Florida Man Accused Of Murdering Suicidal UK Woman Who Traveled To US Seeking A Violent Death
Florida really is the final boss of weird news, and this story about a suicidal British woman flying out there for her own arranged, consensual murder only reinforces that title.
Dwain Hall, 53, is accused of murdering 32-year-old Sonia Exelby, who traveled to Florida with the alleged intent of meeting someone to kill her due to her severe mental health struggles.
The two of them met on a fetish site where Sonia allegedly posted about her desire to be “tortured” and die a violent death. UK authorities were aware of her intentions and had previously intervened to stop her in a similar attempt.
However, there was no stopping Sonia flying out to Gainesville, Florida, on October 10, 2025, where Hall picked her up at the airport and took her to a rented Airbnb.
At the Airbnb, Hall allegedly had sex with Sonia and recorded a video showing her covered in cuts and bruises. In the video, Sonia appears hesitant and distressed, while Hall is heard asking her for consent to be stabbed.
Messages she sent to a friend during this time indicated that Sonia regretted her decision and felt trapped.
She sent the following messages over Discord: “I’m so, so scared. I’m so broken and in so much pain,” and: “I thought he’d do it quick and not give my mind time to stew.”
Sonia’s body was discovered in a shallow grave in a wooded area in Marion Oaks, Florida, and an autopsy determined she died from four stab wounds.
After her disappearance was reported by UK authorities through Interpol, Hall became a suspect. Investigators found substantial evidence linking him to the crime, including:
– Surveillance footage of Hall purchasing a shovel, rope, and other items before picking Sonia up.
– The same model of shovel found at the burial site and in Hall’s garage with Sonia’s DNA on it.
– A video of Sonia on his phone showing her injured and upset.
– A knife containing Exelby’s blood and a bracelet containing both their DNA which Hall mailed to a friend in Ohio.
Not sure what he was doing mailing the murder weapon to his buddy, but I guess they would have busted him either way. Sure enough, Hall has since been arrested and charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, credit card fraud, and unlawful use of a communication device. He has been denied bail and has pleaded not guilty.
Of course, you cannot legally consent to an illegal act, and so Hall has no real defence for what he did. In fact things couldn’t really be worse for him because the fact it was all pre-arranged proves premeditation, which is the most important element of murder. His lawyer can’t argue it was a moment of reckless passion or unplanned in any way.
Just a terribly sad story and horrendous for Sonia’s family and friends and everyone else who couldn’t get through to her. This woman was obviously extremely unwell, and it’s terrifying to know that there are depraved animals like Dwain Hall out there who will take advantage of that to such a degree. Only consolation is that in America these types of people tend to receive the severe punishment that they deserve.
RIP Sonia Exelby.
To watch Jon Bon Jovi rescue a distraught woman from jumping off a bridge, click HERE.
