The Attack Unfolds in Camden (Image Credits: Unsplash)
London – A jury at the Old Bailey convicted 70-year-old Nancy Pexton of murdering her sister, Jennifer Abbott, in a violent attack driven by jealousy. The incident unfolded in Ms. Abbott’s Camden flat on June 10, 2024, where Pexton stabbed her sibling multiple times before taking a prized diamond-encrusted Rolex watch. The verdict, delivered today, leaves Pexton facing a potential life sentence as sentencing looms.
The Attack Unfolds in Camden
Jennifer Abbott, a 69-year-old U.S. citizen and film director, returned from walking her corgi, Prince, at 7:36 a.m. that morning, captured on her building’s doorbell camera. Pexton spoke with her by phone around 11:36 a.m. and arrived at the Mornington Place flat shortly after 12:45 p.m. by bus. She departed about an hour later, leaving behind a scene of brutality.
Prosecutors outlined how Pexton inflicted 10 stab and slash wounds to Ms. Abbott’s neck and chest, including a large gash across the throat. Gaffer tape covered the victim’s mouth, and a post-mortem revealed a defensive wound on her right hand. Pexton later claimed she had left her sister alive and well, even suggesting a drug dealer from the building might have visited afterward.
Body Lay Undiscovered for Days
Concern grew among family members when Ms. Abbott failed to answer calls, including numerous missed ones from her son living abroad. On June 13, a neighbor used a scaffolding pole to force open the door after noticing the unusual silence – no barking from Prince. Firefighters freed the corgi, who had survived three days locked in the bathroom.
Inside, authorities found Ms. Abbott’s partially naked and decomposing body on the living room floor. Pexton had sent her own daughter to check on the flat, knowing the grim discovery awaited. When police questioned her in the hospital, they recovered the missing Rolex from her bag; she insisted Ms. Abbott had entrusted it to her care.
Motive Rooted in Envy and Threats
Pexton, who had lived on benefits and recently become homeless, harbored deep resentment toward her successful sister. Jurors heard of notes on her phone where she fantasized about killing her “evil” sibling and vented about family members. In November 2024, Pexton sent a chilling message warning Ms. Abbott to “watch your back” from those she had wronged, even joking about planning her death while walking the dog.
Ms. Abbott had confided in her nephew about fearing for her safety, describing Pexton as “capable of anything” and considering a restraining order. Her son, Brad Carlson, testified via video link about a “bubbling” hostility between the sisters. Prosecutor Bill Boyce KC argued the Rolex – a gift from Carlson that Ms. Abbott never removed – proved Pexton returned to steal it after the killing.
Damning Physical Evidence
Pexton appeared in court via video link from HMP Bronzefield, sobbing as the guilty verdict was read. She wore a black cowboy hat and blue dungarees during the attack, both soaked in her sister’s blood from top to bottom. She asked one of her daughters to wash or discard the clothes, claiming the stains came from hugging Ms. Abbott during a nosebleed.
Forensic analysis contradicted that story, showing blood spatter consistent with the slashing. Traces suggested an attempt to clean the flat. Pexton claimed no memory of the 90 minutes inside but maintained she loved her sister and had only been “venting” in her notes.
What matters now: Judge Anuja Dhir KC adjourned sentencing to Friday, when Pexton could receive a life term. The case underscores how unresolved family grudges can erupt into tragedy, even after decades.
The conviction closes a painful chapter for Ms. Abbott’s loved ones, who described persistent tensions beneath the surface. As the court prepares for the final reckoning, the story serves as a stark reminder of jealousy’s destructive potential within families.
