A woman has been found guilty of murdering her sister and stealing her diamond-encrusted Rolex. Nancy Pexton, 70, was convicted on Wednesday at the Old Bailey of killing Jennifer Abbott, a 69-year-old US citizen and film director, at her flat in Camden, north London, on 10 June last year.
The stolen watch – a gold Rolex set with diamonds that Abbott had been given by her son Brad Carlson and never removed – was recovered by police from Pexton’s bag while she was being treated in hospital. When questioned, Pexton claimed she had been asked to “look after” it. The prosecution argued she took it after stabbing her sister to death.
The Murder
Abbott was last seen alive on a doorbell camera at 7.36am on 10 June, returning from walking her corgi, Prince. Pexton spoke to her by phone at 11.36am and then travelled by bus to Abbott’s flat in Mornington Place, arriving at 12.45pm and leaving an hour later. After leaving, Pexton called her GP, reported taking an overdose, and was admitted to hospital, where she remained until her arrest on 18 June.
Three days after the murder, on 13 June, a neighbour became concerned when he could not hear Abbott’s dog barking. Using a scaffolding pole, he broke down the door. Abbott’s niece, Mai Pexton, had been seen banging on the door and screaming for her “auntie”. Inside, Abbott’s partially naked and decomposing body was found on the living room floor. Gaffer tape had been placed over her mouth. A large, gaping “slash-type” wound was across her neck. A post-mortem examination revealed multiple stab and slash wounds as well as a defensive wound on her right hand. Evidence suggested an attempt had been made to clean up the scene.
CCTV footage captured Pexton travelling to and from the flat. Pexton’s DNA was found on the gaffer tape used to bind Abbott’s mouth. Her clothing was reported to be covered in her sister’s blood, and she had allegedly asked a daughter to dispose of the garments.
Motive and Evidence
Brad Carlson told the court there had been a “bubbling” resentment between his mother and aunt. “There was interaction and sometimes anger and hostility between my mother and Nancy, there was resentment seemingly bubbling up,” he said via video link.
Jurors heard that in November 2024, Abbott had shared a message in which Pexton told her: “You know I was planning to kill you but it was just a thought, I would never hurt you.” The message went on to warn Abbott to “watch your back from those you conned and stole money from”. Pexton wrote: “You never know they could get you while you walking your dog. Be careful honey, I worry about you. You so many enemy (sic).” At the time, Abbott asked her nephew whether she should take out a restraining order. In a separate message, Abbott told her nephew she feared her sister, describing Pexton as “capable of anything”.
Further evidence of resentment was found in a series of notes on Pexton’s phone, in which she referred to thoughts of killing her “evil” sister and complained about other family members. When later questioned by police, Pexton said she had only been “venting” her feelings and insisted she really loved her sister. She claimed to have no memory of the 90 minutes she spent at the flat on the day of the murder.
Pexton, of no fixed address, denied wrongdoing and declined to give evidence in her trial, appearing by video link from Bronzefield prison. Detective Inspector Barry Hart of Scotland Yard said the Metropolitan Police had conducted a “meticulous investigation” combining forensic, CCTV and digital inquiries. The Crown Prosecution Service’s London Homicide Unit was involved; Senior Crown Prosecutor Devi Kharran commented on the case.
Jennifer Abbott was a film director known for her work on social justice and environmental documentaries. Her credits included co-directing and editing the award-winning film The Corporation (2003), as well as directing A Cow at My Table (1998) and The Magnitude of All Things (2020). Neighbours described her as “exuberant” and “vivacious”.
After the guilty verdict, Judge Anuja Dhir KC – the first non-white English judge appointed to sit full-time at the Old Bailey – adjourned sentencing to Friday.
