A British-South African woman, who owned two vacation rental properties in the French village of Tremolat, was brutally stabbed to death last week.
Karen Carter, 65, was found dead after being stabbed on April 29 in the Dordogne region of southwest France, the BBC reported.
A male friend found the mother of four lying on the ground, next to her porch, with eight severe stab wounds across her chest, groin, arm, and leg."
French prosecutors claimed the investigation concentrated on "people likely to have had a grudge" against Mrs Carter or the man she was having an affair with, who eventually discovered her body, The Times reported.
Jean-Francois Guerrier, a 74-year-old local businessman, was reported to have had an affair with Mrs Carter in the weeks before the attack. He was briefly detained but released without being charged.
Ms Carter and Mr Guerrier reportedly operated a cafe in the community. Since her 2009 visit, she has managed two vacation properties in France, according to a report in The Independent.
Investigating prosecutor Sylvie Martins-Guedes said that French officials were focused on anyone who had a close relationship with the two and "may have been after" one or both of them.
Police also arrested a 69-year-old neighbour during the investigation, but the woman was eventually released.
Friends and neighbours are baffled by the brutality of the attack in a village of about 600 residents that has not experienced a major crime in almost 50 years.
Mrs Carter's husband, Alan Carter, 65, who lives in South Africa and spent some time in France, was shocked to learn of her late wife's alleged infidelity.
Mr Carter told The Times that the police statement exacerbated his and his children's sadness.
He claimed that his cousin, who resides in Tremola, informed him about Mrs Carter's brutal murder after viewing a post on Facebook.
"She called me to say she was sad to inform me that she believed Karen had died. That was the first I heard about it," Mr Carter told the BBC.
Mr Carter said that his family has experienced "traumatic" grief at Ms Carter's death, describing her as a social, amiable individual who "wouldn't hurt a fly."
He added that Mrs Carter was "lovely" and "everyone liked her."
"She enjoys having fun and is an extrovert who loves people. She has a good heart and is loved by everyone," Mr Carter said.
No suspects have been taken into custody yet.
