A British woman, Sonia Exelby, 32, from Portsmouth, was reportedly murdered after traveling to the United States with the alleged intention of being killed by a man she had met on a fetish website. Exelby arrived at Florida’s Gainesville Regional Airport on October 10 but did not return for her scheduled flight back to the UK three days later. Her body was discovered in a shallow grave in woods in Marion County, located northwest of Orlando, a week after her arrival in Florida.
Concerns were raised by Sonia’s friend through a public plea urging her to return home, expressing worries that she had placed herself in an extremely vulnerable situation. According to the plea shared on Instagram, Sonia was described as vulnerable and struggling with her mental health. British authorities, in collaboration with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement through INTERPOL, initiated an investigation, suspecting that Sonia had suicidal tendencies and was living with a mental health condition.
Authorities believed that Sonia had traveled to Florida with the purpose of meeting a man who allegedly intended to harm her. Dwain Hall, 53, was arrested following investigations that linked him to transactions made using Sonia’s credit cards. Reports indicated that Hall picked Sonia up from the airport and took her to an Airbnb in Reddick. Initially, Hall provided conflicting stories to the police but eventually admitted to having first contacted Sonia on a fetish website two years prior.
Hall claimed that Sonia was suicidal and had expressed a desire to be killed. He described himself as a mentor who was there to assist her rather than harm her, according to an arrest report obtained by TV20. Hall also admitted to having violent tendencies and engaging in multiple sexual encounters with Sonia, during which he allegedly recorded videos of her that were later deleted.
Video evidence obtained by the police showed Sonia with bruises on her body, with Hall reportedly pressuring her to consent to being harmed. Detectives noted Sonia’s hesitant demeanor in the video, indicating her distress. Messages sent by Sonia to a friend through an online platform revealed her fear and belief that she was being controlled by Hall.
In a statement expressing regret during her stay at the Airbnb, Sonia mentioned feeling trapped and coerced by Hall’s threats. A subsequent discovery of a body in the woods of Marion County matched Sonia’s fingerprints, and a shovel found in Hall’s possession reportedly contained Sonia’s DNA.
An autopsy confirmed that Sonia had died from being stabbed four times with a knife. Investigators found that Hall had sent a package to a friend in Ohio after Sonia’s death, leading to the discovery of a knife with suspected blood that matched Sonia’s DNA. Hall has been charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, credit card fraud, and unlawful use of a communication device.
For emotional support, individuals can contact the Samaritans 24-hour helpline at 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person, or access the Samaritans website.