France - Karen Carter, 65, stabbed to death, Dordogne, 29 April 2025

[Dotta]

What?

CCTV and ring cameras are allowed in France, and often put to use.
What is not allowed, and IMO this applies to the entire EU, is pointing your camera at the road or the house of the neighbours.
However, when something happens, LE will be the first to ask the public to check their CCTV and doorbell cameras to see if there is something on it.

Quoting from memory, there was this recent case in France of a British couple who were found dead in their home in a village. If I remember well, LE concluded that this was a murder / suicide because in the time frame, no one had approached the house - as no one seen on CCTV in the area.

I remember a post of the French poster in this thread
who wanted to install a ring camera but was forbidden by Police.

I recall this post well
as she wrote she decided to buy dogs to feel safe.

Oh,
I even remember the race of dogs

MALINOIS!!!!!!
Woof Woof

JMO

I found it
Post #195

It is obvious that a ring camera might have wide angle to record what is happening in vicinity.

It is, after all its PURPOSE.

 

[Dotta]

It has not been reported that Karen’s throat was slit. Does he know something that the LE did not reveal to the press, or is he just uninformed about where the stabbings occurred on the body?

The answer is simple IMO!!!!

GOSSIP

No surprise here

Besides,
as was reported aorta was struck
and it might mean carotid in the neck.

The victim bled out.

JMO

 

[slowpoke]

It could just be a figure of speech meaning kill her.

Could be that, too, true.

An interesting kind of off topic thing—I was reading about the lyrics to the National anthem of France, and it’s pretty violent, and it includes mention of cutting throats (LINK):

Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras
Égorger nos fils, nos compagnes!

(They’re coming right into your arms
To cut the throats of your sons, your comrades!)

 

[Dotta]

Could be that, too, true.

An interesting kind of off topic thing—I was reading about the lyrics to the National anthem of France, and it’s pretty violent, and it includes mention of cutting throats (LINK):

Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras
Égorger nos fils, nos compagnes!

(They’re coming right into your arms
To cut the throats of your sons, your comrades!)

La Marseillaise was a revolutionary song,
popular during the French Revolution.

 

[slowpoke]

The answer is simple IMO!!!!

GOSSIP

No surprise here

Besides,
as was reported aorta was struck
and it might mean carotid in the neck.

The victim bled out.

JMO

Yes, but then, similarly, reports didn’t mention being stabbed at the neck.

 

[iamshadow21]

Could be that, too, true.

An interesting kind of off topic thing—I was reading about the lyrics to the National anthem of France, and it’s pretty violent, and it includes mention of cutting throats (LINK):

Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras
Égorger nos fils, nos compagnes!

(They’re coming right into your arms
To cut the throats of your sons, your comrades!)

Lots of anthems include violence and war. The US one raves about rockets and bombs. It's not unusual.

MOO

 

[indicolite22]

Lots of anthems include violence and war. The US one raves about rockets and bombs. It's not unusual.

MOO

Ours (from 1848) is the opposite. A toast to world peace.

Speaking of violence, France's murder rate is about average in Europe. South Africa's is off the charts in comparison. Karen was very safe statistically speaking.

 

[slowpoke]

Lots of anthems include violence and war. The US one raves about rockets and bombs. It's not unusual.

MOO

That’s true. I get an especially visceral reaction when I hear about throats being cut, though. Just me.

Anyway, the point for me posting about the anthem was that maybe in French speech it is a common phrase, as it’s even in their anthem.

jmo

 

[Dotta]

Anyway, the point for me posting about the anthem was that maybe in French speech it is a common phrase, as it’s even in their anthem.

jmo

The sign of a finger cutting the throat
is universal depicting murder.
Understood across the world.

JMO

 

[indicolite22]

If Karen's throat had been cut, this could have indicated that a stronger person attacked her from behind, so probably not a petite woman. Her reported injuries don't point in that direction.

 

[slowpoke]

The sign of a finger cutting the throat
is universal depicting murder.
Understood across the world.

JMO

Yes, I am aware of the throat slashing gesture.
I didn’t mean to sound critical of the anthem. I love the tune.

I am just saying my feelings on throat cutting as a type of attack. Just saying, in general. Off topic, I guess.

jmo

 

[Cedars]

Yes, I am aware of the throat slashing gesture.
I didn’t mean to sound critical of the anthem. I love the tune.

I am just saying my feelings on throat cutting as a type of attack. Just saying, in general. Off topic, I guess.

jmo

The French Revolution was incredibly violent, even by standards of the day. But everything did calm down later and people moved past the urge to slaughter each other and everyone else....

 

[AppleTreeGreen]

I really don't think ML was involved either. I'd be surprised if it was a woman who killed Karen.
I really hope they have some good leads.

Edit- I was just looking back at an old article and don't remember reading that detail about her right arm injury. I must have missed it before. That's extremely brutal.

According to results of a preliminary autopsy, one of the eight blows Karen suffered pierced her aorta, their location demonstrating 'the desire to kill'. Inflicted by a sharp object – the weapon has not been recovered – one penetrated her liver; another her kidney and spine. Yet another almost severed her right arm.

What did Karen's killer know? She confided in pal hours before death

Karen Carter, 65, was in the process of walking away from her 30-year marriage and starting a new life in the south-west France the night before she was murdered.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Rest in Peace to Karen Carter and my condolences to her friends and family. I hope they are all able to get the justice and the answers they and Karen deserve for this terrible loss and horrific crime.

