A Florida man, Dwain Hall, has been arrested and charged with first‑degree murder after killing a 32‑year‑old British woman, Sonia Exelby, in Marion County last month. The case unfolded after Exelby flew to Florida hoping for a dramatic end she planned for herself, but the trip turned deadly.
Exelby arrived in Florida on October 10. She missed her return flight to Portsmouth, England, on October 13 and was reported missing by UK authorities to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Her partner, Stevie, posted on Instagram that she had been struggling with mental health and seemed “very vulnerable,” adding that she believed the woman wanted to meet someone in Florida to “help her die.”
Police traced Exelby’s disappearance to Dwain Hall, a 53‑year‑old Florida resident who met her online two years earlier on a fetish site. Hall pitched himself as a “mentor” and claimed he wanted to “help” Exelby. He picked her up from Gainesville Regional Airport on October 10 and took her to an Airbnb in Reddick, Fla.
During their stay, Hall allegedly recorded a video of Exelby with bruises and cryptic statements about feeling like “an awful person” and saying she had “crushed everyone who loves me.” Police recovered the video, which showed Exelby hesitant and visibly upset as Hall pressured her to consent to harm. On October 11, Exelby texted a friend on Discord, saying she was questioning the situation and feared she had no way out unless Hall forced her to shoot him.
The next day, Hall brought a knife that tested with blood on it to a friend in Ohio. Authorities found a shovel at the Reddick Airbnb that matched a brand Hall had bought before the trip, and the same shovel later appeared in Hall’s garage bearing Exelby’s DNA.
Exelby’s body was found in a shallow grave on October 17, one week after she arrived in the U.S. Autopsy reports revealed she was stabbed four times to death. Hall was arrested on October 18 on charges of first‑degree murder, kidnapping, credit‑card fraud, and unlawful use of a communication device. He is being held without bond and faces court hearings on the lesser charges on November 18.
The case has drawn international attention after UK officials warned Florida law enforcement that Exelby had come to the U.S. to meet people who would give her a violent death. Local authorities said the warning helped identify Hall.
The investigation highlights the dangers of “suicide tourism,” a growing concern worldwide. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts in the United States, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 for free, confidential help.
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
