A Scots woman’s death in France is a mystery. A friend denies the gangland theory. Key points only are highlighted.
Andrew, 62, used to fight fraud and worked at Standard Life and Barclays. Later, they retired to France, moving from Edinburgh.
Witnesses heard Andrew arguing on the phone, getting angry about his garage door. A former colleague doubts a revenge hit.
Friends said the couple seemed happy recently. The colleague, who wishes to remain anonymous, spoke to the Daily Mail, saying he thinks it wasn’t a gangland target.
He explained Andrew wasn’t high-ranking, arguing that criminals target groups, not individuals, and vengeance is too much work for them. He said Andrew was a “really nice guy.”
Friends near Toulouse said they lived well. Two British couples knew the Searles and deny a murder-suicide happened. These expats are in their late 60s.
They last saw the Searles at Christmas time, when everything seemed normal. They question why the couple would kill themselves, while the neighbor described Dawn as beaten and Andrew was found hanged.
Financial issues have also surfaced locally. He paid a bill late, after more than a year and seemed upset about his UK pension in December.
The British couples disagreed with the theory of money worries, stating the Searles weren’t flashy, but comfortable. They traveled often, having gone to Goa for a wedding and honeymooned in South America.
Dawn went to see her new grandchild and then attended her dad’s funeral in Scotland. Dawn and Andrew still worked too; Dawn was a project manager, and Andrew did freelance work.
They rented out a gite for extra income, which was usually occupied. The couple married in 2023, and Dawn’s son, Callum, who acted in Hollyoaks before, walked her down the aisle.