A woman has been charged with the murder of her sister - an award-winning film director - discovered stabbed in her home near Regent’s Park.
Jennifer Abbott, 69, also known as Sarah Steinberg, was found in Mornington Place, at 6pm on Friday.
Neighbours claimed she was found wrapped in a blanket with tape over her mouth.
Nancy Pexton, also 69, of Gloucester Place, Westminster, was arrested on Wednesday and appeared in custody at Highbury Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
It is said she murdered her younger sister Ms Abbott on June 10, three days before the discovery of her body.
Wearing a prison-issue grey tracksuit, Pexton spoke to confirm her name and date of birth, and told the court she is currently of no fixed address.
She confirmed she understood the expected progress of the legal case, during an administrative hearing that lasted less than two minutes.
Pexton was remanded back into custody by Deputy District Judge Lee Marklew until a hearing at the Old Bailey on Tuesday.
Her lawyer told the court the defendant is “fragile”.
Mrs Abbott walked her corgi dog on most days near the address a short distance from London Zoo. She had been popular in the Camden enclave where homes sell for over £10 million.
Officers said they are investigating whether Mrs Abbott’s death is linked to a diamond encrusted Rolex missing from her home.
She was found by her niece and neighbours who broke her door down after her family had not heard from her for several days.
A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as sharp force trauma.
Detective Inspector Barry Hart, of the Metropolitan Police’s Homicide Command, Specialist Crime North, said: “Our deepest sympathies are with the victim’s loved ones who are being supported by specialist officers at this time.
“We thank the local community for their patience as we continue to investigate this shocking crime.
“There are several lines of inquiry ongoing, and we are working hard to establish the exact circumstances of this incident.”
An ambulance crew was called to Ms Abbott’s home and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Her pet corgi had been shut in the bathroom for three days but survived.
Mrs Abbott previously worked in the creative industries.
Her next door neighbour Laura, 34, told the MailOnline she had starred in several films and used to live in Beverly Hills in California.
“She was a movie star. She was in a couple of movies,” she explained. “She came over here and lost everything. Everything was stolen off of her.”
Her social media says she spent time growing up in London, studying Arts and Science at Merton Technical College and attending Pelham High School in Wimbledon.
She later relocated to Los Angeles where pictures on her Facebook page show her rubbing shoulders with stars including Dan Ackroyd, Paris Hilton and Kate Hudson.
Mrs Abbot had run a film production company and made a documentary she directed called Gods of War which she said won several awards. She also wrote and published a novel.
Pexton did not enter a plea during the course of her first court hearing. She is charged with one count of murder.
