Key Points
- Nancy Pexton, 70, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 22 years for murdering her sister, Jennifer Abbott, 69, on 10 June 2025 in her Camden flat, north London.
- Pexton stabbed Abbott 10 times, slit her throat, taped her mouth with gaffer tape, left the body for three days, and stole her diamond-encrusted gold Rolex watch.
- Motivated by jealousy over Abbott’s financial success and possessions, the judge described the taping as an “intentional act of degradation”.
- Evidence included blood on Pexton’s clothing, CCTV footage of her visit, phone data showing movements and premeditation messages like “I’m planning to kill my sister, whom I love, but she destroyed my life,” and her DNA on the duct tape.
- Body discovered on 13 June 2025 by a neighbour after no dog barking; Abbott’s corgi, Prince, was locked in the kitchen.
- Pexton denied involvement, claimed amnesia for 90 minutes at the flat, said the watch was given to “look after”; no evidence was given in the trial.
- Trial at Old Bailey; guilty verdict on 29 April 2026, sentenced 1 May 2026 by Judge Anuja Dhir KC.
- Prosecutor Bill Boyce KC opened the case; CPS Devi Kharran commented post-sentencing.
- Detective Inspector Barry Hart led the Met Police investigation, praising the forensic, CCTV, and digital evidence.
- Victim Jennifer Abbott, film director also known as Sarah Steinberg, a US citizen; son, Brad Carlson, called it “monstrous”.
Camden (Extra London News) May 12, 2026 – Nancy Pexton, 70, was jailed for life with a minimum of 22 years at the Old Bailey for the brutal murder of her sister, film director Jennifer Abbott, 69, in a Camden flat last June. The attack, marked by 10 stab wounds, a slit throat, and gaffer tape over the victim’s mouth, was driven by jealousy and culminated in the theft of Abbott’s prized diamond-encrusted Rolex watch. Prosecutors presented overwhelming forensic, CCTV, and digital evidence that dismantled Pexton’s denials.
- Key Points
- What Led to the Murder of Jennifer Abbott?
- Why Was Jealousy the Motive Behind the Attack?
- How Did Judge Anuja Dhir Describe the Crime?
- What Evidence Proved Pexton’s Guilt?
- Who Is Jennifer Abbott, and What Was Her Life Like?
- What Have Family and Authorities Said?
- When and Where Did the Trial Take Place?
What Led to the Murder of Jennifer Abbott?
Jennifer Abbott, a 69-year-old film director also known as Sarah Steinberg and a US citizen, was last seen alive on a doorbell camera returning from walking her corgi, Prince, at 7.36 am on 10 June 2025 at her Mornington Place flat in Camden, north London. Pexton, her younger sister by nine months and of no fixed address, called Abbott at 11.36 am before arriving by bus at 12.45 pm, staying about an hour, as confirmed by CCTV footage. After leaving, Pexton called her GP claiming an overdose and was hospitalized until her arrest on 18 June 2025.
As reported by the Metropolitan Police, a family member and neighbour forced entry on 13 June 2025 after unanswered calls and no barking from Prince, discovering Abbott’s partially naked, decomposing body on the living room floor with a gaping slash wound to her neck and gaffer tape over her mouth; the corgi was locked in the kitchen and freed by firefighters. Post-mortem revealed multiple stab and slash wounds plus a defensive injury to her right hand. The Rolex, a sentimental gift from son Brad Carlson that Abbott never removed, was missing from her wrist, where she usually wore it with a Cartier bracelet.
Why Was Jealousy the Motive Behind the Attack?
Prosecutors argued the killing stemmed from Pexton’s deep-seated jealousy over Abbott’s greater financial security and possessions, symbolized by the stolen Rolex. Months earlier, in November 2024, Pexton messaged Abbott:
“You know I was planning to kill you but it was just a thought; I would never hurt you,”
followed by warnings to “watch your back” from those she “cheated and took money from,” adding
“You never know, they could get you while you’re walking your dog. Be careful, honey, I worry about you. You have so many enemies”.
Abbott confided in her nephew about fearing Pexton, who was “capable of anything,” and considered a restraining order.
