French police are considering whether the deaths of a British couple in the French countryside could have been a murder-suicide.

       Andrew and Dawn Searle, who were both in their 60s, were discovered in horrifying circumstances in Les Pesquiès, in south western France, on Thursday afternoon.

       Dawn was found dead with a head injury, while Andrew was found with marks of violence.

       Based on where the bodies were discovered, police initially theorised that the couple may have been tortured. Now police have told The Mirror that a number of line of inquiries are being looked into.

       Asked if the deaths could be a case of murder-suicide, regional prosecutor Nicolas Rigot-Muller said: "It's being considered."

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       Authorities initially thought the pair may have been killed in a burglary gone wrong. Another theory is that the couple may have been murdered by a UK criminal gang, because Mr Searle was a financial investigator specialising in crime and terrorism.

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       Since the deaths it has emerged that Mrs Searle was the mother of former Hollyoaks actor Callum Kerr, who starred in the Channel 4 show between 2020 and 2021.

       The 30-year-old is now a country singer based in Nashville, Tennessee.

       In September 2023 he walked his mum down the aisle when she married Mr Searle.