Pensioner held over killing of British mother in France

Telegraph

02-05-2025

A 69-year-old woman has been detained over the murder of a British mother found stabbed to death outside her home in Dordogne, France.
Karen Carter, 65, was found 'collapsed and unconscious' near her car in the medieval village of Trémolat, east of Bordeaux, on Tuesday night, and a murder investigation was launched.
Sylvie Martins-Guedes, the Bergerac prosecutor, said: 'A woman aged 69 years old, who comes from Trémolat and is part of the couple's circle, has been detained.'
Ms Martins-Guedes said Mrs Carter, a dual British-South African citizen and mother of four, had sustained several deep wounds to her chest, groin, arm and leg, which were caused by a 'sharp object'.
The prosecutor said: 'The wounds revealed a singular violence and their placement showed the desire to kill.'
She added: 'At this stage, no hypothesis is being favoured.'
In a statement released on Thursday, Ms Martins-Guedes said that the victim was found by a male friend.
She said: 'They had spent the evening together in Trémolat with friends and then returned to the victim's home,' she said, adding that Mrs Carter had gone ahead and had arrived there 10 minutes before him.
The friend undertook first aid and called the emergency services, but Mrs Carter's heart stopped when they arrived and they were unable to revive her.
He was questioned by police and later released without charge, Ms Martins-Guedes said.
Mrs Carter and her husband, Alan, have owned their property in the village for roughly 15 years and divide their time between Trémolat and East London, South Africa.
They also own and run two holiday rentals in the village.
Mr Carter, who was in South Africa at the time, said he learnt of his wife's murder on Wednesday in a phone call from a cousin, who also owns a home in Trémolat, and read about it on a Facebook post.
He told the BBC: 'It's terrible. Such a small village where nothing like this ever happens,'
Mr Carter described his wife as a friendly person 'who wouldn't hurt a fly' and said her murder had been very 'traumatic' for the family. 'Everyone liked her,' he added.
He speculated that his wife's killer was likely someone known to the couple.
Mr Carter told the Times: 'It is likely to have been someone Karen knew and had an issue with her.'
He last spoke to his wife on Tuesday morning and had to break the news to the couple's four children. The family will be travelling to Trémolat next week, where they are planning a small funeral before taking her ashes back to South Africa.
Mrs Carter had been a member of Les Reines du Foot (The Queens of Football), the local football team for women aged over 50.
A member of the team told Sud Ouest newspaper: 'Everyone is shocked. Karen was very helpful. She was the embodiment of kindness.'
A statement on the team's Facebook page said: 'We are immensely saddened by the sudden death of Karen, our friend and Football Queen, who leaves a great emptiness in our hearts. Our thoughts are with her family.