UK - Jennifer Abbott, 69, murdered in Camden, 13 June 2025

[Alyce]

Obituary here: Read Ms. Sarah Steinberg "Jenny" known professionally as Jennifer Abbott's Obituary & Leave Condolences

Here's another one. Also - possibly - set up by the son.

Visit Sarah Steinberg known professionally as Jennifer Abbott (1955 - 2025) Online Memorial - ForeverMissed

This memorial website was created in memory of our loved one, Sarah Steinberg Jennifer Abbott, 69 ye...

www.forevermissed.com

 

[Alyce]

Interesting that in both obituaries, her son states that her real name was Sarah Steinberg, but she was known professionally as Jennifer Abbott.
All media and police reports quote Jennifer Abbott as being her actual name.

 

[trendsetter]

Here's a promo video. Very short on detail - what films did she direct, act in etc? What books and poems did she author?

And an 'interview' (no idea what she's saying):

Apparently she wrote the screenplay for the story: "Gerald's Game"

Jennifer Abbott is an award winning director/producer. She has penned many novles (sic) and currently revising (sic) the Steven King novel, Gerald's Game, into a screenplay. It will be starring Cathrine Zeta-Jones and Jack Nicholson. Jennifer Abbott along with the assistant director, Brennan King are currently developing the project. (https://www.atlantisrisingproduction.com)

Except she didn't. In fact, none of this is correct - see the Wikipedia entry for the film: Gerald's Game (film) - Wikipedia

And why did she end up living in a council flat in a run-down area of London?

 

[Sarahlou]

Here's a promo video. Very short on detail - what films did she direct, act in etc? What books and poems did she author?

Apparently she wrote the screenplay for the story: "Gerald's Game"

Jennifer Abbott is an award winning director/producer. She has penned many novles (sic) and currently revising (sic) the Steven King novel, Gerald's Game, into a screenplay. It will be starring Cathrine Zeta-Jones and Jack Nicholson. Jennifer Abbott along with the assistant director, Brennan King are currently developing the project. (https://www.atlantisrisingproduction.com)

Except she didn't. In fact, none of this is correct - see the Wikipedia entry for the film: Gerald's Game (film) - Wikipedia

And why did she end up living in a council flat in a run-down area of London?

I can't get that atlantis link to work.
There appears to be two Jennifer Abbott's who are film directors, because this isn't her is it?
I'm so confused lol.

Jennifer Abbott - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Parker Knoll]

The Jennifer Abbott in the reel SL is the correct JA ( christened Sarah Steinberg )
The JA in the wiki link is another JA
Confusing !

 

[trendsetter]

I can't get that atlantis link to work.
There appears to be two Jennifer Abbott's who are film directors, because this isn't her is it?
I'm so confused lol.

Jennifer Abbott - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

The Atlantis rising site is dead as far as I can see. Too see the quoted text use this one: https://vimeo.com/user4390163

Also check the talk page on the Wikipedia entry for further clarification.

 

[Rusty Braincells]

Here's a promo video. Very short on detail - what films did she direct, act in etc? What books and poems did she author?

And an 'interview' (no idea what she's saying):

Apparently she wrote the screenplay for the story: "Gerald's Game"

Jennifer Abbott is an award winning director/producer. She has penned many novles (sic) and currently revising (sic) the Steven King novel, Gerald's Game, into a screenplay. It will be starring Cathrine Zeta-Jones and Jack Nicholson. Jennifer Abbott along with the assistant director, Brennan King are currently developing the project. (https://www.atlantisrisingproduction.com)

Except she didn't. In fact, none of this is correct - see the Wikipedia entry for the film: Gerald's Game (film) - Wikipedia

And why did she end up living in a council flat in a run-down area of London?

As I posted above, and not to be unkind (I don’t have much of a career myself these days if I ever did), I don’t believe the “Hollywood career” story.

I’m sure Jennifer / Sarah lived in LA for a time, got herself some invites to parties and met some celebrities (hence the photos), self-published some novels and probably did have her own pet project to adapt a Stephen King novel — but she obviously didn’t have the rights to that book, and so that was just a pipe dream. I think the actors she mentioned were her dream casting but not attached at any point.

She seems to have perhaps made some short films, but nothing noteworthy, and I wonder how many announced projects actually made it to film.

To me, the most likely explanation why she was back in the council flat in London is that Jennifer / Sarah was getting older, hadn’t made it in Hollywood and/or ran out of money, and needed to come back for financial support from the local authority that she wouldn’t get in the US. She’s very likely met more film stars than most of us ever will, spent some time in the Californian sun, was able to dream about making it, but not much more than that.

