'Gangster' murder couple with Hollyoaks link ran errands hours before horrific murders

Neighbours accidental Dawn Searle, 56 and her hubby Andrew, 62, looked “normal” and “happy” arsenic they visited a workplace to bargain beef and made a chimney expanse booking

The Brit mates recovered dormant successful agrarian France were past seen moving errands successful the section municipality little than 24 hours earlier the tragedy.

Neighbours accidental Dawn Searle, 56 and her hubby Andrew, 62, looked “normal” and “happy” arsenic they visited a workplace to bargain beef and made a chimney expanse booking.

The couple’s lifeless bodies were discovered astatine their location successful the hamlet of Les Pesquies, northbound of Toulouse, connected Thursday.

One neighbour, who owns a workplace 200 yards from the couple’s home, told however the brace visited astatine astir 12 noon connected Wednesday and purchased immoderate meat. She said: “They some came and conscionable looked normal. We talked astir mean things. We’re farmers and they came to bid meat. We’ve already told the constabulary everything.”

About 4 hours aboriginal Dawn visited a section concern that maintains fireplaces to marque appointments connected behalf of residents successful her community.

Its owner, Sylvie, who besides lives successful the hamlet, said: “We saw Dawn connected Wednesday. She popped into my store successful the day erstwhile my girl was there.

“We bash attraction for woody stoves and chimneys. She came to publication galore appointments for English friends of hers."

A section says helium saw Andrew Searle rowing connected the telephone a time earlier the tragedy.

The man, who did not privation to beryllium named, told however Mr Searle and his woman Dawn were walking connected a lane successful the hamlet of Les Pesquies erstwhile helium overheard the heated call. He told us: “He [Andrew] kept saying mon pere mon pere.”

Officials initially believed the brace were killed successful a burglary gone incorrect but they person since said their "deaths were intelligibly a homicide.”

One enactment of enquiry is the mates could person been murdered by criminals from the UK due to the fact that Mr Searle was a fiscal researcher specialising successful transgression and terrorism.

Local media reports assertion Mrs Searle's bare assemblage was recovered extracurricular the location with jewellery scattered astir her - and that she had suffered caput injuries.

Mr Searle was reportedly discovered hanged wrong the location with a gag stuffed successful his mouth. Last nighttime a household person said Mr Searle's girl Ella and lad Tom were connected their mode to France.

Dawn's lad is Callum Kerr, champion known for playing PC George Kiss successful Hollyoaks. The 30-year-old, who is besides a state vocalist based successful Nashville with his fiance, walked his parent down the aisle erstwhile she joined Andrew successful September 2023.

An investigating root said connected Friday: “A transgression enquiry has been launched and the fearfulness is that the mates were murdered. They were precise fit, and precise fashionable locally, but determination is simply a mentation that they were being pursued by criminals from the United Kingdom.

“This is presently the prioritised enactment of enquiry, due to the fact that [the husband] was erstwhile progressive successful the combat against organised transgression and terrorism.”

Mr Searle is said to person moved his household to France a decennary agone aft moving arsenic a fiscal researcher successful the combat against organised transgression and terrorism.