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Times
27-06-2025
- Times
Who killed our beautiful mum? Hunt for Karen Carter's murderer goes on
The long summer evenings of the Dordogne are in full swing. In Trémolat, music drifts down narrow streets from the terrace of the reopened Café Village. Life has returned to the village where, as the sun sets, holidaymakers and locals dance into the night. Inside the café, a photograph now hangs at the wood-panelled bar. Karen Carter, 65, volunteered there at the café before she was stabbed to death at her home nearby two months ago. Her killer is still at large, and the photo of the smiling Carter is the only hint that the café, festooned with lights and bunting, and the village, remain a focus of the murder hunt. Investigators have a working theory: that the killer harboured a personal grudge against Carter, a married mother with four adult children, or a problem with the relationship she had struck up with Jean-Francois Guerrier, with whom she helped to run the bar at Café Village. He and another volunteer, Marie-Laure Autefort, who made public her infatuation with Guerrier, were both arrested and released without charge. Today, as Trémolat moves uneasily towards its peak tourist season, Carter's adult children have spoken for the first time about their mother's murder, which police said was 'planned and exceptionally violent'. Guerrier, 74, found Carter dying from multiple stab wounds in her driveway at 10pm on April 29, after she had left his farmhouse on the edge of Trémolat where he had hosted a wine-tasting event. He had followed her at a discreet distance to spend the night at her converted barn. Guerrier tried to revive her as he called the emergency services, but she was beyond help. 'I keep thinking about what her last moments would have been like,' said Liz Carter, 29, an engineering student in the United States. 'The colour in my life has washed away'. She learnt of the death after a call from her father, Alan. From South Africa, he had to break the news to all four children — two daughters and two sons — scattered between Britain, the US and Australia. The family later reunited in Trémolat, where they had spent many holidays, to visit their property, which is now a crime scene, and hold a funeral. The prosecutor's confirmation that his wife's affair was the investigation's focus, Alan Carter said, compounded the shock with a sense of betrayal. The couple, married for 30 years and dual British and South African citizens, had spent years renovating Les Chouettes, an old cottage and barn that Karen ran as gîtes. The couple had disagreed about how to divide their time, with Karen keen to live in France permanently. Katy Carter, 30, who lives in Britain, said her mother had been 'so excited about her life in France and growing old in Trémolat'. After spending most of her life in South Africa worrying about crime, Karen Carter often spent months alone in Trémolat, leaving doors unlocked, her family said. Her murder was the most violent crime anyone can remember in the Périgord region. It is believed her killer lay in wait and lunged from the shadows as she got out of her car, stabbing her eight times from the front. The first blow, to the heart, was fatal, according to the post-mortem examination. Liz Carter imagines the killer 'was a deeply disturbed individual who had nothing going for them. They saw my mother's beautiful life and, for whatever reason, chose to extinguish her light'. Widespread coverage of the murder has concerned Éric Chassagne, Trémolat's mayor for 30 years. He feared it would put visitors off and keep the locals at home. Instead, the village is buzzing, even if the unsolved murder is 'causing suspicion to weigh on the village', with concerns that the killer is likely to be in their midst. More than 200 people are thought to have made statements to police, and multiple searches have been made in the fields and woods surrounding the Carter property for clues and the murder weapon. 'The most probable [lines of inquiry] involve people we know. It's the most obvious,' the mayor said. Chassagne was one of the last people to see Carter alive at the small gathering at Guerrier's home, to taste new wines that he and Carter had chosen to stock Café Village. The venue was set up in a vacant village shop at the end of the pandemic as an attempt to bring a social focus to Tremolat's jumble of old blue-collar families, such as Autefort's, the retired city professionals, including Guerrier, and expat holiday-home owners with their limited French. Organisers announced its 'indefinite' closure after the murder, and its revival feels too soon for some regulars who feel the merriment beneath Carter's portrait is disrespectful and premature, while her murder remains unsolved. The mayor, however, believes life should not be paused. 'I was in complete agreement with the reopening. It had to reopen eventually … Trémolat must get on with life and carry on welcoming people from everywhere,' Chassagne said. Guerrier, originally from Paris and who spent some years in England as an IT executive, has kept a low profile. Autefort, a 69-year-old retired carer, has not been seen in the village since her release after two days of police questioning. Her brother Philippe Monribot, who was a fireman for 42 years, was questioned by investigators for four hours last week, he told The Times. He has lived in Trémolat his whole life and said he had been asked by the gendarmes to show them spots where the killer might have dumped their weapon in the woods which surround the properties belonging to the Carters, him and his sister. 'They're wasting their time,' said Monribot, who is convinced the murder was a professional hit, though he understood why his sister, Autefort, fell under suspicion. She had been in love with Guerrier, whom she called 'the tall one', Monribot said, adding that Guerrier had once demanded she divorce her husband to be free, but then spurned her. A police source said they did not consider the crime to be a contract killing. Nick Sachs, Carter's son from her first marriage, who lives in London, said the family all struggled to imagine the future without her. 'It's a hole in our lives that we can't fill.' His brother, Jonathan, who works in construction in Australia, said he had felt 'aimless' since his mother's death and was prepared that the killer might never be caught. '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,' he said.
