British couple Andrew Searle and Dawn Kerr appeared to be a happy expat couple living out their retirement in rural France.
But the pair were found dead at their remote farmhouse just north of Toulouse by a friend after they failed to meet them for a dog walk last Thursday. Ms Kerr, 56, died after receiving “several blows to the head”, while Mr Searle, 62, died from hanging, a post mortem revealed.
Ms Kerr, a project manager and mother of two, was partly undressed and a jewellery box was found next to her body. Cash was discovered in their bedroom.
Their violent deaths have left their family with “a thousand questions” as French police investigate the possibilities of a bungled burglary or murder-suicide.
Here, The Independent takes a look at all of the unanswered questions surrounding the couple’s deaths.
Was it a murder-suicide?
French detectives claim a marital dispute between Mr Searle and Ms Kerr could have led to a murder-suicide.
Police said they were probing “whether the tragedy resulted from a marital crime followed by a suicide or from the intervention of a third party”.
However, British expats were quick to dismiss any suggestion Ms Kerr was killed by her husband.
They said the pair were a devoted couple who lived happy, financially secure lives filled with travel and friends.
Did financial difficulties play a part?
On the day before the couple’s bodies were discovered, Mr Searle was seen on CCTV buying two Euro Lottery tickets and a chocolate bar. He was reportedly heard having a heated discussion with someone over the phone shortly after this and was seen rushing through the tiny hamlet, witnesses told local media.
It was also claimed Mr Searle had taken over a year to settle a bill of several thousand euros, according to local media.
However, friends and relatives have also dismissed this, claiming they were “comfortable” and lived a good life.
Was it a burglary gone wrong?
It was initially reported that Mr Searle was found with a gag in his mouth, prompting speculation a third party was involved.
The cash discovered in the couple’s bedroom, and jewellery found alongside Ms Kerr’s naked body, also raised eyebrows.
Speaking with French publication La Dépêche, a source close to the investigation said: "The wife's body was first discovered, completely naked, in front of the door of the house.
"Around the unfortunate woman, jewellery was found scattered, testifying to a great disorder.”
However, the town’s mayor later said it was not a case of a bungled burglary. Investigators revealed that no weapons were found at the scene of the crime.
