Two men have been charged in connection with the violent death of an 85-year-old British man in southwest France.
John Agner, a retired wood carver, was found by police with severe head injuries two weeks ago in his house an hour north of Pau. He was reportedly beaten to death and his vehicle stolen.
High-speed chase and discovery
His vehicle was chased at high speed before it crashed in a dead end in Mont-de-Marsan, 25 miles away from the incident. Officers traced the registration plate to Mr Agner and made the discovery in the early hours of Saturday, September 26.
The two men were held along with four others in a multi-agency operation. A 60-year-old suspect, who has not been named, was previously arrested in connection with the killing.
Suspects and charges
The main suspect is a 32-year-old man with 21 previous convictions, according to prosecutors. He has been charged with robbery preceded by or accompanied with violence resulting in death.
He is also accused of an attempted murder which took place last week involving a woman in her 70s, who was reportedly smothered in her home in Mont-de-Marsan. She survived the attack. The woman's car was stolen but later found by police.
Custody and ongoing investigation
A 26-year-old man is also being held in connection with Mr Agner's death. Both men are locals and are being held in custody awaiting trial. No details of the other four held have been shared.