Learning more about the preliminary autopsy and thinking that perhaps her attacker was right handed, and thus holding the murder weapon in their right hand, it seems IMO that the killer ambushed her at first from behind which led to the injuries to her spine, kidney, liver, and right arm and that perhaps as she turned around to defend herself she was further wounded in the chest, groin and legs areas of her body. (Or perhaps they were left handed and attached her from the front thus some of the strikes injuring the right side of her body that way). According to The Times, K.C.’s likely didn’t even have chance to get her dog from the backseat of her car which may indicate that the very little time passed between parking her car and just getting out before she was brutally stabbed to death by her assailant. It is also terrifying to think to think that her killer was lying in wait for her as late as 10 PM at night and had planned ahead perhaps to target her when she was alone, unsuspecting and they could use the coverage of the dark bushes around them or her yard to hide themselves. No one deserves to face such terror.

I also think that perhaps one thing that may make her killer stand out to authorities or potential witnesses is that maybe they have been wounded themselves in the attack as a result of their grip on their blade or knife becoming unstable as a result of both K.C. fighting for her life and blood covering the blade and causing their grip to slip. JMO

 

[Sor Juana]

Dordogne murder investigated as a grudge killing

French authorities believe a killer with a grudge may be behind the savage murder of a British woman in a French medieval village

 

[Sor Juana]

Mystery deepens over Brit mum murdered in French village as it’s revealed she told pal divorce plan night before she died

 

[Sor Juana]

Karen was stabbed eight times. That alone points to personal rage, not opportunism. This kind of overkill usually suggests a single perpetrator, someone emotionally invested, not a stranger. Most often, statistically and behaviourally, that points to a man, likely older, with some unresolved grievance - rejection, pride, control. A woman is less likely but still possible, especially if there's a long-standing grudge or local resentment involved. But the violence level makes that scenario less typical. This was not random. It was close, angry, and deeply personal.

If the killer was known to Karen and elderly, as early investigations seem to imply, then mental deterioration or medication-related changes could be a factor. There have been cases where older people with undiagnosed dementia or other brain issues acted violently, sometimes without meaning to or remembering it later. These acts often involved someone they knew well, with long-held emotions made worse by mental decline. MOO

 

[slowpoke]

Rest in Peace to Karen Carter and my condolences to her friends and family. I hope they are all able to get the justice and the answers they and Karen deserve for this terrible loss and horrific crime.

Learning more about the preliminary autopsy and thinking that perhaps her attacker was right handed, and thus holding the murder weapon in their right hand, it seems IMO that the killer ambushed her at first from behind which led to the injuries to her spine, kidney, liver, and right arm and that perhaps as she turned around to defend herself she was further wounded in the chest, groin and legs areas of her body. (Or perhaps they were left handed and attached her from the front thus some of the strikes injuring the right side of her body that way). According to The Times, K.C.’s likely didn’t even have chance to get her dog from the backseat of her car which may indicate that the very little time passed between parking her car and just getting out before she was brutally stabbed to death by her assailant. It is also terrifying to think to think that her killer was lying in wait for her as late as 10 PM at night and had planned ahead perhaps to target her when she was alone, unsuspecting and they could use the coverage of the dark bushes around them or her yard to hide themselves. No one deserves to face such terror.

I also think that perhaps one thing that may make her killer stand out to authorities or potential witnesses is that maybe they have been wounded themselves in the attack as a result of their grip on their blade or knife becoming unstable as a result of both K.C. fighting for her life and blood covering the blade and causing their grip to slip. JMO

Scottish Sun article dated May 3

“An autopsy carried out in Bordeaux within 24 hours of the stabbing showed that death was caused "by haemorrhage following a wound to the aorta."

Eight serious wounds were noted in total, including to the "chest, abdomen and forearm" as well as "superficial ones on the thigh, shoulder and thumbs," said an investigating source.”

^bolded by me

To me, it sounds like the attacks may have come from the front, based on this article.

IMO

 

[Dotta]

To me, it sounds like the attacks may have come from the front, based on this article.

IMO

It might mean
the victim turned towards this person in greeting,
not aware of danger.

Something like:

"Hello.
Nice to see you.
What are you doing here at this time?
What's up?"

Getting out of the car and turning face to face with the murderer.



JMO

 

[FromGermany1]

It might mean
the victim turned towards this person in greeting,
not aware of danger.

Something like:

"Hello.
Nice to meet you.
What are you doing here at this time?
What's up?"

Getting out of the car and turning face to face with the murderer.



JMO

bbm
Yes.
I'm imaging it like that: sitting in her car and opening the door, about to get out. She hadn't even gotten her purse yet. This position explains her wounds, IMO.

 

[indicolite22]

Mort de Karen en Dordogne : le Café village rouvre progressivement avec une soirée privée - ici

Le Café village de Trémolat (Dordogne) organise une soirée concert privée mercredi 21 mai pour "passer le cap", trois semaines après la mort de Karen, une des bénévoles du bar associatif poignardée devant chez elle le mardi 29 avril dernier.

www.francebleu.fr

The Café village of Trémolat (Dordogne) is organizing a private concert evening on Wednesday, May 21 to "turn the corner",
...
Some activities, such as bike rides, yoga, knitting, and belote, resumed on Tuesday, May 13. The Café Village had immediately closed the day after Karen's lifeless body was discovered at the foot of her car. The sixty-year-old woman was often behind the bar or at the café's cash register. She also organized large barbecues in the summer.