Mobile phones belonging to a British couple found dead in France have provided "vital clues" about their deaths, French investigators have revealed.
The device of Andrew Searle, 65 - once a financial investigator who fought organised crime - is proving "particularly helpful", according to detectives on the case.
Searle and his wife Dawn, 56, were discovered dead at their property in Les Pesquiès, south of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, on Thursday afternoon.
"There is a mine of information, and recent calls made by Searle are providing vital clues," an investigating source told reporters.
Antoine Da Silva, 63, said: "He looked very worried. He said 'I can't speak with you I'm on the phone' and he walked on immediately."
Another neighbour saw the couple walking their dogs the day before they were found and said: "He was very agitated, and he was arguing violently in English, he just waved at me and then carried on."
The husband was captured on CCTV at a tobacconist in Villefranche-de-Rouergue just before 6pm on Wednesday evening - mere hours before his death.
The couple were discovered by a neighbour around 12:20pm the following day.
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Jean-Sébastien Orcibal, the local mayor who married the couple two years ago, dismissed theories of a burglary gone wrong, and dismissed claims of a murder-suicide, saying the couple had "too much to live for".
Searle had worked extensively with private companies in Edinburgh, the Serious Fraud Office and police to combat global criminal syndicates involved in money laundering.
His role included sanctions screening, investigating individuals and groups barred from UK dealings due to terrorist and rogue nation connections.
After taking early retirement in 2015, Searle reportedly encountered financial difficulties related to his pension.
French financial documents have also revealed that a rental business he established in Les Pesquiès was forced into liquidation in 2023.
Nicolas Rigot-Muller, the Rodez prosecutor leading the investigation, said: "Both died violent deaths, but I cannot yet firmly establish homicide."
No arrests have been made in connection with the deaths.
Pathologists were due to conduct post-mortem examinations on Monday to determine the causes of death.
The UK Foreign Office said: "We are supporting the family of a British couple who died in France and are liaising with the local authorities."
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The device of Andrew Searle, 65 - once a financial investigator who fought organised crime - is proving "particularly helpful", according to detectives on the case.
Searle and his wife Dawn, 56, were discovered dead at their property in Les Pesquiès, south of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, on Thursday afternoon.
"There is a mine of information, and recent calls made by Searle are providing vital clues," an investigating source told reporters.
Antoine Da Silva, 63, said: "He looked very worried. He said 'I can't speak with you I'm on the phone' and he walked on immediately."
Another neighbour saw the couple walking their dogs the day before they were found and said: "He was very agitated, and he was arguing violently in English, he just waved at me and then carried on."
The husband was captured on CCTV at a tobacconist in Villefranche-de-Rouergue just before 6pm on Wednesday evening - mere hours before his death.
The couple were discovered by a neighbour around 12:20pm the following day.
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Jean-Sébastien Orcibal, the local mayor who married the couple two years ago, dismissed theories of a burglary gone wrong, and dismissed claims of a murder-suicide, saying the couple had "too much to live for".
Searle had worked extensively with private companies in Edinburgh, the Serious Fraud Office and police to combat global criminal syndicates involved in money laundering.
His role included sanctions screening, investigating individuals and groups barred from UK dealings due to terrorist and rogue nation connections.
After taking early retirement in 2015, Searle reportedly encountered financial difficulties related to his pension.
French financial documents have also revealed that a rental business he established in Les Pesquiès was forced into liquidation in 2023.
Nicolas Rigot-Muller, the Rodez prosecutor leading the investigation, said: "Both died violent deaths, but I cannot yet firmly establish homicide."
No arrests have been made in connection with the deaths.
Pathologists were due to conduct post-mortem examinations on Monday to determine the causes of death.
The UK Foreign Office said: "We are supporting the family of a British couple who died in France and are liaising with the local authorities."
Find Out More...