A British woman who was found dead next to her husband in France, is the mother of the former Hollyoaks star Callum Kerr.
The lifeless bodies of couple Dawn and Andrew Searle, 56 and 62, were discovered on Thursday afternoon by a dog shelter in Les Pesquies, south of Villefranche-de-Rouergue.
Although the police did not officially release their identity, at least three neighbors confirmed that the Searles were the victims of which detectives fear was perhaps an attack carried out by British gangsters.
Now MailOnline can reveal that Mrs. Searle's son is the Scottish actor who is known for his role as PC George Kiss in the Channel 4 soap between 2020 and 2021.
The actor-rurn-country singer, who is currently located in Nashville, had shared a Snap on Instagram with Mrs. Searle, also known as Dawn Kerr, in September 2023, who ran her through the aisle.
'Not many people can say that they have walked their own mother through the aisle. What a pleasure !! I love your mother. Congratulations to Dawn and Andy with their beautiful wedding day and here is a great life together for the happy couple, “he wrote in a social media post on his mother's wedding day.
On Friday afternoon, creepy details came to the fore about the death of the couple in the French media, including that Mr Searle could have 'tortured' before he was murdered.
Reports claim that the naked body of Mrs. Searle was found outside the house with jewelry spread over her – and that she had contracted head injuries.
In the meantime, Mr. Searle, a former counter-fraud specialist, is reportedly discovered in the house with a gag filled in his mouth.
Detectives fear that the couple, both from Scotland, could have been killed by 'criminals from the United Kingdom'.
Brit Dawn Searle (Kerr), who was murdered in France this week, was unveiled as the mother of the former Hollyoaks actor Callum Kerr (shown together)
Andrew and Dawn Searle, who were in the 60, were found dead on Thursday afternoon
Andrew Searle is said to have moved his family to France ten years ago after he worked as a financial investigator in the 'fight against organized crime and terrorism'
A source of investigation said on Friday: 'A criminal investigation has started and the fear is that the couple was murdered.
'They were very fit and very popular room, but there is a theory that they were chased by criminals from the United Kingdom.
'This is currently the prioritized line of research, because [the husband] was once involved in the fight against organized crime and terrorism. '
Mr. Searle is said to have moved his family to France ten years ago after working as a financial investigator in the “fight against organized crime and terrorism.”
It is, however, understood that Mr Searle worked with the police and the serious fraud office against organized crime groups involved in financial crimes such as money laundering.
This included work in 'Sanctions screening', the process of checking individuals and groups that may be excluded from the trade in the UK because of their ties with rogue countries, terrorist groups and drug traders.
This would have brought Mr. Searle to the notification of networks that work all over the world, in countries such as Russia.
Mr. Searle was originally from West Sussex, while his wife came from Scotland.
The former counter-fraud specialist withdrew in 2015 in France from his professional life in Scotland, after he had worked in the Financial Arm of the Barclay's Bank in Edinburgh.
The Scottish actor known for his role as PC George Kiss (photo) in Channel 4 Soap Hollyoaks between 2020 and 2021
Callum and Dawn shown together on the wedding day of Dawn in 2023
A British couple were found dead today in their isolated house in southwestern France after a possible 'burglary disappeared' (file photo of Villefranche-de-Rouergue)
Previously, the graduate Liverpool John Moores University in Standard Life, which is also located in the Scottish capital.
He maintained a LinkedIn account, in which he wrote: 'Renteneland for the delivery of significant improvements in AFC [Anti-Financial Crime] Possibilities, developing effective operational models within a group structure. '
A neighbor told MailOnline: '[They] Were beautiful – hearing about this is extremely painful.
“They were extremely friendly, and always on their way. What happened has caused a lot of fear. '
It is thought that the man and the woman were killed in their detached property, including a two -bedroom flat that was regularly occupied by paying visitors.
The Searles advertised their house extensively online. There is a swimming pool outside and then thick forests that place the house in an isolated position, away from the center of the hamlet.
While researchers originally feared 'a burglary error,' local officials suggested on Friday that there could be other motives.
Jean-Sebastien Orcibal, the mayor of Villefranche, said: “We didn't really burglaries in our city, and especially not a violent burglaries.”
Local prosecutors have started a criminal investigation, with judicial police and gendarmes support them.
The house and the site remained closed off on Friday, in which forensic officers investigate the entire building.
Drones could also be seen circling over your head, while house questions were performed by Gendarmes.
Nobody was arrested anyway in connection with the deaths.
Villefranche-de-Rouergue is located on the Aveyron department-the French version of a province. It is full of British expats and holiday owners from the UK.
Another local source said that the couple “had many friends and further away, including in Britain, and often organized dinner.”
He added: 'They both loved the countryside and were very happy. They were very proud of their house, which is far away from other buildings in the hamlet '.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told MailOnline: “We support the family of a British couple who died in France and maintains contact with the local authorities.”
