Who Was Sonia Exelby, the British Woman Who ‘Paid’ Florida’s Dwain Hall To Torture and Kill Her?
A 53-year-old man was arrested after the body of a British woman, Sonia Exelby, was found buried in a shallow grave in Marion County in Florida, US. The probe revealed that the woman met the suspect on a fetish website around two years ago. Detectives say the two had sex multiple times and that the suspect recorded video showing the woman bruised, distressed, and visibly upset.
New York, November 20: A 53-year-old man was arrested after the body of a British woman, Sonia Exelby, was found buried in a shallow grave in Marion County in Florida, US. Sonia Exelby (32) had flown from England's Portsmouth to Florida earlier in October and never boarded her scheduled return flight on October 13. After UK police raised the alarm through INTERPOL, investigators discovered her remains on October 17.
According to the New York Post, the suspect was identified as Dwain Hall (53). The probe revealed that Exelby met suspect Hall on a fetish website around two years ago. Hall picked her up from Gainesville Regional Airport on October 10 and took her to an Airbnb in Marion County. Detectives say the two had sex multiple times and that Hall recorded video showing Exelby bruised, distressed, and visibly upset. Although he claimed he deleted the video, investigators managed to recover it. UK: Number of Prison Officers Caught Having Sex With Inmates Reaches Record High.
Stevie, Exelby’s Longtime Partner, Shares Heart-Wrenching Instagram Post
Who Was Sonia Exelby?
Sonia Exelby’s loved ones describe her as a vulnerable woman who had long struggled with serious mental health issues. Her partner, Stevie, wrote on social media that she had been “struggling deeply” and feared she had put herself in a dangerous situation after arranging to meet someone in the US. According to investigators, Exelby had previously searched online for people who would harm her and had made similar plans earlier in the year.
Police say the video shows Hall asking Exelby whether she wanted to be harmed, with Exelby appearing hesitant and fearful. Messages recovered from Exelby’s Discord account on October 11 show she was reconsidering the trip, telling a friend she felt trapped and afraid of Hall. ‘Sex for Shifts’ Scandal Rocks McDonald’s UK: Pressure Mounts on Fast Food Giant As Teen Employees Claim Managers Offered Extra Work Hours in Exchange for Sex.
As the investigation unfolded, detectives linked Hall to several attempts to move money from Exelby’s bank account. A USD 1,200 charge went through to a roadside assistance company where Hall is the only listed employee. When questioned by police about the charges, he initially denied knowing Exelby.
Investigators found the packaging for a shovel he bought before picking Exelby up from the airport, and the shovel itself, found in his garage, tested positive for her DNA. A knife mailed by Hall to a friend in Ohio was also recovered and found to contain blood. An autopsy determined Exelby died from four stab wounds.
Hall was arrested on October 18 and is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, credit card fraud, and unlawful use of a communication device. He is being held without bond and has pleaded not guilty. His next hearings on the lesser charges are scheduled for November 18.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 20, 2025 11:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).