BBC Scotland Information
A British couple had been discovered lifeless of their house in south west France.
Andrew and Crack of dawn Searle, who moved to France from Scotland about 10 years in the past, have been came upon by means of their neighbour on Thursday.
The mayor of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Jean-Sébastien Orcibal, instructed French tv that the deaths have been “obviously a murder”.
The couple lived within the hamlet of Les Pesquiès in a rural house north of Toulouse.
In step with his LinkedIn web page, Mr Searle had labored in monetary crime prevention at firms together with Usual Existence and Barclays Financial institution all over his occupation.
Mr Searle is initially from England and Mrs Searle grew up in Eyemouth within the Scottish Borders.
The couple – who have been of their 60s – lived in Musselburgh, close to Edinburgh, earlier than they moved to Les Pesquiès, south of Villefranche-de-Rouergue.
Their our bodies have been discovered at about 12:20 on Thursday after a neighbour went to test on them at their detatched space once they failed to show up as deliberate for a canine stroll.
Mr Orcibal instructed BBC Information the reason for the loss of life was once nonetheless unclear nevertheless it was once no longer a “circle of relatives tragedy”, that means they did not take their very own lives or kill every different.
He had previous brushed aside hypothesis the deaths have been because of a housebreaking “long past flawed”, and stated “no knife was once discovered”.
Mr Orcibal additionally stated the couple had change into “really well built-in” within the village and used to ceaselessly invite neighbours for a drink.
The mayor added that Mr and Mrs Searle had were given married in the summertime of 2023, and that Mr Searle had worn a kilt for the marriage.
A helicopter, a drone, legal investigation technicians and a forensic physician had been observed on the house.
The Rodez prosecutor, Nicolas Rigot-Muller, who’s in control of the investigation, has nonetheless no longer commented at the case.
Les Pesquiès has round 100 citizens and the realm is well-liked by expats.
A spokesperson for the United Kingdom’s Overseas Place of job stated: “We’re supporting the circle of relatives of a British couple who died in France and are liaising with the native government.”