A neighbor has been charged with murder in connection with the death of a British expatriate in a French village, over a year after the incident occurred. Marie-Laure Autefort, 70, was formally charged with premeditated murder on July 2 in connection with the killing of Karen Carter, 65, in Trémolat, in the Dordogne region, according to the prosecutor's office.
Ms. Carter was found stabbed multiple times outside a guesthouse she operated in Trémolat on April 29, 2025. Investigators reported she suffered eight stab wounds, with one fatal blow penetrating her aorta, leading to massive hemorrhage. She was declared dead at the scene.
Prosecutors have indicated that the investigation suggests a motive rooted in unrequited feelings. Autefort is alleged to have been romantically interested in Jean-François Guerrier, a retired executive who lived near Ms. Carter. Guerrier was reportedly romantically involved with Ms. Carter, who was in the process of divorcing her South Africa-based husband, Alan Carter. Autefort's brother confirmed she was in love with Guerrier and upset by his relationship with Ms. Carter.
Autefort, a resident of Trémolat, was initially taken into custody on April 30, 2025, shortly after the crime, but was released. The judicial inquiry that followed led to the investigating judge indicting her on July 2. Due to her age, Autefort is currently under judicial supervision, meaning she is under constant surveillance but not detained in a cell. She is not permitted to stay in the village.
Guerrier, who had hosted a wine tasting event on the day of Ms. Carter's death, stated he became concerned when she did not call him upon arriving home. He drove to her property and discovered her body. Ms. Carter, a mother of four, had owned the property in France for 15 years, dividing her time between France and South Africa. The property, a guesthouse called Les Chouettes, accommodates up to 16 guests and was a popular holiday rental.
Ms. Carter's family and their lawyer had expressed a strong suspicion about the perpetrator shortly after her death. The judicial inquiry into the case is ongoing.