A British woman, discovered dead alongside her husband in rural France, has been identified as the mother of actor and musician Callum Kerr.
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Andrew and Dawn Searle, a couple who relocated to France from Scotland roughly a decade ago, were found deceased by their neighbor on Thursday. Jean-Sébastien Orcibal, the mayor of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, described the incident as “clearly a homicide” during an interview with French television, per the BBC.
The couple, both in their 60s, lived in the rural hamlet of Les Pesquiès, north of Toulouse. Originally from England and Scotland, they previously lived in Musselburgh, near Edinburgh, before relocating to France.
The couple’s bodies were found at about 12:20 p.m. on Thursday after a neighbor, worried when they missed a planned dog walk, checked on their home.
Grisly Details Emerge in Tragic Deaths of Callum Kerr’s Family
On Friday afternoon, disturbing details about the couple’s deaths surfaced in French media per The Mirror. They suggested that Andrew Searle may have been subjected to torture before being killed. Reports also state that Dawn Searle’s body was found outside the house, unclothed and with jewelry scattered around. She allegedly had severe head injuries.
Andrew Searle, a former counter-fraud specialist, was reportedly found hanged in his home, with a gag in his mouth.
Detectives reportedly suspect that the couple may have been killed by criminals originating from the United Kingdom.
The grim details were shared by a source involved in the investigation, per The Mirror. “The wife’s body was first discovered, completely naked, in front of the door of the house,” the alleged source explained. “Around the unfortunate woman, jewellery was found scattered, testifying to a great disorder. In the house, the husband’s body was discovered hanging with a gag stuck in his mouth.”
The house and its surrounding grounds remained sealed off on Friday. Forensic teams were spotted conducting a thorough examination of the property. Drones also flew overhead in a systematic pattern as investigators conducted door-to-door inquiries in the neighborhood.
No arrests have been made yet in connection with the deaths.
Dawn Searle’s son, Callum Kerr, is an actor known for his roles in Netflix’s Virgin River and also the English soap opera Hollyoaks. He has also released several country music songs.
In 2023, Kerr escorted his mother down the aisle as she exchanged vows with Andrew Searle in a wedding ceremony held in France.
“Not many people can say they walked their own mother down the aisle. What a pleasure. I love you mum,” Kerr wrote on social media, per the BBC.