Brit mum, 69, stabbed to death in French village was ‘planning to divorce husband after starting new relationship'

Scottish Sun

04-05-2025

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A BRIT mum who was brutally murdered in a French village was planning to divorce her husband after starting a new relationship, a friend has claimed.
Karen Carter, 69, died from severe blood loss after being stabbed multiple times outside her home in Trémolat on Tuesday.
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Karen Carter and her husband Alan pictured before her tragic death
Credit: Facebook
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The Brit mum was brutally stabbed to death outside her home in a French village
Credit: Facebook
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Karen is thought to have started a relationship with Jean-Francois Guerrier
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The home in the quiet French village of Trémolat
Credit: Doug Seeburg
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 popular café-bar in the village, around 10 minutes drive from Karen's home.
Jean-Francois had only left her for "10 minutes" before she was killed in the savage attack, 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 said: '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 worked together closely at the Cafe Village. Jean-Francois was up until a month ago the chairman of the village committee that was based 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.'
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.
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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 away in South Africa at the time of the killing, according to investigators.
Alan, who remains at the couple's home in East London, South Africa, expressed shock and surprise at revelations that his wife may have started 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."
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Karen and her husband Alan
Credit: Facebook
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French Police officers search woodland near Karen's home for clues on Friday
Credit: Doug Seeburg
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."
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.
The lead prosecutor on the case said the investigation continues to focus on "people who were likely have a grudge against the victim, or the couple she formed with her friend".
Prosecutors previously investigated other possible motives - including robbery.
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Police have cordoned off Karen's home for further investigations
Credit: Doug Seeburg