British woman’s murder in Dordogne: ‘personal grudge’ motive investigated

French police are reported to be concentrating investigations on whether a personal grudge may have led to the fatal stabbing of British woman Karen Carter outside her home in the Dordogne on April 29.

A 69-year-old woman who was briefly taken into custody has now been released after police questioned her to “establish her schedule” on the night of the murder. 

Investigators are now concentrating on people “likely to wish ill” of either Mrs Carter, 65, or the man who found her, Bergerac procureur Sylvie Martins-Guedes told French media on May 2.

The announcement that a personal grudge is being considered as a motive is unusual in France, where details of ongoing investigations are usually closely guarded by the procureur until trial.

‘Exceptionally violent’ attack

Mrs Carter, a mother of four and former teacher who had lived in the village of Trémolat for around a decade, was found lying grievously wounded near the front porch of her gîte on April 29. 

A preliminary autopsy revealed she had sustained eight stab wounds to her chest, groin, arm and leg in what authorities describe as an “exceptionally violent” attack.

The victim was discovered at around 22:15 by Jean-François Guerrier, a 74-year-old local businessman who had accompanied her to a wine-tasting event earlier that evening. 

He was questioned by police on May 1 and released without charge. He told police the two had left the event separately, with Mrs Carter departing ten minutes before him.

The procureur's statement described Mr Guerrier as being in a relationship with Mrs Carter, which her husband Alan, who lives in South Africa, initially denied.

He has since told the UK press that he accepts this fact.

“What has come out of this investigation has confirmed a relationship I did not want to believe,” Mr Carter told The Times.

Mr Carter also said that he learned of his wife’s death from a relative who saw a Facebook post. “No one had got in touch with me at all to let me know what had happened. It’s terrible,” he said.

‘Everyone liked her.’

The attack has shocked the community of 600 residents, a village that has reportedly seen no serious crime in nearly half a century. 

“There is never any crime here, this is the first time in 45 years,” one local told The Telegraph.

Neighbours and friends described Mrs Carter, who ran two gîtes in the village, as warm, generous and deeply involved in the local community, in particular a local associative cafe. 

“People love her, she has a good heart,” said her husband. “She’s the one who would bring home the lost dog, or cat, or whatever. Everyone liked her.”

A friend described her as “a strong businesswoman who had an air of authority about her,” adding that she seemed very happy in recent weeks.

Mrs Carter was a member of Les Reines du Foot, a local football team for women over 50 and participated in the Soccer Grannies World Cup in South Africa in April.

On Saturday, gendarmes and a magistrate returned to the scene to conduct a crime scene reconstruction. Others were seen combing nearby woodland for a possible murder weapon.

A formal inquiry for murder has been opened contre X — the French legal term used when no suspect has yet been formally identified.