 

[Tortoise]

"A woman knifed her 69-year-old film director sister to death and took her diamond-encrusted Rolex, a court heard. Nancy Pexton, also 69, repeatedly slashed and stabbed Jennifer Abbott in the neck on 10 June, the Old Bailey heard. Ms Abbott, a film director and author also known as Sarah Steinberg, was found dead at her flat in Mornington Place, Camden, north London, on 13 June. Her niece and neighbours found her body after breaking down her door when they had…"

The rest of the article is for members only

She ‘killed her sister, nicked her Rolex and locked the Corgi in the bathroom for three days’ – Court News UK

 

[Tortoise]

"Nancy Pexton, 69, is accused of murdering Jennifer Abbott Dauward, known as Sarah Steinberg, at her flat in Camden, north London.

Ms Dauward, who was nine months older than the defendant, was last seen alive on CCTV footage on June 10 as she returned from walking her dog."

[...]

Sister in court after film director found dead with Rolex watch missing

Nancy Pexton, 69, is accused of murdering Jennifer Abbott Dauward, known as Sarah Steinberg, at her flat in Camden, north London.

www.kentonline.co.uk

Rest paraphrased -

Victim was found on the floor with her mouth taped, partly covered with a blanket, and had been stabbed eight times. Her watch has been recovered from a bag. Plea hearing 9th September, provisional trial date at the Old Bailey 7th April 2026.

 

[Alyce]

A woman has appeared in court.

Nancy Pexton, 69, is accused of murdering Jennifer Abbott Dauward, known as Sarah Steinberg, at her flat in Camden, north London.

Police were called to the victim’s first floor flat in Mornington Place at 5.45pm on June 13

Ms Dauward was found on the floor of the living room partially covered with a blanket and with black tape on her mouth, Paramedics attended and she was pronounced dead at 6.08pm.

Prosecutor Ben Holt said the victim would usually wear a Rolex and a Cartier bracelet but when her body was found, the watch was not there.

A post-mortem examination found the cause of death was a sharp trauma to the neck with eight stab wounds identified,

Pexton was arrested on June 18 and later charged with her sister’s murder, the Rolex having been recovered from a bag, the court was told. Pexton, of no fixed address, spoke only to confirm her identity by video-link from Bronzefield prison during the preliminary hearing before Judge Judy Khan KC.

A plea hearing was set for September 9 with a provisional trial at the Old Bailey from April 7 next year.

Judge Khan remanded the defendant into custody.

Sister in court after film director found dead with Rolex watch missing

Nancy Pexton, 69, is accused of murdering Jennifer Abbott Dauward, known as Sarah Steinberg, at her flat in Camden, north London.

www.eastlothiancourier.com

J

 

[Tortoise]

I wonder, given the recovery of the watch, and presumably more evidence which quickly led the police in that direction, how she is going to plead.

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1937485194719572465

"Ms Abbott sustained eight wounds to the neck and upper back,
including a slash wound to the neck
and a sharp trauma behind the collarbone reaching to the lung.

The cause of death was sharp trauma to the neck behind the collar bone.



A plea and preparation hearing has been set for September 9,

with a provisional
three week trial date
set for April 7 next year at the Old Bailey.

Judge Judy Khan KC remanded the defendant into custody."

 

[Cardgame]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1937485194719572465

"Ms Abbott sustained eight wounds to the neck and upper back,
including a slash wound to the neck
and a sharp trauma behind the collarbone reaching to the lung.

The cause of death was sharp trauma to the neck behind the collar bone.



A plea and preparation hearing has been set for September 9,

with a provisional
three week trial date
set for April 7 next year at the Old Bailey.

Judge Judy Khan KC remanded the defendant into custody."

She stabbed her in the back . That's horrifying.

 

[Tortoise]

I've just seen in the DM article that she was arrested in hospital.

Also the tape appeared to have been applied after the injuries.

Director found murdered was stabbed 8 times by sister, court hears

Jennifer Abbott, 69, was discovered in her flat stabbed eight times by her sister, Nancy Pexton, 69, who was later found with her diamond Rolex watch, a court heard today.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Sarahlou]

She stabbed her in the back . That's horrifying.

Absolutely brutal. I wonder if she'd showed any signs of violence before?

 

[Alyce]

Ben Holt,for the prosecution, told the court that Abbott was last seen on CCTV walking her corgi Prince near her home at about 7.30am on June 10.

