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The Irish Sun
28-06-2025
- The Irish Sun
Locals fear Brit mum's murder in French village was professional hit as children break silence on unsolved killing
FEARS are growing that Brit mum Karen Carter was killed in a professional hit - as the unsolved killing continues to stump police. Her children have now broken their silence for the first time since she was Advertisement 12 Fears are growing that Brit mum Karen Carter was killed in a professional hit Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk 12 Karen Carter pictured with her husband Alan Carter Credit: Facebook 12 She was found in a pool of blood outside her home in Trémolat Police investigating her death in the sleepy village of Trémolat, Dordogne, said her brutal murder was "planned and exceptionally violent". Cops suspect that , 74 They also identified a love triangle including another local named Marie Laure Autefort - who was reportedly "madly in love" with Guerrier. Advertisement READ MORE WORLD NEWS Karen had also been married to Alan Carter, 65, for 30 years, further complicating the love triangle. But the married couple had been estranged and Alan was living in South Africa at the time her death. Autefort's brother Philippe Monribot admitted his sister had fallen in love with Guerrier, whom she called "the tall one", but insisted she was innocent. He is convinced the murder was a "professional hit", and said that police were "wasting their time" by interrogating him for four hours last week, The Times reported. Advertisement Most read in The Sun She was a beloved member of the local community and a married mum-of-four. Moment Brit mum is seen dancing with secret lover months was stabbed to death Guerrier had followed Karen home at a discreet distance after hosting a wine-tasting at his Trémolat farmhouse - just a 10 minute drive from the Brit mum's property. He then found Karen on the floor by her car and desperately tried to save her - but it was too late. Advertisement After prosecutors confirmed that Karen's affair was the focus of the investigation, her husband Alan said his shock was compounded with a sense of betrayal. Karen's daughter Liz, an engineering student in the US, said: "I keep thinking about what her last moments would have been like. "The colour in my life has washed away." She added that her mum's killer was clearly a "deeply disturbed individual who had nothing going for them". Advertisement "They saw my mother's beautiful life and, for whatever reason, chose to extinguish her light," she said. Karen's other daughter Katy, 30, who lives in the UK, said her mum had been "so excited about her life in France and growing old in Trémolat". Meanwhile, her son from her first marriage Nick Sachs said of his mum's death: "It's a hole in our lives that we can't fill." 12 Karen is said top have had a secret relationship with Jean-Francois Guerrier, 74, who discovered her body Advertisement 12 Marie Laure Autefort was 'madly in love' with Guerrier 12 And his brother Jonathan, who works in Australia, said he felt "aimless" since his mum's murder and even prepared for the prospect that the killer would never be found. He said: "I've come to realise that there is a possibility that the culprit may never be identified and we as a family will need to learn and accept that." Advertisement The mayor of Trémolat Éric Chassagne was one of the last people to see Karen alive, as he had also been at the small gathering at Guerrier's property. Chassagne, who has been mayor for 30 years, feared that suspicion was "weighing on the village" of around 600 residents. He suggested the killer might still be in town. He said: "The most probable [lines of inquiry] involve people we know. It's the most obvious." Advertisement Since his release after questioning, Guerrier, originally from Paris, has kept a low profile. He previously spent some years working in England as an IT executive. The woman who had fallen in love with him, 69-year-old retired carer Autefort, has not been seen in Trémolat since her two days of questioning. Cops are said to have taken statements from over 200 people and scoured fields and woods near the Carter home for clues as well as the murder weapon. Advertisement 12 Alan Carter had been living in South Africa at the time of her death Credit: Facebook 12 The Brit was a popular member of her local community 12 Footage showed Karen dancing with Guerrier at a party Credit: Facebook/Cafe Village Tremolat Karen also reportedly told fellow ex-pat pal Beverley Needham Advertisement Beverley told 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 was said to have denied that he and Karen were divorcing, but said his wife's secret romance with Guerrier left him with "a sense of betrayal". Advertisement Karen was found in her driveway dying 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". 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. The cold-blooded murder has rocked the tight-knit village community - who all appear dumbfounded. Advertisement 12 Police have cordoned off Karen's home for further investigations Credit: Doug Seeburg 12 She is survived by her husband and four children Credit: Facebook 12 Karen was found outside her rental property in the Dordgone, France Credit: Doug Seeburg Emma Rathbone, 45, said: 'She was absolutely lovely. She was at the centre of the village. Everybody knew her. Advertisement "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.' 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. Advertisement '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.' Karen's husband Alan, who remains at the couple's home in East London , South Africa , 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. Advertisement Speaking from their home in South Africa, 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." The former London Stock Exchange worker, 65, described her as "such a decent, lovely person", and told of the family's shock. Advertisement 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. Karen had lived in Trémolat for more than a decade, where she ran two holiday rental homes. She volunteered at Village Café alongside Guerrier and Autefort, which now hangs a photograph of the late mum and wife while her killer remains at large.
