A 70-year-old woman has been sentenced to life in prison after slashing her film director sister's neck and stealing her diamond-encrusted gold Rolex watch.
Nancy Pexton was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 22 years after being found guilty of murdering Jennifer Abbott, 69, on June 10 last year. She left her sister's body undiscovered in her Camden flat for three days.
The Old Bailey trial heard that Pexton stabbed her sibling ten times and covered her mouth with adhesive tape before leaving her dead on the floor, wearing only her knickers.
Prosecutors stated that Pexton was jealous of her documentary-making sister, with the pair frequently arguing and then reconciling. Ms Abbott's son, Brad Carlson, described a "bubbling" resentment between the two.
Giving evidence via videolink, Mr Carlson said: "There was interaction and sometimes anger and hostility between my mother and Nancy, there was resentment seemingly bubbling up."
When the family became concerned about Ms Abbott, Pexton sent her own daughter to check on her, knowing she would find her aunt dead. Ms Abbott's Corgi, Prince, was found alive, shut in the bathroom, having survived there for three days.
The court heard that after leaving the flat following the murder, Pexton called her GP claiming she had taken an overdose and was admitted to hospital.
Police investigating the murder interviewed her in hospital, where Pexton told officers her sister would never take her Rolex off. However, when she was arrested on June 18, police found the watch in her bag. She then claimed her sister had given it to her for safekeeping.
Further evidence of Pexton's resentment was found in notes on her phone, in which she referred to thinking about killing her "evil" sister and complained about other family members.
Prosecutor William Boyce, KC, said: "She is not only an emotional killer but she was also in relation to this matter, a provable liar." He added: "This is a family, domestic killing where emotions are rife. Jennifer just ate into her for all sorts of reasons she had what Pexton did not."
Pexton, who was nine months younger than her sister, chose not to give evidence. She denied murder but was convicted by an Old Bailey jury on Wednesday after two hours and 45 minutes of deliberation.