He said that Pexton had visited her sister at her home in Camden on June 10 at about 12.30pm for an hour.
“She was identified as a significant witness and provided a statement. She accepted that she had seen her.”

Pexton, of no fixed abode, is due to enter a plea on September 9 but in a police interview denied murdering her sister.

Director allegedly murdered by sister ‘was knifed eight times’

Nancy Pexton denies murdering Jennifer Abbott, who was found dead in her flat in Camden, north London

www.thetimes.com

 

[Cardgame]

Am I imagining things or have the privacy settings on JA's FB changed? If I put her name in now, with 'posts' i get almost non stop photographs of JA and Nancy. I'm sure those weren't visible before?

Maybe I searched something different before but... I could swear...

 

[Alyce]

Am I imagining things or have the privacy settings on JA's FB changed? If I put her name in now, with 'posts' i get almost non stop photographs of JA and Nancy. I'm sure those weren't visible before?

Maybe I searched something different before but... I could swear...

Havent seen that one CG

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

And why did she end up living in a council flat in a run-down area of London?

Snipped and BBM for focus

Re the flat... good question. It's a low rise council block, fairly down at heel but not the worst in Camden. The area is also 'fancy' per Regents Park close by and Mornington Crescent proper being known as an area of artists, creatives, and media people - most of note Frank Auerbach now passed away. However, the whole wider area is run down, shabby, down at heel and there's high crime rates on Hampstead Road.

If JA / SS was placed in the accommodation by Camden Council as a social housing tenant she would have needed to meet the criteria of 'priority need' (which means vulnerable or disabled or unable to find any form of housing in another way) and would have needed to prove 'Local Area Connection' as well as other tests that are rigorously applied.

Many social housing flats have been bought and have leaseholder tenants or have been bought and rented out by the leaseholder, so it's hard to say what situation is what. She could have been a social housing tenant, the owner of the flat, a tenant of a leaseholder, or an unofficial sub-let. We would need to know more. Also, if she had lived there for many many years, the eligibility criteria and demand on social housing was much lower compared to today's standards.

JMO MOO

 

[trendsetter]

Background information

Jennifer Abbott - Biography - IMDb

Jennifer Abbott. Director: Temple of Fear. Jennifer Abbott CEO of Atlantis Rising production. Born in London, England 1967. Abbott grew up in the capitals of Europe. The daughter of an ambassador, she received her B.A. in English and M.A. in Psychology from London Westminister University. She...

www.imdb.com

"Mini bio
Jennifer Abbott CEO of Atlantis Rising production. Born in London, England 1967. Abbott grew up in the capitals of Europe. The daughter of an ambassador, she received her B.A. in English and M.A. in Psychology from London Westminister (sic) University. She speaks several languages. She is a Producer/Director/Author and Editor. She has written several novels, her most famous once (sic) are "The Scream from within," "The other Dimension," and "Dismayed Love." And her latest movies are "Temple of Fear" which will be starring Christopher Walken, Jason Alexander, John Lovitz and James Honoway. "War of the Gods" now in the latest stage of post-production. This movie is the biggest and most important project, she ever worked on. - IMDb mini biography by: Daily Telegraph"

Note: correct DOB is 5th July 1955. So she was 69 when she died not 58. The University of Westminster (formerly (the) Polytechnic of Central London) was formed in 1992 when Abbott was 37.

Her 2004 film "Temple of Fear" can be viewed here:

It does not star any of the actors cited above.

(WARNING: contains graphic violence that some may find disturbing)

The film (only 10 minutes long) is said to be based on her novel: "The Other Dimension". This appears to be a low budget production; probably better called amateurish - the credits are rather idiosyncratic with grammatical mistakes and several misspellings: "dupliaction", "licening", "cinemaphotogrophers", "editers" as well as "we extend our most thanks to Mr. Joe Wilson ...". The executive producer and assistant producer is Bradford Dauward. Abbott has used the surname Dauward so Bradford may have been her husband or a blood relative.
Strangely, the credits suggest that the actor (Robert Nowlan) who plays the police officer in the film is also a real policeman (but with a slightly different name: Bob Nawlan) - each name appears once in the credits.

Jennifer Abbott - Other works - IMDb

Jennifer Abbott. Director: Temple of Fear. Jennifer Abbott CEO of Atlantis Rising production. Born in London, England 1967. Abbott grew up in the capitals of Europe. The daughter of an ambassador, she received her B.A. in English and M.A. in Psychology from London Westminister University. She...

www.imdb.com

Other Works:
The Scream from Within
Poems From the Deepest Corner of the Soul
The Other Dimension