A 43-year-old Carlsbad woman was found slain in her home Friday night and a man she had been romantically involved with surrendered to police hours later, officials said.

Authorities hadn't identified the victim by Saturday night, but neighbors said she was Jennifer Stark, who worked as a court reporter in family court in Vista and was the mother of two teenagers.

"She was very loving," said Rosemary Leone, who said she'd been friends and neighbors with Stark for 11 years.

About 4:30 a.m. Saturday, 40-year-old Jonathan French -- the lone suspect in the case -- turned himself into the Encinitas sheriff's station, police said.

Leone said Stark had been dating French on and off for the last three years and the two had recently reconciled after a separation.

About 11:30 p.m. Friday, police were called to the 6400 block of Camino De Parque in Carlsbad after a neighbor noticed an open door to victim's home and saw the woman's body inside, police said.

Investigators were still at the scene nearly 24 hours later. They said the victim appeared to have died from "laceration wounds."

Stark lived in a duplex in the neighborhood of clustered low-slung homes with neatly manicured lawns.

Lori Gallagher recalled the first time she met Stark, whose children are around the same age as her own.

"She baked some cookies, and she walked down the street and she knocked on my door," Gallagher said.

The friendship that started that day is documented in the photos Gallagher carried with her Saturday -- she and Stark at a music festival, at a restaurant, at a dinner party.

"She was so vibrant," Gallagher said.

Aside from the two children, Stark maintained a good relationship with her ex-husband, friends said.

Leone said that she and Stark had planned to spend Saturday shopping for Stark's daughter's first dorm room at San Diego State University.

That changed Friday night when she heard a scream from the neighbor who found Stark's body, Leone said.

Leone said she had to make a call to Hawaii that night to tell Stark's daughter and ex-husband that they needed to come home early from the vacation they had taken to celebrate the girl's high school graduation.

On Saturday, police were continuing to investigate the killing.

They said French was set to be booked into the Vista jail, but neither a list of booking charges or bail information was available Saturday night.

Call staff writer Colleen Mensching at 760-739-6675.