Daily Mail
31-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Cafe that may hold key to French murder of British woman who worked there 'with secret lover' reopens exactly one month after the killing
A village café that may hold the key to finding the killer of a British woman in south west France has reopened – exactly a month after the savage murder. Karen Carter, 65 and a married mother of four, was found dead outside her home in Trémolat, east of Bordeaux, following a night out with friends on April 29th. The Café Village, where she worked part time behind the bar along with an alleged secret lover, was immediately 'shut indefinitely'. Investigators leading the investigation feared that someone who held a grudge against Ms Carter – or 'the new couple' she was forming with Jean-François Guerrier, 74 – may have come to know her at the hugely popular social centre. Yet – despite the killer not being caught and locals fearing he or she may have 'strong connections' with the café – it was back in business last week. 'Regular opening' resumed on May 28th, according to management, with events including pop music concerts and quiz nights. Mr Guerrier, who was president of the community association which ran the Café Village, was arrested and questioned at length following the murder, before being released without charge. It was Mr Guerrier who found Ms Carter outside her home, covered with stab wounds, before failing to revive her. He confirmed Ms Carter had spent the night at a 'wine tasting evening' at his house, but failed to telephone him when she got home, and so he went to investigate. In December, Ms Carter was filming dancing with Mr Guerrier at the Café Village, to Gloria Gaynor's disco anthem, I Will Survive. In turn, Ms Carter's 65-year-old husband, Alan Carter, who spends most of his time in South Africa, said he was unaware of their relationship. He said he knew nothing about it until it was publicly announced by the French authorities, saying he had 'a feeling of complete betrayal.' Despite the enquiry into Ms Carter's death being upgraded to a full-blown murder enquiry earlier this month, there is a still no sign of the killer – or the murder weapon used. This has led prosecutors to believe that it was a meticulously planned crime, carried out by someone who knew Ms Carter. He or she lay in wait, they believe, and took care to avoid leaving forensic evidence, before using 'unspeakable violence' against the defenceless Ms Carter, according an investigating source. 'It certainly could have been someone who knew the victim from the Café Village, or a contract killer acting on their behalf,' the source added. Despite searches in the area, and two arrests including of Mr Guerrier, no serious suspect has yet emerged. Bergerac prosecutors opened the initial investigation, without focusing on a single motive. They confirmed that Ms Carter suffered eight severe stab wounds, and said she could have died because of 'a grudge' against her and Mr Guerrier, motivated by their secret affair. Frustrated with the lack of progress, prosecutors announced in early May that a 'judicial investigation into murder' was being opened. This meant that an instructing judge in Périgueux had stronger powers to interview people, to request documents, and to liaise with overseas authorities. Ms Carter had British and South African nationality, and her husband was at their home in East London, South Africa, at the time of the killing. He arrived in Trémolat soon afterwards, and visited the scene of the suspected murder, before organising his wife's funeral, which took place in Bergerac earlier this month. Mr Guerrier has meanwhile declined to speak at length, saying: 'Karen was a lovely lady, but I can't answer any more questions at the moment.' He has confirmed hosting a party at his converted farmhouse, close to the village, just before Ms Carter's death. She left the wind-tasting evening at 10pm, and had promised to phone Mr Guerrier when she got home. Concerned when he heard nothing, Mr Guerrier, a former managing director of Fujitsu Services who worked in Britain at one point, drove to check on her, and found her body sprawled on the driveway of the property she ran as a rental business. Despite attempts to save her, Ms Carter died from severe blood loss, after being stabbed in the chest, groin, arm and leg, according to an autopsy. Police also initially arrested a neighbour of Mrs Carter, 69-year-old Marie Laure Autefort, but released her when she was able to provide an alibi. Her brother, Philippe Monribot, said she was infatuated with Mr Guerrier – but he insisted she was not capable of killing Mrs Carter. 'My sister is innocent. She is devastated by what has happened,' said Mr Monribot. Ms Carter had lived in the Dordogne for more than a decade, and was a member of a women's over-50s football team called the Queens of Football (Reines du Foot) Joëlle Mayer, who worked part time with Ms Carter at the Café Village, said: 'She was a charming, relaxed person, happy to be alive, smiling, and loved by everyone here. 'The town has a very active community life, and she was part of it. She participated in all the activities of the community café.'
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.