Scottish Sun
28-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
Locals fear Brit mum's murder in French village was professional hit as children break silence on unsolved killing
It comes two months after she was found in a pool of blood by her secret lover CHATEAU MYSTERY Locals fear Brit mum's murder in French village was professional hit as children break silence on unsolved killing FEARS are growing that Brit mum Karen Carter was killed in a professional hit - as the unsolved killing continues to stump police. Her children have now broken their silence for the first time since she was stabbed to death in a "frenzied attack" two months ago outside her home in France. Advertisement 11 Fears are growing that Brit mum Karen Carter was killed in a professional hit Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk 11 Karen Carter pictured with her husband Alan Carter Credit: Facebook 11 She was found in a pool of blood outside her home in Trémolat Police investigating her death in the sleepy village of Trémolat, Dordogne, said her brutal murder was "planned and exceptionally violent". Cops suspect that Karen's killer may have harboured a grudge against her, or taken issue with the secret affair she had struck up with local villager Jean-Francois Guerrier, 74 They also identified a love triangle including another local named Marie Laure Autefort - who was reportedly "madly in love" with Guerrier. Guerrier and Autefort were previously arrested by police and questioned - but both of them were released without charge. Advertisement Karen had also been married to Alan Carter, 65, for 30 years, further complicating the love triangle. But the married couple had been estranged and Alan was living in South Africa at the time her death. Autefort's brother Philippe Monribot admitted his sister had fallen in love with Guerrier, whom she called "the tall one", but insisted she was innocent. He is convinced the murder was a "professional hit", and said that police were "wasting their time" by interrogating him for four hours last week, The Times reported. Advertisement Karen was found by Guerrier dying from multiple stab wounds in her driveway at 10pm on April 29. She was a beloved member of the local community and a married mum-of-four. Moment Brit mum is seen dancing with secret lover months was stabbed to death Guerrier had followed Karen home at a discreet distance after hosting a wine-tasting at his Trémolat farmhouse - just a 10 minute drive from the Brit mum's property. He then found Karen on the floor by her car and desperately tried to save her - but it was too late. Advertisement After prosecutors confirmed that Karen's affair was the focus of the investigation, her husband Alan said his shock was compounded with a sense of betrayal. Karen's daughter Liz, an engineering student in the US, said: "I keep thinking about what her last moments would have been like. "The colour in my life has washed away." She added that her mum's killer was clearly a "deeply disturbed individual who had nothing going for them". Advertisement "They saw my mother's beautiful life and, for whatever reason, chose to extinguish her light," she said. Karen's other daughter Katy, 30, who lives in the UK, said her mum had been "so excited about her life in France and growing old in Trémolat". Meanwhile, her son from her first marriage Nick Sachs said of his mum's death: "It's a hole in our lives that we can't fill." 11 Karen is said top have had a secret relationship with Jean-Francois Guerrier, 74, who discovered her body Advertisement 11 Karen was found outside her rental property in the Dordgone, France Credit: Doug Seeburg 11 And his brother Jonathan, who works in Australia, said he felt "aimless" since his mum's murder and even prepared for the prospect that the killer would never be found. He said: "I've come to realise that there is a possibility that the culprit may never be identified and we as a family will need to learn and accept that." Advertisement The mayor of Trémolat Éric Chassagne was one of the last people to see Karen alive, as he had also been at the small gathering at Guerrier's property. Chassagne, who has been mayor for 30 years, feared that suspicion was "weighing on the village" of around 600 residents. He suggested the killer might still be in town. He said: "The most probable [lines of inquiry] involve people we know. It's the most obvious." Advertisement Since his release after questioning, Guerrier, originally from Paris, has kept a low profile. He previously spent some years working in England as an IT executive. The woman who had fallen in love with him, 69-year-old retired carer Autefort, has not been seen in Trémolat since her two days of questioning. 