Woman holding a glass of white wine.
Share this @internewscast.com

THE Brit mum brutally stabbed to death outside her French home revealed to a friend she was filing for divorce the night before her murder.

The murder mystery of Karen Carter, 65, has left investigators stumped after ten days, having already apprehended and released at least two individuals from the village of Trémolat in Dordogne, western France.

Woman holding a glass of white wine.
Karen Carter, 65, was found dying in a pool of blood with eight stab wounds
Alan and Karen Carter sitting together, enjoying wine.
Karen was married to Alan Carter, also 65, who lived in South Africa after the couple were estrangedCredit: Facebook
Headshot of Jean-Francois Guerrier.
Karen is said top have had a secret relationship with Jean-Francois Guerrier, 74, who discovered her body
Illustration of a love square involving four people, showing their relationships.

Karen was married to Alan Carter, who is also 65, but they were separated, and it is believed she was involved in a “discreet” relationship with Jean-Francois Guerrier, a 74-year-old villager.

Marie Laure Autefort, another resident of the village, was allegedly “madly in love” with Guerrier and was temporarily detained by the police as part of the investigation.

Guerrier and Karen had been at a wine tasting on the night she died – and it was him who discovered the body in a pool of blood after leaving his alleged lover for just “ten minutes”.

Now, it has emerged that Karen told fellow ex-pat pal Beverley Needham she was sealing her separation from Alan – who lives in South Africa.

Beverley told The Telegraph that, over dinner the night before the murder, she asked Karen: “Have you served the papers?”, to which she replied: “Yes, I gave him the papers.”

The friend continued: “[Karen] told me the relationship was over and said: ‘I’m done’ […] That was her words. She said: ‘I’m done.’”

Beverley, who was brokering the sale of a cottage to Karen, said the estranged couple saw each other only occasionally, but that the toll of the divorce seemed to weigh heavily on her friend.

Alan is said to have denied that he and Karen were divorcing, but admitted the news of his wife’s secret romance with Guerrier left him with “a sense of betrayal”.

Beverley said she had no idea why anyone would want to hurt Karen, who she described as “just fabulous […] so dynamic and just a lovely, lovely person”.

The case continues to stump French cops, who say the are investigating people who may have held a grudge against Karen and her alleged lover.

Tragedy in Trémolat: The Shocking Death of Karen Carter

Karen and Guerrier had spent the evening at a popular café-bar in Trémolat, with a population of just 600, around 10 minutes drive from her home.

Guerrier left Karen alone for a short period before returning to find her dying in the driveway from eight injuries to her “chest, groin, arm and leg”.

An autopsy revealed the mum was killed “as she tried to defend herself from a frenzied attack”.

Guerrier was briefly detained by detectives for questioning, but was released within a few hours.

Police then brought in a 69-year-old woman, named locally as Marie-Laure Autefort, but released her 48 hours later after being satisfied with her alibi.

Another theory amongst the village is that an escaped inmate from a prison 7.5 miles away, which houses mentally ill patients, could have randomly ambushed Karen.

Stone house with patio, outdoor furniture, and a wooden pool.
The home in the quiet French village of Trémolat where Karen was murderedCredit: Doug Seeburg
French police officers searching a wooded area near a murder scene.
French police search woodland near Karen’s home for cluesCredit: Doug Seeburg
Karen Carter and her husband Alan Carter.
Alan was said to feel ‘betrayed’ after finding out about his wife’s secret relationshipCredit: Facebook

Philippe LaBroue, a friend of Beverley’s and a former media lawyer, said that was a “possible” series of events.

But his wife had a different take, explaining that the village is frequented by boar hunters armed with butchering knives – one of whom could have been persuaded to carry out the killing.

The cold-blooded murder has rocked the tight-knit village community – who all appear dumbfounded.

Emma Rathbone, 45, said: “She was absolutely lovely. She was at the centre of the village. Everybody knew her.

“If you were new to the village she would be the first who would make you feel welcome.

“You can see how beautiful the village is. It’s like heaven. You don’t expect something like that to happen to somebody so lovely.”

Karen Carter holding a glass of wine at a table.
Karen was reportedly in the process of buying a small cottageCredit: Facebook
Police tape at a crime scene in front of a house.
Police have cordoned off Karen’s home for further investigationsCredit: Doug Seeburg

Charity worker Adrian Carter, who has had a house in the village for a decade, said: “She was really, really lovely. She was bubbly and a friendly to everyone – both French and English and any other nationalities who were here.

“I was shocked, really really shocked. Genuinely, you would say it’s safe.

“Knowing that someone has now been arrested make me feel a little bit safer.

“It’s such a sleepy place. It’s not like a Midsomer Murders sort of place.”

