A 70-year-old woman, described as a close neighbor of a British mother of four who was fatally stabbed in her home in France, has been formally charged with her murder. The victim, Karen Carter, 65, was killed in April 2025 in the village of Trémolat, located in the Dordogne region.
According to Jacques-Édouard Andrault, the state prosecutor in Périgueux, the suspect is currently in custody under suspicion of premeditated murder, which carries a potential life sentence. Allegations suggest that the motive behind the murder may have been related to Ms. Carter’s romantic life, as she was in the process of divorcing her husband while involved with another man, Jean-François Guerrier, a retired executive residing near her French property.
Following the incident, Mr. Guerrier and Marie-Laure Autefort, another neighbor, were briefly detained but later released without charges. Philippe Monribot, Ms. Autefort’s brother, acknowledged his sister’s feelings for Mr. Guerrier but dismissed any notion of her involvement in the crime.
Mr. Guerrier, who was with Ms. Carter on the night of the incident, alerted authorities after discovering her body. He cooperated with the investigation and pointed law enforcement towards Ms. Autefort. Despite providing an alibi and denying any wrongdoing, both Ms. Autefort and Mr. Guerrier submitted DNA samples to the police, along with other guests from a wine tasting event held by Mr. Guerrier on the day of the murder.
The prosecutor confirmed that the murder suspect was taken into custody on the same day Ms. Autefort was arrested. The accused, known to Ms. Carter, was formally charged with premeditated murder and is currently under judicial supervision due to her age, which involves continuous monitoring without confinement.
As the investigation continues, Karen Carter’s family, represented by their lawyer Reda Hammouche, expressed confidence in the ongoing inquiries to identify the perpetrator and seek justice for the victim. Hammouche emphasized the family’s belief in the investigative process and the pursuit of truth in resolving the case.
