Forensic evidence found at the scene of the murder of a British woman in the Dordogne does not match any of her neighbours – pointing to ‘an outsider’ being responsible, according to French police.
The revelation follows at least 15 people who were close to Karen Carter in the village of Trémolet, east of Bordeaux, having to submit DNA samples to police, and all being cleared.
Detectives investigating the savage stabbing outside the 65-year-old’s home on April 29th – seven months ago – have now launched a fresh ‘appeal for witnesses’.
It reads: ‘We need your help to identify the perpetrator. Your testimonies could prove crucial to the progress of the investigation.’
The appeal includes a hotline number, and a new photograph of a smiling Ms Carter with her daughters.
The ease with which somebody was able to murder Ms Carter, a mother-of-four, before disappearing without trace initially made it look as though somebody with local knowledge was responsible.
Forencis samples were taken in July from a number of locals, including the Mayor of Trémolet himself.
But ‘none of them matched’ traces found around the crime scene, said an investigating source.
‘This appears to point to an outsider visiting the village, and carrying out this brutal crime.’
On the evening of her death, the married Ms Carter attended a wine tasting party organised by Jean-François Guerrier, her 75-year-old lover, who lived around 10 minutes from her own house.
Fifteen other guests, including Eric Chassagne, the Mayor, were also at the event, so knew her movements.
Some 10 minutes after driving home, and reaching her front door, Ms Carter was found bleeding to death by Mr Guerrier, who had driven to check up on her in a separate car.
Ms Carter lay sprawled on the ground, with eight major stab wounds on her ‘chest, groin, arm and leg,’ according to the investigating source. Her dog, Haku, was barking in her car.
Mr Guerrier was initially arrested, along with Marie-Laure Autefort, another neighbour who was said to be passionately in love with him.
This raised the prospect of a fatal love triangle, but both Mr Guerrier and Ms Autefort were quickly released without charge.
Six months on, the examining magistrate in charge of the case is set to launch an appeal for new witnesses.
Ms Carter held duel British and South African nationality, and was filing for divorce from her husband, Alan Carter, also 65.
He was was at their home in East London, South Africa, at the time of the killing.
He arrived in Trémolat soon afterwards, and visited the scene of the murder, before organising his wife’s funeral, which took place in Bergerac in June.
Mr Carter husband, who spends most of his time in South Africa, said he was unaware of his wife’s relationship with Mr Guerrier, a retired business executive.
Mr Carter said he had ‘a feeling of complete betrayal’ when details of the romance were made public by the French authorities.
Ms Carter had lived in the Dordogne for more than a decade, and was a member of a women’s over-50s football team called the Queens of Football (Reines du Foot)
Following the latest appeal, a spokesman for the Carter family said: ‘ We remain deeply committed to obtaining justice for Karen. Any investigative step that may contribute to uncovering the truth is welcomed by all of us’.
According to Interior Minstry statistics in France, 60% of murder mysteries are resolved within three months.
Those cold cases that remain unresolved can remain on file for years.
