Woman found guilty of killing sister in London flat and taking her diamond-encrusted Rolex watch

A woman has been found guilty of murdering her sister by slashing her neck before making off with her diamond-encrusted gold Rolex watch.

Nancy Pexton stabbed her sibling Jennifer Abbott 10 times and then left her body for three days in her flat in Camden, north London, a court heard.

On Wednesday, an Old Bailey jury convicted Pexton, 70, of murdering Abbott, a film director, on 10 June last year.

Abbott, 69, and a US citizen, was last seen alive on a doorbell camera as she returned from walking her corgi Prince at 7.36am that day.

Pexton spoke to her by phone at 11.36am and travelled by bus to her Mornington Place flat at 12.45pm, leaving an hour later.

She then called her GP, reported taking an overdose and was taken to hospital where she stayed before her arrest on 18 June.

On 13 June, a neighbour used a scaffolding pole to break down Abbott’s door after becoming concerned he could not hear her dog barking. Her niece Mai Pexton had been seen banging on the door and screaming for her “auntie”.

Abbott’s partially naked and decomposing body was found on the living room floor with gaffer tape over her mouth. She had a large, gaping “slash-type” wound across her neck and gaffer tape across her mouth, jurors heard.

Her Rolex watch, a gift from her son Brad Carlson which she never took off, was missing. It was later recovered by police from Pexton’s bag after they visited her in hospital. When quizzed about it, Pexton said she had been given it to “look after”.

Carlson told the court of a “bubbling” resentment between his mother and aunt. Giving evidence via video link, he said: “There was interaction and sometimes anger and hostility between my mother and Nancy, there was resentment seemingly bubbling up.”

Jurors heard how, in November 2024, Abbott 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 if she should take out a restraining order.

Further evidence of Pexton’s resentment were found in a series of notes on her phone in which she referred to thinking about killing her “evil” sister and complained about other family members.

Pexton later told police she had just been “venting” her feelings and she really loved her sister.

Pexton, of no fixed address, had denied wrongdoing and declined to give evidence in her trial, opting to appear in court by video link from Bronzefield prison.

After the guilty verdict, Judge Anuja Dhir KC adjourned sentencing to Friday.