Death of British couple in south of France leaves town's residents ‘traumatised'

Independent

10-02-2025

The sudden death of a British couple at their home in the south of France has left the town 'completely devastated and traumatised', a local has said.
Andrew Searle and Dawn Kerr, a married British couple aged in their 60s, were found dead at their home address in the hamlet of Les Pesquies in Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Aveyron, in the early afternoon of February 6 by a neighbour who used to go on walks with them, local newspaper Midi Libre reported.
A local woman and acquaintance of the couple, who wanted to remain anonymous, described them as 'exceptional people' who were well-known and loved in the town of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, where they had been living for about a decade, according to the newspaper.
Just talking about it, I am crying and shaking. I want to throw up. It just hurts too much. People here are disgusted - especially knowing they (Dawn and Andrew) were a mother and a father, a grandmother and a grandfather ...
Local woman
She told the PA news agency: 'We are devastated. The whole of Villefranche is shocked. There aren't even words for it, we are traumatised.
'They were people whom we loved, they were part of Villefranche, they were part of us. These people were exceptional.'
The woman explained that the British couple used to prepare a meal for all their neighbours once a year, when 'everyone went to eat at theirs', adding that the town of Villefranche-de-Rouergue was usually 'very quiet'.
She said: 'Just talking about it, I am crying and shaking. I want to throw up. It just hurts too much.
' People here are disgusted – especially knowing they (Dawn and Andrew) were a mother and a father, a grandmother and a grandfather … '
The woman added that the national police and the army appeared to 'be hard at work' as she described a heavy presence in the area around Les Pesquies.
Neither the prosecutor in charge of the case, Nicolas Rigot-Muller, nor the police had yet confirmed whether the case was being investigated as a murder.
It is understood Ms Kerr and Mr Searle were the mother and stepfather of actor and musician Callum Kerr, who played Pc George Kiss in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, and appeared in Netflix's Virgin River, according to a statement published on Mr Kerr's social media accounts on February 8.
The statement read: 'At this time, Callum Kerr and Amanda Kerr are grieving the loss of their mother, Dawn Searle (nee Smith, Kerr), while Tom Searle and Ella Searle are mourning the loss of their father, Andrew Searle.
'No family member is available for media interviews or comments.
'We kindly request that their privacy be respected during this difficult period.
'We will provide updates as appropriate.'