Phone notes from Pexton revealed premeditation, including “I’m planning to kill my sister, whom I love, but she destroyed my life” and references to her “evil” sister sinking her ship with “loose lips”. As detailed by prosecutor Bill Boyce KC opening the Old Bailey trial, these messages exposed “the depths of Pexton’s jealousy and animosity towards her more successful sibling”. Pexton, suffering depression and effectively homeless near Baker Street, had been staying intermittently with Abbott.
Explore More Camden News
Labour Retains Camden Council Amid Green Surge, 2026
Camden Council Local Elections 2026: Count and Results, Camden 2026
How Did Judge Anuja Dhir Describe the Crime?
Sentencing on 1 May 2026, Judge Anuja Dhir KC stated:
“I am sure you intended to kill your sister, given the ferocity of the attack,” as reported by the Independent.
She continued:
“Your actions and conduct after the killing demonstrate not only your absence of remorse but also a deliberate and callous attitude towards what you had done. This act demonstrates the depth of your animosity and hostility towards your sister. You took the watch because it was valuable and because you were jealous of your sister’s greater financial security”.
The judge called the gaffer taping a “deliberate act of degradation” that was “callous, demeaning and cruel”.
What Evidence Proved Pexton’s Guilt?
Despite denying involvement and claiming no memory of the 90 minutes at the flat, Pexton faced compelling proof. Police found Abbott’s blood on her black cowboy hat, blue dungarees, and belongings; she claimed it was from hugging during a nosebleed. The Rolex was recovered from Pexton’s bag; she said,
“Oh yes, that’s my sister’s. She asked me to look after it”.
Her DNA matched on the duct tape binding Abbott’s mouth.
CCTV tracked Pexton’s travel; phone data showed no signs of Abbott alive after the visit – no calls answered, no dog walks. The flat showed clean-up attempts, contradicting her story. A message from Abbott expressed fears that her sister would kill her. As per Detective Inspector Barry Hart of the Metropolitan Police:
“From the outset, Pexton denied responsibility… but the evidence uncovered… tells a different story”
via forensic, CCTV, and digital enquiries. Pexton declined to testify, appearing by video from Bronzefield prison.
Prosecutor Bill Boyce KC told jurors there was “no evidence that Ms Abbott was alive after Pexton visited her on June 10”. CPS’s Devi Kharran said post-verdict:
“Pexton carried out a brutal and callous attack… in the very place she should have felt safest… We carefully examined witness accounts, forensic evidence, phone data and CCTV to piece together the truth”.
Who Is Jennifer Abbott, and What Was Her Life Like?
Jennifer Abbott, 69, devoted herself to her only son, Brad Carlson after early hardships, sending him to boarding school and providing what she lacked, as he described:
“She was my hero and role model… She was a single mother raising her only child, committed to providing me with the life she was not lucky enough to have… She was my whole world”.
A filmmaker who wrote books, bought property, and made movies, she lived independently in Camden with corgi Prince. Carlson called the killing a “monstrous” and “heinous” act by Pexton, whom he had tried to help: “The loss… is an unbelievable nightmare”.
Neighbours noted her regular dog walks; niece Mai Pexton banged on the door screaming “auntie” before discovery.
What Have Family and Authorities Said?
Son Brad Carlson paid tribute, highlighting Abbott’s climb from difficulties. Detective Inspector Barry Hart stated:
“The sentence… reflects the gravity… While no sentence can undo the devastation… this demonstrates that those who commit the most serious offences will be relentlessly pursued”.
CPS Devi Kharran added:
“Ms Abbott’s death is an unimaginable tragedy… I hope today’s outcome can give her family… some sense of closure”.
The jury convicted Pexton on 29 April 2026 after trial; she turns 70 on 10 April. Pexton has two adult daughters.
When and Where Did the Trial Take Place?
The Old Bailey trial began with Bill Boyce KC’s opening on 8 April 2026, as covered by the Evening Standard. Verdict on 29 April 2026; sentencing on 1 May 2026. Pexton, homeless, appeared via video link.
This case underscores sibling rivalry turning deadly, with justice served through meticulous policing, as BBC reported on prior trial evidence.
