In an episode of the TV show ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ that explores the genealogies of Hollywood celebrities, Cynthia Nixon, the famous Sex and the City protagonist discovered that her great-great-great grandmother was an axe murderer.

The presenter of the show revealed to an astonished Cynthia that her ancestor was found guilty of first-degree manslaughter and sentenced to five years in the historic Missouri State Penitentiary, where she was the only female prisoner at the time.

According to an 1843 newspaper, the victim used to treat his wife in a brutal manner. On the morning of the day of the murder he told his wife to get up and get breakfast for himself and her two children, and then to say her prayers, for she should die, he swore, before sunset.

The woman got up and made a fire and returned to the room where her husband slept. She took the axe with which she had been chopping wood and with one blow sunk it deep into his head, just through the eyes.

The famous actress was moved to tears to hear the heart-breaking story of her ancestor.

“I’m sure we’ll make many jokes about it in the years to come, about the axe murderess in our family, but I think we will remain in awe of her,” said the shocked actress.