Woman, 69, arrested over murder of British mum-of-four found dead outside French home ‘covered in stab wounds’
2 May 2025, 06:44 | Updated: 2 May 2025, 08:48
A 69-year-old woman is being held over the murder of a British mum-of-four found covered in stab wounds outside her home in Dordogne, France.
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Karen Carter, 65, was savagely beaten to death outside her home in the picturesque village of Trémolat, east of Bordeaux, on Tuesday evening.
The mother-of-four, who was the owner and manager of two guest houses in the small rural commune, was found by a friend lying near her vehicle with five stab wounds.
She had been returning from a night out at a local café-bar with her male friend when her attacker struck and "covered her in stab wounds".
Sylvie Martins-Guedes, prosecutor for Bergerac said: “A woman aged 69 years old, who comes from Trémolat and is part of the couple’s circle, has been detained.”
“The wounds revealed a singular violence and their placement showed the desire to kill,” she said.
A murder inquiry has been launched and will be led by local police.
Speaking from their London home, Mrs Carter's husband Alan said he was "disturbed" of reports she had "started a relationship" with a man who had been interviewed by police.
“There was no relationship. He was just a friend of hers,” he said.
“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,” Mr Carter said, the Times reports.
“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 didn’t worry about her safety in France, we don’t need to lock doors, nothing happened there. People notice strange people walking around and if Karen had seen something bad, she would have shouted.
“I am just speculating, but the person who did it could have been someone she knew and perhaps I knew too.”
Mr Carter added: “The property was a passion of my wife’s, she loved the French culture and lifestyle. We ran the properties as gites. She spent a lot of time in France, but I still work and live mostly in South Africa and go over fairly regularly.
“We are planning to go to France and have a small funeral there and all the children will come, have a cremation and bring her ashes back to South Africa and scatter some in Trémola. The children are struggling as they would. They are so shocked.
“Karen was here in South Africa for the summer and I was due to go for the French summer. We were both learning to speak French, she was there more. We had an amazing lifestyle. Spending our time between two amazing countries.”
Ambulance crews rushed to the scene at 10.15pm to find the victim had gone into cardiac arrest and suffered wounds to her breast, groin, arm and leg. Despite their best efforts, she died shortly afterwards.
Local gendarmes are now searching for her killer and a criminal enquiry has been opened by Sylvie Martins-Guedes, the Bergerac prosecutor.
News of Mrs Carter's death has shocked the local community, of which she had been a member of for a decade, as tributes began to appear on social media on Wednesday.
A sign was placed on the front of the local café to inform residents that the Wednesday concert evening and Thursday quiz were cancelled 'due to death'.
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Her over-50's football team Reines du Foot, or "Queens of Football" in English, posted: "We are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Karen, our friend and Queen of Football, who leaves a great void in our hearts. All our thoughts go out to her loved ones."
Writing under the post, one person said: "Best thoughts to the team who will miss her every game, to her family and everyone who knows her. A part of her remains in our hearts."
Another said: "My heart goes out to you and his family in this horrible ordeal."
One shocked local posted: "We are no longer safe even at home in the middle of the countryside."
Ms Carter was married to Alan Carter, also 65, who at one point worked for the London Stock Exchange.
The couple were both educated at Rhodes University, South Africa, and, according to the France 3 news outlet, Ms Carter was British.
Her guest houses were frequently used by guests from the UK, as the area was hugely popular with British tourists.
A message written by Ms Carter read: 'We would love to welcome you to visit our beautiful cottage in the Dordogne Valley, France.
"Take time out of your crazy schedule and relax into the wonderful slow lifestyle of the French community.'A local prosecutor said Mrs Carter's attacker had "intended to kill" when he carried out his 'particularly violent attack'."
Preliminary information suggests Mrs Carter been with friends before returning home with a male friend "with whom she had been in a relationship for several weeks".
He had trailed behind her by only 10 minutes when he found her "collapsed and unconscious" and started to administer first aid.
The man was briefly held in police custody but was released from his hearing this evening.
The investigation is ongoing.
The British Foreign Office has been approached for comment.
