As a reminder, in accordance with article 11 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the public prosecutor may make public objective information taken from the proceedings in order to avoid the dissemination of fragmentary or inaccurate information.
On 6 February 2025 at 12:27, the Aveyron fire and rescue operations centre was notified by a neighbour of the discovery of the body of a woman, partially undressed, outside her home in the commune of Villefranche de Rouergue.
The responding fire brigade discovered a second body at the back of the house and notified the gendarmes of the Villefranche de Rouergue brigade.
The investigation, initially led by the Villefranche de Rouergue research brigade, was handed over to the Toulouse research section.
The Gendarmerie Nationale deployed extensive resources to determine the circumstances of the tragedy:
- intervention of criminal investigation technicians with the support of the Gendarmerie Nationale's criminal research institute
- travel by a forensic pathologist,
- search of the home,
- use of a drone and helicopter overflight of the scene,
- interviewing of relatives,
- neighbourhood investigation.
The two deceased, a man and a woman, were the owners of the home in which their bodies were found.
They were retired British nationals who had lived in Aveyron for 5 years.
The first victim, Mrs KERR, had a large head wound.
A box containing jewellery was found nearby, but no object or weapon was found that could have caused the injuries.
Mr SEARLE, who was found hanging by a rope attached to a radiator, showed no visible defensive injuries.
The house appeared to have been rudimentarily searched; cash was found in the couple's bedroom.
The autopsies were performed on 10 February 2025 at the Montpellier forensic medical institute.
Mrs KERR had received several blows to the skull with a blunt, sharp object.
No traces of sexual assault were found.
Mr SEARLE's death was caused by hanging.
Additional examinations (anatomo-pathological, toxicological) are underway to determine the precise circumstances of the deaths.
Investigations are continuing, in particular to determine whether the tragedy was the result of a domestic crime followed by suicide, or whether it was the work of a third party.
