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

[Dotta]

Perhaps the husband is in denial, is trying to save face (public image of his marriage), or he didn't know.

Exactly!

He showed class
praising his deceased wife,
saying loving words about her.

As his sister who offered heartfelt condolences about SIL.

Not everyone revels in "washing dirty clothes" in public in tabloids.

A parent must think about children and their suffering.

Condolences to the whole family

JMO

 

[Dotta]

"Residents of the small 600-strong commune say
the killing was a crime of passion or 'crime passionnel'.

Martins-Guedes said the investigation was focusing
on those who may have known Carter,
but that the motivation for the attack remained open.

'At this stage,
no hypothesis is being favoured'.

Alan Carter,
who was in South Africa at the time,
said he learnt of his wife’s murder on Wednesday
in a phone call from a cousin,
who also owns a home in Trémolat.

He speculated that his wife’s killer was likely someone known to the couple.

'It is likely to have been someone Karen knew and had an issue with her'."

Murder of British mother in France a ‘crime of passion’

The mother-of-four was found 'collapsed and unconscious' in the small village of Trémolat.

www.nzherald.co.nz

 

[Dotta]

Sorry to bring it again,
but I cannot shake off this feeling of deja vu and uneasiness
following this tragedy

I mean the case of Dawn Kerr/Searly.

Both women, Karen & Dawn,
British "expats" living in idyllic French countryside during retirement,
dabbling into rental for tourists,
experiencing "La Vie est Belle",
smiling brilliantly in pictures,
both described as lovely and
'a heart of the community’ by locals.

Local people dismayed
"Everyone is in total shock"
they say.
"Such things don't happen here in our peaceful surroundings".

Both women were attacked viciously and murdered.

This is terrifying
that beneath the veneer of brilliant smiles in charming scenery,
something ugly & evil is brewing.

JMO

 

[indicolite22]

Sorry to bring it again,
but I cannot shake off this feeling of deja vu and uneasiness
following this tragedy

I mean the case of Dawn Kerr/Searly.

Both women, Karen & Dawn,
British expats living in idyllic French countryside during retirement,
dabbling into rental for tourists,
experiencing "La Vie est Belle",
smiling brilliantly in pictures,
both described as lovely and
'a heart of the community’ by locals.

Local people dismayed
"Everyone is in total shock"
they say.
"Such things don't happen here in our peaceful surroundings".

Both women were attacked viscously and murdered.

This is terrifying
that beneath the veneer of brilliant smiles in charming scenery,
something ugly & evil is brewing.

JMO

Both victims were also reportedly active and well liked in the respective communities. Seemingly they didn't have enemies. In such cases observers sometimes jump to conclusions and blame random violence by strangers, decline in public safety, etc. The truth is often found closer to home.

 

[Skigh]

Both victims were also reportedly active and well liked in the respective communities. Seemingly they didn't have enemies. In such cases observers sometimes jump to conclusions and blame random violence by strangers, decline in public safety, etc. The truth is often found closer to home.

I agree with you about the truth being closer to home. Could this have been a very amateur hit man attack paid for by someone known to her?

 

[Little Jack]

I recall a few frenzied stabbing murders of women the police were convinced were crimes of passion and it turned out to be local young men who really barely knew the victim at all just acquaintances or did yard work for them etc.

 

[Dotta]

I recall a few frenzied stabbing murders of women the police were convinced were crimes of passion and it turned out to be local young men who really barely knew the victim at all just acquaintances or did yard work for them etc.

And we should take her business into consideration.

I somehow feel this crime might be connected with money.

A disgruntled worker's fury can be lethal.
Or a business partner's.
You know,
an "injustice collector" of some sorts
(MH issues)

Or it might have been a botched robbery attempt.
Somebody could have considered her a wealthy lady.
(Jumping between continents, flourishing rental business)

As I wrote in Dawn&Andrew Searle thread:

"When nobody knows what it is all about,
it is probably about money".
(a popular saying from my country)

And guess what?
In Dawn's case it proved true .



