Eight new unanswered questions in ‘murder’ of Brit couple the Searles in France…from missing weapon to ‘killer on loose’

EIGHT questions person been near unanswered aft the deaths of a British mates surviving successful France.

Andrew Searle, 62, and his woman Dawn, 56, were recovered dormant past Thursday with cops present probing execution arsenic a imaginable cause.

The brace were tragically recovered astatine their vacation location successful the idyllic hamlet of Les Pesquiès, adjacent Villefranche-de-Rouergue.

The mates was well-liked successful the section area, with a neighbour telling a French newspaper: “We knew them, we walked our dogs together. They were precise overmuch appreciated locally."

Speaking from the country successful which helium joined Andrew and Dawn successful September 2023, Mayor Jean-Sébastien Orcibal added: “I knew them arsenic good due to the fact that we were neighbours arsenic I unrecorded successful Pesquies arsenic well.

“We got to socialize. They were precise good integrated successful the area.”

Their deaths were archetypal thought to beryllium a burglary - but prosecutors present deliberation thing much sinister could beryllium astatine play.

Mystery implicit the timeline of their deaths

It remains unclear erstwhile precisely the brace died.

They were recovered by neighbours astir 12.30pm connected Thursday - with Andrew's assemblage discovered hanging and Dawn lying extracurricular the beforehand door.

A post-mortem recovered Dawn died from a important caput coiled but it is not yet wide however agelong she received that earlier the grisly discovery.

CCTV footage from Wednesday is the past sighting of Andrew, who was seen buying 2 lottery tickets and a cocoa barroom soon earlier 6pm.

Missing execution weapon

Tragically, Andrew was recovered hanged from a radiator portion Dawn suffered "multiple blows to the caput with a blunt and sharp-edged object".

Dawn was recovered with a "severe caput wound" and "no disposable antiaircraft wounds".

No weapons were recovered astatine the country and nary slug oregon weapon wounds were recovered successful an archetypal introspection of the bodies, a root adjacent to the probe told La Depeche du Midi.

But prosecutors successful Rodez haven't revealed the causes of decease - which could beryllium cardinal successful explaining wherefore they died.

Can’t regularisation retired murder

Prosecutors person an unfastened execution probe into the deaths and person not ruled retired they were killed for "financial motives".

Detectives are adjacent reportedly looking into whether gangsters "with a score" to settee could transportation retired the deaths.

Nicolas Rigot-Muller, the Rodez prosecutor, said: “Both died convulsive deaths, but I cannot yet firmly found homicide.”

Friends quality murder-suicide

Pals of the mates person rejected the mentation that Andrew killed Dawn and past himself successful a murder-suicide.

They accidental the couple's narration was harmonious.

A couple, successful their 60s, said: “Us Brits, who knew Dawn and Andy precise well, are definite this is not a murder-suicide due to the fact that of fiscal difficulties oregon thing similar that.

“They weren’t flashy by immoderate means, but they were decidedly comfy and had it bully retired here.

Another Brit who knew the brace said: “Life was good, wherefore would they privation to termination themselves?

“There was ne'er immoderate proposition whatsoever of fiscal oregon worldly difficulties – arsenic section concern radical they ever paid america connected time.”

Money woes

Andrew took an aboriginal status successful 2015 and is believed to person tally into wealth troubles.

His 21-year vocation astatine British banks Standard Life and Barclays included spotting accounting irregularities linked to organised transgression groups.

But helium started his ain concern earlier it was enactment into liquidation successful 2023.

But 1 pal said they had precocious been travelling.

The person said: "They were ever travelling. They precocious went to a household wedding successful Goa, they went to South America for their honeymoon.”

Past job-hunting criminals

Fears person been raised of the deaths being a targeted assassination carried retired by a "hitman" aft Andrew's delicate fiscal work.

His LinkedIn illustration revealed the fluent English, French and German talker was liable for “sanctions screening” to halt wealth flowing to states like Russia.

His delicate enactment besides progressive “Intelligence and anti-bribery and Corruption” positive work for each Anti-Financial Crime matters successful the UK & Europe.”

This would person brought Andrew to the announcement of transgression networks moving crossed the globe.

Earlier successful his career, helium worked arsenic a Group Financial Crime Manager pursuing 14 years arsenic an investigations manager “responsible for the Investigation of interior and outer fraud.”

The motive down their decease is unclear with the origin yet not confirmed.

Cash was recovered successful the couple’s chamber and their location appeared to person been “roughly searched” contempt no jewellery being stolen.

Dawn was recovered lone dressed but had not been the unfortunate of a intersexual assault.

Mystery tearful telephone call

Andrew was seen crying successful the adjacent municipality of Villefranche-de-Rouergue successful December aft helium had settled a bill, section sources told The Telegraph.

It had reportedly taken him implicit a twelvemonth to wage a measure of respective 1000 Euros aft helium had problems with his UK pension.

In different telephone telephone conscionable days earlier helium died, Andrew appeared "very agitated" and had been “violently arguing successful English” portion walking done the town.

Antoine Da Silva, 63, a retired assembly worker, told the quality site: "Then past Tuesday, I saw him connected the phone. He looked precise worried.

"He said: ‘I can’t talk with you, I’m connected the phone’ and looked precise disquieted and walked connected immediately. I knew him precise well.

"He was idiosyncratic calm and quiescent and nice. But the past 2 times I saw him, helium was precise different.”

Phones being probed

Detectives person been searching mobile phones belonging to the mates and uncovering “vital clues” astir the couple’s last hours.

Andrew’s mobile instrumentality is proving “particularly helpful”, according to 1 detective, aft helium was spotted making animated calls successful erstwhile days.

An investigating root said: “There is simply a excavation of accusation and caller calls made by Mr Searle which are providing captious clues.”