11 Alan Carter had been living in South Africa at the time of her death Credit: Facebook Advertisement 11 The Brit was a popular member of her local community 11 Footage showed Karen dancing with Guerrier at a party Credit: Facebook/Cafe Village Tremolat Karen also reportedly told fellow ex-pat pal Beverley Needham she was sealing a divorce from Alan - just one day before her murder. 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." Advertisement 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 was said to have denied that he and Karen were divorcing, but said his wife's secret romance with Guerrier left him with "a sense of betrayal". Karen was found in her driveway dying from eight injuries to her 'chest, groin, arm and leg'. Advertisement An autopsy revealed the mum was killed "as she tried to defend herself from a frenzied attack". 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. The cold-blooded murder has rocked the tight-knit village community - who all appear dumbfounded. 11 Police have cordoned off Karen's home for further investigations Credit: Doug Seeburg Advertisement 11 She is survived by her husband and four children Credit: Facebook 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.' Advertisement 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.' Advertisement Karen's husband Alan, who remains at the couple's home in East London, South Africa, 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 South Africa, 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. Advertisement "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, 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. Karen had lived in Trémolat for more than a decade, where she ran two holiday rental homes. Advertisement She volunteered at Village Café alongside Guerrier and Autefort, which now hangs a photograph of the late mum and wife while her killer remains at large.
Scottish Sun
09-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Mystery deepens over Brit mum murdered in French village as it's revealed she told pal divorce plan night before she died
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) 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 who-dunnit case of Karen Carter, 65, continues after ten days to baffle cops - who have arrested and released at least two figures from the village of Trémolat, Dordogne, western France. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 11 Karen Carter, 65, was found dying in a pool of blood with eight stab wounds 11 Karen was married to Alan Carter, also 65, who lived in South Africa after the couple were estranged Credit: Facebook 11 Karen is said top have had a secret relationship with Jean-Francois Guerrier, 74, who discovered her body 11 Karen was married to Alan Carter, also 65, but the couple were estranged, and she is believed to have had a "discreet" relationship with villager Jean-Francois Guerrier, 74. Another villager, Marie Laure Autefort, was reportedly "madly in love" with Guerrier - and was temporarily arrested by 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. 11 The home in the quiet French village of Trémolat where Karen was murdered Credit: Doug Seeburg 11 French police search woodland near Karen's home for clues Credit: Doug Seeburg 11 Alan was said to feel 'betrayed' after finding out about his wife's secret relationship Credit: 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.' 11 Karen was reportedly in the process of buying a small cottage Credit: Facebook 11 Police have cordoned off Karen's home for further investigations Credit: 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." 11 Alan found out about Karen's death through a cousin who read it on Facebook 11 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.
