Actor son of 'murder-suicide' victim urges late mum's friends not to attend stepdad's funeral

An histrion and instrumentalist whose parent was the unfortunate of a suspected murder-suicide successful France has urged her friends not to be his stepfather's funeral.

Callum Kerr, who starred successful Hollyoaks and Netflix's Virgin River, said it would beryllium "inappropriate" for the representation of his mum to beryllium associated with a work honouring the antheral who "may person been liable for her death".

The bodies of British mates Andrew and Dawn Searle were discovered connected 6 February astatine their location successful the hamlet of Les Pesquies.

Mrs Searle's assemblage was recovered extracurricular the spot with a important caput injury, portion Mr Searle's assemblage was discovered inside.

Prosecutors aboriginal ruled the incidental to beryllium murder-suicide owed to a deficiency of grounds that idiosyncratic other was involved.

In an Instagram station connected behalf of himself and his sister, Amanda Kerr, Mr Kerr said: "In the lack of immoderate grounds suggesting third-party engagement successful the tragic decease of our mother, Dawn Kerr, the prevailing proposal remains that of a murder-suicide."

Mr Kerr, a state euphony vocalist who is besides acceptable to look successful the 2nd play of Netflix's One Piece, said his parent was "killed by aggregate blows to the head", portion "no antiaircraft wounds" were recovered connected Mr Searle.

Mr Kerr said: "While the authoritative probe is inactive ongoing, we cannot disregard the circumstances arsenic they stand.

"For this reason, we indispensable respectfully but firmly petition that our parent not beryllium included successful immoderate mode successful the ceremonial arrangements being made for Andrew.

"Please bash not stock photographs of them together. Please bash not be Andrew's work if you were a person of our mother.

"It would beryllium inappropriate for her representation to beryllium associated with a work honouring the antheral who, based connected each disposable evidence, whitethorn person been liable for her death.

"We inquire for understanding, privateness and respect arsenic we proceed to grieve and question justness for our mum."

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Mr and Mrs Searle, who antecedently lived successful Musselburgh successful East Lothian, had been surviving successful the Aveyron portion for 5 years.

They lived successful Les Pesquies and were joined successful 2023 successful the adjacent municipality of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, with Mr Kerr walking his mum down the aisle.

Neighbours described them arsenic a blessed couple, who had afloat integrated into agrarian French beingness and held an yearly enactment for villagers.

Jean-Sebastien Orcibal, the politician of Villefranche-de-Rouergue who conducted the couple's wedding, told Sky News they were "very happy, precise affable and didn't look to person immoderate problems".

Mrs Searle, 56, grew up successful Eyemouth successful the Scottish Borders, portion Mr Searle, 62, was primitively from England.

According to his LinkedIn page, Mr Searle retired successful 2015 aft antecedently moving successful fiscal transgression prevention astatine companies including Standard Life and Barclays.

Following the deaths, investigators were said to beryllium pursuing respective lines of enquiry - including whether the mates were killed during a burglary oregon imaginable links to Mr Searle's erstwhile enactment successful the UK.