Scottish actor Callum Kerr has confirmed the death of his mother alongside her husband in France.
U.K. media reported that retired fraud investigator Andrew Searle and his wife, Dawn, were found dead Thursday at their home near Villefranche-de-Rouergue in southwest France. BBC cited a public prosecutor stating that "both died violent deaths." The prosecutor added that, while it cannot be established "that either was a homicide," all "hypotheses remain open."
It was later revealed that Dawn Searle was the mother of Kerr, famous for his portrayal of George Kiss on "Hollyoaks" from 2020 to 2021, Deadline reported. Kerr also had roles in Fox's "Monarch" and the sixth season of "Virgin River" on Netflix. On Sunday, a statement was released on his social media.
"At this time, Callum Kerr, Amanda Kerr, Tom Searle & Ella Searle are grieving the tragic loss of their mother and father, Dawn and Andrew Searle. No family member is available for media interviews or comments," it read.
Reports indicate that Dawn Searle was discovered outside the property with a serious head injury and jewelry nearby. The Guardian noted that a neighbor, thinking she was unconscious, called for emergency help.
When authorities arrived, with a helicopter, drone, and forensic team, they found Andrew Searle dead. Police have not drawn any conclusions and are keeping their investigation open.
The Daily Mail reported that authorities were investigating a theory that Andrew Searle may have been targeted because of his past work addressing organized crime and terrorism, having held positions at Standard Life and Barclays Bank prior to his retirement. A former colleague dismissed the notion.
"He was senior but not hierarchical. The bad guys just see the organizations declining them and try new routes or try to learn how to circumnavigate," he said.
"Criminals just see the organization, not the individuals in the teams or running the teams. They'd have a full-time job following through on vendettas," he continued, adding that "everyone who knew Andrew" was "in total shock" of his death.
"He was a really nice guy, would chat to anyone," the former colleague said. "His plan was to buy a house in the south of France and do it up. He was excited about it," he added.