The Irish Sun
09-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
Mystery deepens over Brit mum murdered in French village as it's revealed she told pal divorce plan night before she died
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 Advertisement 11 Karen Carter, 65, was found dying in a pool of blood with eight stab wounds 11 Karen was married to Alan Carter, also 65, who lived in South Africa after the couple were estranged Credit: Facebook 11 Karen is said top have had a secret relationship with Jean-Francois Guerrier, 74, who discovered her body 11 Karen was Another villager, Marie Laure Autefort, was reportedly "madly in love" with Guerrier - and was investigation . Guerrier and Karen had been at a wine tasting on the night she died - and it was him who discovered 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. Advertisement read more on the case Beverley told 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". Advertisement Most read in The Sun 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'. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 11 The home in the quiet French village of Trémolat where Karen was murdered Credit: Doug Seeburg 11 French police search woodland near Karen's home for clues Credit: Doug Seeburg 11 Alan was said to feel 'betrayed' after finding out about his wife's secret relationship Credit: Facebook Philippe LaBroue, a friend of Beverley's and a former media lawyer, said that was a "possible" series of events. Advertisement 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. Advertisement '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.' 11 Karen was reportedly in the process of buying a small cottage Credit: Facebook 11 Police have cordoned off Karen's home for further investigations Credit: 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. Advertisement '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. Advertisement 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." Advertisement 11 Alan found out about Karen's death through a cousin who read it on Facebook 11 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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement He told "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. Advertisement "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." Advertisement Karen had lived in Trémolat for more than a decade, where she ran two holiday rental homes.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Husband of British woman killed in France speaks out over wife's death
The husband of a British-South African expatriate killed in the Dordogne has spoken out over his wife's death after visiting the scene for the first time. Karen Carter, a 65-year-old mother-of-four, was stabbed to death near the front porch of the gîte she rented to holidaymakers on the outskirts of Trémolat, a small village east of Bordeaux. French prosecutors believe that the killer may have harboured a grudge against either Mrs Carter or the French lover with whom she was rumoured to have been having an affair with at the time of her death. Jean-François Guerrier was rumoured to have been having an affair with Karen Carter at the time of her death - Paul Grover Her husband, Alan Carter, 65, spoke with the Telegraph the day after he landed in Trémolat from South Africa and visited the site of the attack. In a brief three-minute long conversation on Wednesday morning, he said: 'We are just trying to come to terms with what happened. We have all of the grief. We have spent the last few hours in Trémolat. It has been very difficult coming back to the village. 'We are still struggling with everything,' he added. Mr Carter visited the gîte, which remains cordoned off by the gendarmerie, on Tuesday evening Accompanied by a family friend, who had travelled with him from East London, Mr Carter looked over the police tape, paused for reflection for five minutes and surveyed the scene of the attack before walking back to his car and driving away. 0705 Dordogne murder A large pool of dried blood remains visible on the white gravel driveway. On the ground, just outside the police tape, a pale green vase filled with roses and white trumpet lilies has been left in tribute. Mr Carter's companion, who did not wish to be identified, told the Telegraph: 'They are a large family stretched across continents, and all of us adults and children, are still in shock at what has happened. 'We just want to respect the investigation.' Mrs Carter was found stabbed outside her guest house in the French village of Trémolat, east of Bordeaux - Paul Grover Jean-François Guerrier, a 74-year-old retired Fujitsu executive, is understood to have been in a relationship with Mrs Carter for a number of weeks before the attack. Mr Carter has said he was unaware of their relationship until it was publicly announced by the French prosecutor leading the investigation and has described a 'feeling of betrayal'. Mrs Carter and Mr Guerrier had both run the Café Village together, a community hub and watering hole in the centre of the village. Mr Guerrier was the first to discover Mrs Carter and call the police as she lay dying next to her car with eight stab wounds to her 'chest, groin, arm and leg'. He was later questioned and released without charge. 'Wrongly accused' Mr Guerrier has declined to comment on the case or the nature of their relationship but said Mrs Carter was a 'lovely lady' when approached by journalists at his farmhouse. Police arrested Marie Laure Autefort, a local 69-year-old retired carer and amateur genealogist but released her shortly afterwards without charge. Her brother told The Telegraph that she was detained because she had become infatuated with Mr Guerrier following her divorce and was viewed as a potential love rival. Philippe Monribot said: 'She was wrongly accused. And I want to say that loud and clear. All I know is that she's in a very, very bad way and won't get over this accusation.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
