A 70-year-old woman has been formally charged with the murder of Karen Carter, a British mother-of-four who was stabbed to death in her home in the Dordogne village of Trémolat in April 2025.
Charges filed after lengthy investigation
The public prosecutor of Périgueux, Jacques-Edouard Andrault, confirmed to Sud Ouest: 'On July 2nd, the investigating judge in Périgueux formally charged a woman with murder.' The suspect, a 70-year-old native of Trémolat, was originally taken into custody on April 30, 2025, during a preliminary investigation but was later released. Since then, further investigations as part of a judicial inquiry opened on May 7, 2025, led the judge to indict her.
Details of the attack
Karen Carter, 65, was found dead on April 29, 2025, after returning home from a wine tasting. An autopsy revealed she suffered eight major wounds to her chest, groin, arm, and leg, including a fatal injury to her aorta. The attack was described as 'frenzied,' and she had tried to defend herself. She was living alone in a renovated farmhouse while preparing to divorce her husband, Alan Carter, who was based in South Africa.
Previous arrests and release
Several neighbours were arrested and released without charge in the months following the killing. Ms Carter's French lover, retired business executive Jean-François Guerrier, 75, was also arrested after discovering her body but was later released. He had driven to her home after she failed to call him as promised and found her in a pool of blood.
Tributes to Karen Carter
Friends described Karen as 'a strong businesswoman who had an air of authority' and said she 'didn’t have any enemies.' A Trémolat resident said: 'Everyone is in total shock – she was a delightful, energetic person who got on with everybody.' Ms Carter and her husband Alan had four adult children living in the UK, US, Australia, and South Africa.
