‘Hitman’ fears after Brit husband murdered alongside wife in French holiday home worked to track down money launderers

A BRITISH mates murdered successful a distant French vacation location whitethorn person been victims of a hitman linked to a rogue state, coercion oregon organised crime, constabulary fear.

Andrew and Dawn Searle, some successful their 60s, were astatine archetypal believed to person been killed during a burglary gone wrong astatine their distant vacation location successful southbound westbound France.

But French detectives present judge a much sinister motive whitethorn beryllium linked to Mr Searle’s crime-busting vocation tracking down wealth laundering crimelords.

The retired grandad besides had a cardinal relation cracking down connected sanctions busters linked to rogue states similar Russia and probed violent wealth trails.

He was recovered dormant with spouse Dawn connected Thursday successful their idyllic, swimming pooled vacation spot successful the hamlet of Les Pesquiès, adjacent Villefranche-de-Rouergue.

A French investigating root said: “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 Mr Searle was erstwhile progressive successful the combat against organised transgression and terrorism.”

Financial transgression adept Mr Searle worked arsenic a advisor for banking elephantine Barclays for 9 months earlier his retirement.

But helium had antecedently worked for much than 21 years for the Standard Life security institution arsenic UK & Europe Financial Crime Manager.

Based successful Edinburgh, his LinkedIn nonrecreational illustration said helium was: “Responsible for each Anti-Financial Crime matters successful the UK & Europe relation - providing an probe work for the Group.”

The illustration besides revealed the fluent English, French and German talker was liable for “sanction screening” to halt wealth flowing to states similar Russia.

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

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

His high-powered roles progressive adjacent practice with police, HMRC costumes chiefs and Foreign Office specialists.

He retired successful December, 2015 to commencement a caller beingness successful a stunning but distant country of the French countryside.

His LinkedIn nonrecreational illustration said: “Enjoying beingness successful agrarian France - renovating!”

The mates spent years refurbishing their run-down spot among lone a fistful of buildings successful the wood hamlet.

And their simply but stylishly furnished “gite” level wrong the detached spot was yet advertised connected vacation spot websites.

Advertised connected the authoritative Aveyron tourer website nether the header “At Andrew and Dawn’s”, the online advertisement read: “2 chamber flat (6-8 people) afloat furnished and equipped with swimming excavation offering plentifulness of privacy.

“A beauteous flat successful the beauteous countryside, offering privateness and tranquility.”

Andrew and Dawn’s bodies were reported to person been recovered wrong the spot astatine astir 1pm connected Thursday.

French constabulary instantly threw a ample transgression country cordon astir the spot and person yet to divulge the origin of death.

Police and prosecutors person not officially released the sanction of the Searles, but astatine slightest 3 neighbours person confirmed they were the victims.

One said: “Andy and Dawn were beauteous – proceeding astir this is highly distressing.

“They were highly friendly, and ever retired and about. What has happened has caused a batch of fear.”

Jean-Sebastien Orcibal, the Mayor of Villefranche, said said the bungled burglary mentation was highly improbable yesterday.

He said: “We bash not truly person burglaries successful our town, and particularly not convulsive burglaries.”

Local prosecutors person launched a transgression enquiry, with judicial constabulary and gendarmes are supporting them.  

The location and its grounds remained cordoned disconnected connected Friday, with forensics officers examining the full property.

Drones could besides beryllium seen circling overhead, portion house-to-house enquiries being carried retired by gendarmes.

No arrests person been made successful transportation with the deaths.

Villefranche-de-Rouergue is successful the Aveyron section – the French mentation of a region - which is location to galore British expats and vacation location owners from the UK.

Another section root said the Searles “had galore friends locally and further afield including successful Britain, and often organised meal parties.”

He added: “They some loved the countryside, and were precise happily settled. They were precise arrogant of their house, which is situated good distant from different buildings successful the hamlet.’

Another French source, paper The Villefranchois said yesterday: “The mentation of a household play that would impact an statement causing the decease of 1 of the spouses followed by a termination present seems unlikely.

“Similarly, the proposal of a burglary gone incorrect nary longer seems to beryllium favored astatine present.

“What is definite is that the past of this British mates successful their sixties who person been surviving for 10 years successful this portion of countryside wherever they had opened a gîte is simply a pb present explored by investigators, particularly since Andrew Searle and his woman Dawn could person recovered refuge successful Pesquiès to get distant from imaginable threats.

“According to our information, gathered from a person of the couple, Andrew Searle could person worked successful the United Kingdom connected delicate files consisting of starring a fiscal hunt successful the tract of the combat against organized transgression and terrorism.

“A nonrecreational enactment successful which 1 does not needfully marque friends and which could person turned into a settling of scores.”