Brit Woman's Tragic End in Florida After Online Pact
A British woman's journey to the United States ended in tragedy after she travelled with the intention of being killed by a man she met on a fetish website, according to US authorities. Sonia Exelby, from Portsmouth, was reported as a missing and endangered person by British officials via INTERPOL on October 13. Her remains were discovered just days later, on October 17, in a shallow grave in Marion County, Florida.
The Arrest and Chilling Evidence
Following the grim discovery, Dwain Hall, a 53-year-old from Ocala, Florida, was arrested by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). He faces charges of kidnapping and first-degree murder. The investigation took a macabre turn when police intercepted a parcel Hall had allegedly instructed his wife to expect from a friend. Inside, authorities found a knife. Forensic tests later confirmed the blade contained traces of Sonia Exelby's blood.
Investigators stated that Hall and Exelby had connected on an undisclosed fetish site, where she had expressed a desire to be abused and killed. The pair spent the weekend of October 10 together at an Airbnb property. Police later recovered a video from that weekend showing a bruised Ms Exelby being asked disclaimer questions about her wish to be beaten and killed. An affidavit described her as appearing "subdued" and at times "visibly upset with tears in her eyes".
A Pattern of Distress and a Previous Attempt
Further evidence linked Hall to the crime, including a shovel found in his garage. The tool matched a brand he had purchased and its label was discovered by investigators; it bore traces of both his and the victim's DNA. An autopsy concluded that Ms Exelby died from being fatally stabbed four times.
Tragically, this was not the first time Ms Exelby had sought such an end. UK police revealed she had previously attempted to hire someone to kill her in 2024, an effort that was foiled, leading her to receive mental health treatment. The case has highlighted the extreme dangers of online interactions for vulnerable individuals.