Daily Mirror
06-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Husband of Brit woman 'murdered' in France slams her 'complete betrayal'
Mum-of-four Karen Carter, 65, was found dead outside her property in Tremolat, southwestern France after suffering multiple stab wounds - her husband said police discovered she was having an affair The husband of a British woman allegedly murdered in France has said he feels 'betrayed' after police were reported to have uncovered an affair during their investigation. Mother-of-four Karen Carter, 65, was found bleeding with multiple 'deep' stab wounds outside her property in the quiet village of Tremolat, to the east of Bordeaux, last Tuesday. Despite paramedics' best efforts, the British expat was pronounced dead at the scene after suffering a "cardio-respiratory arrest". French police have since arrested a 69-year-old woman, said to be within Mrs Carter's social circle, in connection with the killing. Her husband, Alan Carter, only found out about the death from a phone call he received back in the UK - and claims he has since been given further shocking news. He said police investigating her death had uncovered a secret relationship between Karen and retired French businessman Jean-François Guerrier - one which the husband said he already had suspicions about. It was Mr Guerrier bleeding out in the driveway of her holiday home on April 29 after they'd spent the evening with others at a wine-tasting event. Alan Carter, 65, told The Times said detectives' enquiries had confirmed "a relationship I did not want to believe", and that becoming aware of the affair left him with "a feeling of complete betrayal". He added that he had challenged Karen about the amount of time she was spending with Jean-François on numerous occasions, but that any romantic element had "been denied to me repeatedly." Mr Carter said that rumours had already been circulating about the pair by the time he confronted her, but she had told both him and her friends that "there was nothing in it". Karen, a retired teacher, had started up a holiday business in Trémolat around a decade ago, and met Jean-Francois while volunteering at the Café Village, a local bar and eatery. Alan explained: "It was so obvious that Jean-François had an affection for Karen, and I feel he took advantage of the time we were spending apart." "I felt the Café Village attracted a lonely bunch of people who had nothing else to throw their lives into. I felt they were having a strong influence on Karen, and she really did not know that much about them." The husband said said he was staying at the couple's home in East London last Wednesday when his cousin rang him and told him about Karen's death. An autopsy revealed Karen suffered from eight serious wounds - including to her chest, forearm and abdomen - and died "by haemorrhage following a wound to the aorta". The report added: "All the wounds suggest the victim was attempting to defend herself from a frenzied attack."
Metro
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
British mum seen dancing with French lover months before she was fatally stabbed
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A British mother who was stabbed to death in France is seen smiling and dancing with her boyfriend in a video taken five months ago. Footage shows Karen Carter throwing her arms up in the air to Gloria Gaynor's 'I Will Survive' with businessman Jean-Francois Guerrier in the middle of a packed dance floor. It was taken in December outside Café Village in Trémolat where the pair worked closely together at a fish and chip van right outside of the bar. Karen, 65, was found viciously stabbed to death by Jean-Francois outside of her home last week over her chest, groin, arm and leg as she was returning from a village wine tasting with friends. The mum-of-four had tried to defend against the 'frenzied attack,' which left her with catastrophic wounds, including to her aorta, the autopsy found. Investigators believe her killer might have been motivated by a grudge. Karen had promised to call Jean-Francois when she got home safe, but when the call never arrived, he drove to her house and discovered hey laying in a pool of blood near the holiday properties she rented with her husband, MailOnline reports. A friend described Karen as 'a strong businesswoman who had an air of authority about her'. She claimed Karen was 'trying to divorce her husband in South Africa but he wasn't keen on that'. Her husband Alan Carter had been expected to fly to France from South Africa yesterday afternoon. Karen had travelled to Trémolat, 65 miles east of Bordeaux, by herself last month and had been spending time alone in the French countryside. The friend told the Mail on Sunday: 'Karen had apparently been in a relationship with Jean-Francois Guerrier for a few weeks. It was really early days. 'By all accounts, she was very happy in that new relationship but she kept it quiet and was quite modest about it.' Jean-Francois was initially questioned but subsequently released by French authorities. Alan had been unaware of the pair's relationship, and said it had left him with 'a feeling of complete betrayal'. He told The Times: 'It was so obvious that Jean-François had an affection for Karen, and I feel he took advantage of the time we were spending apart. 'I felt the Café Village attracted a lonely bunch of people who had nothing else to throw their lives into. I felt they were having a strong influence on Karen, and she really did not know that much about them.' The husband and wife had last spoke on the morning of her death, and only learnt about the murder from a cousin who had a read a post on Facebook. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Boy, 7, drives his little sister on a mission to McDonald's in his mom's SUV MORE: Passenger killed in 'fight' on cruise ship once used for murder mystery drama MORE: New direct train links European capital city with 3 'stunning' destinations for first time