JMO

 

[indicolite22]

How did the perpetrator know when she would get home? If they were planning to rob her, why not break in when she was out? She probably didn't have too much money on her. How close are the nearest neighbors? Could they have heard anything?

 

[indicolite22]

She was renting out two properties to tourists, but was also working at the local cafe. Where could the money issues have stemmed from? Did she lend money to (or borrow from) someone locally? IIRC, the husband's cousin also lives in the village.

 

[Skigh]

She was renting out two properties to tourists, but was also working at the local cafe. Where could the money issues have stemmed from? Did she lend money to (or borrow from) someone locally? IIRC, the husband's cousin also lives in the village.

Maybe she was working in the cafe as a favour because they were short of staff ,rather than because she needed the money. Or maybe she did want to part with her husband and wanted to build up some money of her own.

 

[Dotta]

I presume
she was living alone in her house at the time when the attack happened.
(Her husband was in South Africa)

Lonely & seemingly wealthy women are easy preys for robbers.

If not for the friend worried about her who came to check on her
she wouldn't have been found until morning.

I am reluctant to believe in romantic jealousy of a 70 year old woman as the motive of this crime

JMO

 

[Little Jack]

Do we know why they came by to check on her?

 

[Dotta]

Do we know why they came by to check on her?

This is a bingo question!

But it could be he was worried about her driving after drinking alcohol.
She didn't answer the phone to assure she was safely at home.

So,
he came.

 

[indicolite22]

Do we know why they came by to check on her?

According to the husband, she was supposed to call the friend that she arrived home safely. When the friend hadn't heard from her, he went to check. IMO there could be another reason - they were meeting at her home after the night out.

 

[Dotta]

IMO there could be another reason - they were meeting at her home after the night out.

Wow!
Like going separately to a date?
Like clandestine lovers to stop gossips' tongues wagging?

Phew!

IMO
She was the victim of either
- attempted robbery
- or personal financial grudge.

Who knows,
she might have been threatened by someone earlier.

That is why a friend was worried and decided to check on her.

But, of course,
it is all SPECULATION on my part.

JMO

 

[indicolite22]

Wow!
Like going separately to a date?
Like clandestine lovers to stop gossips' tongues wagging?

Phew!

IMO
She was the victim of either
- attempted robbery
- or personal financial grudge.

Who knows,
she might have been threatened by someone earlier.

That is why a friend was worried and decided to check on her.

But, of course,
it is all SPECULATION on my part.

JMO

One of the original motives of jealousy is also still on the table. Some of the stab wounds could be a clue.

 

[Dotta]

Some of the stab wounds could be a clue.

She was fighting her attacker.
(Defensive wounds)

I think stabs landed randomly on her body.

Except the one which proved lethal:

stabbing aorta
causing bleeding out and eventual
death.



All according to post mortem report in the Press.

JMO

 

[indicolite22]

A friendly match of Karen's football team still went on today. The opposing team presented her team captain with flowers and a shirt with Karen's last name on it. A minute of silence was observed.

Minute de silence, bouquet de fleurs et des larmes : l'équipe de foot de la Britannique tuée par arme blanche lui a rendu hommage

Ce samedi 3 mai, l'équipe les Reines du Foot de Trémolat en Dordogne était invitée par l'association Vétérans Hendaye Urrugne, au Pays basque, pour une découverte du football féminin vétéran. Les joueuses ont rendu hommage...

france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr

 

[indicolite22]

According to their fb page, the village cafe will be closed indefinitely.

 

[Sarahlou]

According to the husband, she was supposed to call the friend that she arrived home safely. When the friend hadn't heard from her, he went to check. IMO there could be another reason - they were meeting at her home after the night out.

This says the male friend/boyfriend said he was worried when she didn't contact him.

I don't know, something odd about all this. But I agree, I did originally assume he was just meeting her at her home after the wine tasting.

Ms Carter had been out at a wine tasting evening at a community café-bar near her home, along with a rumoured new boyfriend before her death.

The man – who had not been named – claimed he was worried when she did not let him know she had safely got home, so went to her home, where he found her, dying

- via DailyMail