Husband pays tribute

Alan Carter, who remains at the couple’s home in East London, South Africa, has expressed shock and surprise at revelations that his wife had “started a relationship” with another man.

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

Speaking from their home in East London, South Africa, Mr Carter 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.”

Photo of Karen and Alan Carter.
Alan found out about Karen’s death through a cousin who read it on Facebook
Woman sitting at a cafe table outdoors in front of a cathedral, holding a glass of white wine.
Alan said his wife ‘wouldn’t hurt a fly’Credit: Facebook

The former London Stock Exchange worker, 65, described her as “such a decent, lovely person”, and told of the family’s shock.

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.”

Martins-Guedes said Karen had “started a relationship” with a man in the weeks before her death — a claim Mr Carter strongly denied.

“There was no relationship. He was just a friend of hers,” he said.

He told The Times: “What I understand is that Karen went to a wine-tasting event on Tuesday night and was supposed to phone him to let him know that she had got back safely.

“It was a ten-minute drive. I don’t know if Karen phoned, but when he couldn’t get through to her he drove to see if anything was wrong and found her unconscious next to her car. 

“I don’t know the details but I understand the attack was vicious and deliberate and not like it was by an interrupted intruder. 

“It is likely to have been someone Karen knew and had an issue with her. But she was a kind and friendly person and got on with people.

“I am just speculating but the person who did it could have been someone she knew and perhaps I knew too.”

Alan last spoke to his wife on Tuesday and had to break the news to their four children, the oldest of whom is Nicholas, a chartered accountant in London.

Mr Carter said: “We are planning to go to France and have a funeral; the children will come, have a cremation and bring her ashes to South Africa and scatter some in Trémolat.

“They are struggling, as they would. They are shocked.”

Karen had lived in Trémolat for more than a decade, where she ran two holiday rental homes. 

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Philadelphia Dumpster Divers transforming trash into art for more than 30 years

Philadelphia Dumpster Divers: Over 30 Years of Turning Trash Into Art

Philadelphia, Pa — The Philadelphia Dumpster Divers use upcycled materials in their…
Dem Congress members storm New Jersey ICE prison to conduct 'oversight visit': 'People deserve dignity'

Democratic Congress Members Visit New Jersey ICE Facility for “Oversight Tour”: “Everyone Deserves Dignity”

Three Congressional members made their way through the gates of a U.S.…

U.S. Military Conducts Largest ‘Elephant Walk’ Featuring Supersonic Jets, Helicopters, and Drones to Demonstrate Power to China

The United States has conducted its largest military formation exercise to date…
American Pope Leo XIV inspiring hope in St. Augustine

American Pope Leo XIV Brings Hope to St. Augustine

Catholics and non-Catholics were shocked and hopeful about the first Pope from…
Columbia suspends anti-Israel agitators after takeover, spreading of pamphlets glorifying alleged terrorist

Columbia University Halts Protesters After Campus Takeover and Distribution of Pro-Terrorism Leaflets

Columbia University has put a temporary hold on the enrollment of 65…
Everything you need to know about Kai Trump: The family’s fastest rising star (Video)

All About Kai Trump: The Family’s Emerging Star (Video)

All About Kai Trump: The Trump Family’s Rapidly Emerging Star (Video) |…
The Israeli Embassy in London.

Iranian Suspect in Alleged Plot Against Israel Embassy Could Be Small Boat Migrant

ONE of the Iranian suspects held over an alleged plot to target…
Pope Leo XIV waving from a balcony.

Why Dog Owners Are Dressing Their Pups as the Pope After the Latest Papal Announcement

PRAISE be! This gives a whole new meaning to the term dog…
FDLE agents arrest woman accused of injecting facial fillers with no license

Unlicensed Woman Arrested for Allegedly Administering Facial Fillers

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement released images of a woman accused…
Pope Leo XIV, Villanova grad, introduces himself adorned in symbolism, proverbial religious devotion

Villanova Graduate Pope Leo XIV Showcases Rich Symbolism and Deep Religious Devotion in Introduction

In the serene pause that gripped the anticipatory crowd, Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique…
Chicago faith leaders react to Pope Leo XIV's impact on other religions, including Father Michael Pfleger

Chicago Religious Leaders Respond to Pope Leo XIV’s Influence on Various Faiths, Including Insights from Father Michael Pfleger

CHICAGO (WLS) — The selection of a new pope was momentous not…
Three Pakistan Air Force J-10 fighter jets in flight.

Over 100 Indian and Pakistani Fighter Jets Engaged in Huge Aerial Battle, One of the Largest in Modern Warfare

MORE than 100 Indian and Pakistani fighter jets reportedly clashed in a…