Woman killed sister and snatched Rolex, court told

Woman Killed Sister and Took Her Rolex, Court Told

Case Details

A 69-year-old woman, Nancy Pexton, is accused of murdering her older sister, Jennifer Abbott Dauward—referred to as Sarah Steinberg—by stabbing her in the neck and stealing her prized diamond-encrusted gold Rolex watch. The alleged crime took place at the victim’s flat in Mornington Place, Camden, north London, on 10 June. Three days later, a neighbor reportedly broke into the residence after growing worried about the absence of the corgi’s barking.

The body of Jennifer Abbott Dauward was discovered on her living room floor on 13 June, three days after the incident. She was found with a neck wound and her mouth taped using gaffer tape, according to the court. Her Rolex watch was missing, a detail highlighted by jurors as it was “greatly attached to” her and rarely removed.

The Evidence Presented

Prosecutor Bill Boyce KC stated there is no proof Abbott was alive following Pexton’s visit. The sisters had exchanged a phone call at 11:36 BST, and Pexton arrived at her sister’s flat at 12:45 BST, staying for an hour. After the attack, Pexton called her general practitioner, claiming she had taken an overdose. She was later hospitalized via ambulance before being arrested on 18 June.

“She said she could not remember what had happened in the previous 90 minutes, which was the period we say she was undoubtedly in her sister’s flat, the period we say she murdered her sister,” Boyce told the court.

During her hospital stay, Pexton allegedly asked one of her daughters to dispose of or launder her clothing, which was stained with her sister’s blood “from top to bottom,” as described by the court. She claimed the blood was from a nosebleed while hugging her sister.

The Discovery and Circumstances

Abbott’s niece, Mai Pexton, arrived at the flat and knocked loudly, shouting for her “auntie.” A neighbor then forced entry after the corgi’s barking was unusually silent. Emergency services were called after the body was found, and the corgi, which had been locked in the bathroom, was later rescued by firefighters.

A post-mortem revealed multiple stab and slash injuries, along with a defensive wound on the right hand. Boyce emphasized that the central question is whether Pexton, who has no fixed address, is responsible for the murder. The defendant denies the charge, and the trial continues.

Additional Context

Abbott was known to wear a Cartier bracelet and her Rolex watch, both of sentimental value. The watch was recovered from Pexton’s bag during a police search, and the defendant allegedly stated: “Oh yes, that’s my sister’s. She asked me to look after it.”

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