A BRIT mum who was brutally murdered in a French village had begun a new relationship and was planning to divorce her husband, a friend claimed.

Karen Carter, 69, died from severe blood loss after being stabbed multiple times outside her home in Trémolat on Tuesday.

Karen’s body was discovered by her friend Jean-Francois Guerrier – who she is believed to have been in a relationship with.

The pair had spent the evening at a wine tasting at a popular café-bar in the village with pals, around 10 minutes drive from Karen’s home.

Upon returning Karen was reportedly stabbed through the heart as she retrieved her dog – a white Griffon puppy – from her car.

Jean-Francois had only left her for “10 minutes” before she was savagely killed, according to Begerac prosecutor Sylvie Martin-Guedes.

A British expat pal of Karen’s confirmed her relationship with Jean-Francois and added that she was planning to divorce her husband Alan Carter.

The friend told The Mail on a Sunday: “I heard that she was trying to divorce her husband in South Africa but he wasn’t keen on that.

“Karen had apparently been in a relationship with Jean-Francois Guerrier for a few weeks, it was really early days.

“They collaborated closely at the Cafe Village. Until a month ago, Jean-Francois served as the chairman of the village committee headquartered at the cafe.”

She added: “By all accounts she was very happy in that new relationship but she kept it quiet and was quite modest about it.”

The ex-teacher had managed a holiday cottage business in France for more than ten years and also volunteered at the Café Village—a favored gathering place for expats known for its weekly fish and chip night—together with Jean-Francois.

One of Karen’s neighbours also hinted at the new relationship.

He told how he had been watching Arsenal take on PSG in the Champions League on Tuesday night when he saw cops turn up. 

Christophe – who did not give his surname – said: “I heard no screams and no shouting.

“The first I knew something had happened was when all the blue lights from the police flashed past some time before 10:30pm on the Tuesday night.

“I’d seen her walking up the road last Friday afternoon around 5pm.

“She was walking towards her house with Jean-Francois.

“They weren’t holding hands but they looked like they were together as a couple.”

Karen was married to Alan, 65, but the couple were said to be estranged and he was in South African when her murder took place.

Alan, who is still residing at the couple’s home in East London, South Africa, expressed his shock and surprise at the news that his wife might have pursued a new relationship.

He insisted that the pair were simply friends and said: “There was no relationship. He was just a friend of hers.”

Karen and Alan had owned their holiday home in Trémolat for 15 years, splitting time between France and South Africa.

Speaking from their home in East London, South Africa, Alan said he learned of his wife’s death via a Facebook post read by a cousin who also lives in Trémolat.

“She phoned me… to say she’s sorry to tell me and that she thinks Karen has died. That was the first I heard about it,” he said.

“No one had got in touch with me at all to let me know what had happened. I found out through my cousin who happened to see it on a Facebook page.”

The former London Stock Exchange worker paid tribute to his late wife, describing her as “such a decent, lovely person”.

He said his wife of 30 years was an outgoing, friendly person who “wouldn’t hurt a fly”, and said her death has been “traumatic” for his family.

Mr Carter told the BBC: “I’m an introvert, and she’s the exact opposite. She’s an extrovert, she loves people, she loves to have fun. People love her, she has a good heart.

“She’s the one who would bring home the lost dog, or cat, or whatever. She’s that sort of person. Everyone liked her. That’s why I married her. She’s just lovely.”

Investigators confirmed that Alan was in South Africa at the time of the shock killing.

Officials are now investigating whether Mrs Carter could have been killed over a grudge – or jealousy over her new relationship.

Bergerac prosecutor Martins-Guedes said: “The investigation focuses on people who were likely have a grudge against the victim, or the couple she formed with her friend, both of whom were very active in the local community and social scene.

She added: “At this stage, no hypothesis has been ruled out.”

Prosecutors previously investigated other possible motives – including robbery. 

But a number of unanswered questions still surround Karen’s mysterious death, as the cops continue their investigations.

Forensics officers returned to the crime scene on Friday morning for further examinations, arriving in a police van and an unmarked SUV.

And the cottage remains cordoned off – with a police notice taped to the front door of the property.

A team of around ten police officers were also spotted searching the nearby woodland for fresh clues on Friday afternoon.

It is thought they were looking for the murder weapon.

The team also cordoned off the road outside her home and a helicopter was seen circling the village as they reportedly reconstructed the murder scene.