A 66-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a film director was found dead at home in north London with tape over her mouth.
The body of Jennifer Abbott, 69, who was known professionally as Sarah Steinberg, was discovered in her Camden flat on 13 June. She was last seen three days earlier, walking her pet corgi nearby.
DI Barry Hart, of the Met police, said on Thursday: “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. This arrest marks a significant step forward. There are several lines of inquiry ongoing, and we are working hard to establish the exact circumstances of this incident.”
Police said on Wednesday that a missing diamond-encrusted Rolex watch could be linked to the stabbing. Detectives were said to be keeping an open mind about any motive but were appealing for information about the watch, which they believed was missing.
An ambulance crew was called to Abbott’s home in Mornington Place, Camden, at about 6pm on 13 June and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said a postmortem examination was carried out on Sunday and gave the cause of death as sharp force trauma.
