An award-winning film director was found murdered in her home wrapped in a blanket with tape over her mouth after being ‘targeted for her diamond Rolex.’
Jennifer Abbott, 69, was found stabbed to death after her niece and neighbours had to break into her Camden home on Friday night when she had not been seen for four days.
Just days earlier she had tearfully told a friend she was too scared to sleep over drug users plaguing the area, neighbours told MailOnline. Ms Abbott had recently had a run-in with yobs who had deliberately blocked her doorway.
Tonight a manhunt was underway as Scotland Yard said her missing diamond encrusted Rolex was also missing from her address.
Known professionally as Sarah Steinberg, Ms Abbott previously worked in the film industry and won an award for a documentary.
Her social media said she was originally from Scottsdale, Arizona, but studied Arts & Science at Merton Technical College and attended Pelham High School in Wimbledon.
She later relocated to Los Angeles and pictures on her pages show her rubbing shoulders with stars including Dan Ackroyd, Paris Hilton and Kate Hudson.
Ms Abbot won an award for a documentary she directed called ‘Gods of War’ and a glamorous picture shows her collecting a trophy at a ceremony.
Jennifer Abbott, 69, was found stabbed to death by officers who were called to her Camden home in London at 6pm on Friday
Police believe a possible motive for the murder is linked to a Rolex watch with a distinctive diamond encrusted face, which they think is missing from Ms Abbott’s address
Ms Abbott pictured here with Paris Hilton wearing the Rolex that has been taken from her home
Ms Abbott is pictured here with Hollywood star Kate Hudson on her social media page
Elsewhere she can be seen in images directing a film as well as framing the camera shot.
Poignantly in the snap with Ms Hilton, she is wearing the Rolex that is now at the centre of the police murder probe.
Ms Abbott was found dead in her home by a relative, wrapped in a blanket on her bed with tape covering her mouth, neighbours told MailOnline.
They said drug users would hang out round the entrance to the block of flats and Ms Abbott recently had a run-in with them when they blocked the doorway.
Just a week ago she broke down in tears to a friend, saying she was too scared to sleep because of the anti-social behaviour.
Neighbour Billie Currie, 63, said he had heard a dog barking for most of the night days before Ms Abbott’s body was found.
Then on Friday, there were piercing screams of ‘I can’t get in’ and crying coming from the flat.
He came outside and called 999 with police and firefighters arriving soon afterwards.
The hairdresser said: ‘She was always walking the dog and was really nice. She was quite reserved but very friendly.’
Dan Ackroyd is seen here with Ms Abbott in another picture on her social media pages
Another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, grabbed a metal pole to bash down the door.
It was then that Ms Abbott’s niece made the grim discovery with her Corgi, Prince, locked in the bathroom.
They claimed she was found dead on her bed in a blanket with tape over her mouth.
The neighbour added ‘I heard the girls banging on the door and heard her shouting ‘help, help’.
‘She was a ‘vibrant, spritely, and intelligent’ person. We would talk about a lot of things – politics, current affairs, her likes and dislikes, we knew what each other liked.’
She told about Ms Abbott’s colourful career where she has been a doctor, and was even involved in the film industry where she directed movie Battle of the Gods.
‘She got interviewed in LA about this movie,’ she said.
‘She was known as Jenny or Janet and was quite mysterious.’
But heartbreakingly the neighbour revealed Ms Abbott is thought have recently been diagnosed with stomach cancer.
‘I think she had an operation and it went wrong or something and they had taken out a part of her intestines.’
The Met did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the circumstances in which Ms Abbott was found.
The street, which the council had recently convinced locals to have CCTV installed.
The house was cordoned off by police investigating the crime scene and collecting forensic evidence
The Met police are now urging any witnesses to come forward with information that could help identify the attacker and the events leading up to her death
Known professionally as Sarah Steinberg, she previously worked in the creative industries and was a popular member of the community. Above, tributes including flowers and letters were left for the 69-year-old
A post-mortem examination took place on Sunday and gave cause of death as sharp force trauma
She was last seen on the morning of Tuesday 10 June 2025 – three days before she was found.
A post-mortem examination took place on Sunday and gave cause of death as sharp force trauma. There have been no arrests.
The Met police are now urging any witnesses to come forward with information that could help identify the attacker and the events leading up to her death.
Chief Superintendent Jason Stewart, who leads policing in Camden, said: ‘We are working closely with our colleagues in the homicide team to establish exactly what happened and it’s incredibly important that we hear from anyone who may have knowledge about how this awful death occurred.
‘Were you out in Camden on Friday? Perhaps you had been coming home from work, or at an event nearby? Did you see or hear anything around Mornington Place that struck you as being unusual?
‘Someone must have seen or heard something and no piece of information is too small. It could be the crucial clue that leads us to identify Jennifer’s murderer.
‘Extra patrols continue in the area while my officers remain at the crime scene. I would urge anyone who has any information, or who may be worried, to speak to them.’
