“They were great neighbours,” a local resident said. “We used to walk our pets together. They made us feel really welcome. It’s weird to see this happen here, so close to home.
“They were appreciated by everyone and integrated into village life, despite the language barrier.”
The home and its grounds remained cordoned off on Friday, and police were carrying out house-to-house enquiries.
An investigating source said: “A criminal inquiry 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.”
A spokesperson for the UK’s Foreign Office said: “We are supporting the family of a British couple who died in France and are liaising with the local authorities.”
