Hollyoaks actor Callum Kerr urges ‘murdered’ mum’s friends not to go to stepdad’s funeral

An actor whose mother was victim of a murder-suicide has urged her friends not to attend the suspected killer’s funeral.

Dawn Kerr was found dead alongside her husband Andrew Searle’s body in the Aveyron region of France on February 6.

The prosecutor in charge of the case previously described the case as a murder-suicide, in which Searle is alleged to have killed his wife before taking his own life.

There was no evidence that anyone else was involved in the deaths.

Prosecutor Fabrice Belargent previously said that ‘the analysis carried out does not so far show any evidence that a third party was involved’.

More than six months later Searle’s body has been released by the French authorities and his funeral has been planned.

But Dawn’s two children, Hollyoaks actor Callum Kerr along with his sister Amanda, have issued a statement asking friends of their mum not to attend his funeral.

They said that while the investigation into the deaths was ongoing, they ‘cannot ignore the circumstances as they stand’.

In the statement shared on social media, the siblings said: ‘In the absence of any evidence suggesting third-party involvement in the tragic death of our mother, Dawn Kerr, the prevailing hypothesis remains that of a murder-suicide.

‘Our mother was killed by multiple blows to the head, and Andrew was found deceased by hanging.

‘His injuries are consistent with self-hanging, and no defensive wounds were found on his body.

‘While the official investigation is ongoing, we cannot ignore the circumstances as they stand.

‘For this reason, we must respectfully but firmly request that our mother not be included in any way in the funeral arrangements being made for Andrew.

‘Please do not share photographs of them together. Please do not attend Andrew’s service if you were a friend of our mother.

‘It would be inappropriate for her memory to be associated with a service honouring the man who, based on all available evidence, may have been responsible for her death.

‘We ask for understanding, privacy and respect as we continue to grieve and seek justice for our mum.’

Dawn’s body was found in the garden of the couple’s home in Les Pesquiès, about an hour north of Toulouse, with severe wounds to her head. Searle’s body was found inside the house.

Police were called after a neighbour went to check on the couple when they didn’t turn up to a planned dog walk.

The couple, who were both aged in their 60s, previously lived in Musselburgh, near Edinburgh, and married in France in 2023 with son Callum walking Dawn down the aisle. They had lived in the Aveyron region for five years.

Callum played PC George Kiss in Hollyoaks, and has also appeared in Netflix’s Virgin River. He lives in the US where he also has a country music career.

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