A Florida man is awaiting trial for the alleged murder of a woman from the United Kingdom who traveled to the United States to pay him to carry out her desire to be sexually abused, tortured, and killed. Dwain Hall, 54, of Ocala, Florida, has been charged with premeditated, first-degree murder and kidnapping in the death of Sonia Exelby, 31, of Portsmouth, England. His trial is scheduled for Nov. 5 in Marion County, Florida.
Exelby was reported missing in October 2025 by her family when she did not return from her trip to the U.S. Investigators found her body in a shallow grave in a wooded area in Ocala days later, with stab wounds reported on her body. Authorities say Exelby had a history of mental health issues and a previous thwarted attempt in 2024 to travel to meet individuals willing to kill her.
Hatching a Deadly Plan
According to court records, Hall and Exelby met in 2023 on a fetish website where they discussed bondage, suicide, and her desire to be killed. Hall, who described himself as a sadist, allegedly began what he called the process of "mentoring" Exelby. Their online conversations indicated Exelby offered to help Hall with money he owed to the IRS, and they allegedly agreed she would pay him $4,000 in exchange for his help in fulfilling her request. They also allegedly devised a cover story for their families and law enforcement.
After two years of online communication, Exelby booked a flight from England to North Florida to meet Hall. She arrived at Gainesville Regional Airport on the evening of Oct. 10, 2025, with a return flight scheduled for Oct. 13. Investigators said Hall picked her up and took her to an Airbnb in Reddick, Florida, which she had reserved.
Before meeting Exelby, Hall purchased gun cleaner, rope, deodorant, and parachute cord at a Gainesville Walmart. Surveillance video and receipts from the store also show he purchased a shovel. Exelby's debit card was later charged seven times by Hall's roadside assistance business within approximately 10 minutes on Oct. 11, the day after she arrived.
'So Scared' and 'So Broken'
On Oct. 11, after spending one night with Hall, Exelby sent messages to a friend via Discord, investigators said. She described feeling "so scared" and "so broken," and that Hall had locked her in and taken her phone. She expressed regret about her decision and her fear of the situation, noting that she knew it would be her last communication if she did not take an offer of shooting him. According to investigation notes, she stated the person she was with made her record disclaimer videos and write a letter to her family because he thought it was "funny."
Exelby did not show up for her return flight on Oct. 13 and was subsequently reported missing. Charges to her debit card paid to Hall's business helped lead investigators to him.
Missing, Then Found
On Oct. 17, law enforcement discovered Exelby's body buried in a shallow grave in a wooded area of Marion County. Hall was pulled over by sheriff's deputies on Interstate 75 in the Ocala area the same day. Investigators recovered a package from a friend of Hall's that contained a bracelet and a black, seven-inch steel knife with the engraving "Dorkworf pointy end goes in the other guy." DNA from blood samples on the knife matched Exelby's.
Initially, Hall denied knowing Exelby. He later told investigators he had recorded a video of her, but deleted it because she was "not behaving right."
Frightening Video
Investigators recovered the deleted video, which was approximately four minutes long. The video reportedly shows a bruised and disheveled Exelby in the Airbnb. Hall can allegedly be heard asking her questions and directing her answers. In the video, Exelby appears upset, hesitant, and does not often look at the camera. When asked why she is there, she responds, "Because I'm an awful person." Under Hall's questioning, she states she wanted to die by being stabbed and admits to being beaten, shaking her head when asked if she was coerced. She ultimately states, "I needed to be beaten and suffer cause I'm such a piece of s---," and nods when Hall asks if she is happy and getting what she wants.
Hall allegedly told investigators Exelby "didn't do what she was supposed to do" and did not bring him cash as expected, which upset him. She reportedly gave him her debit card, from which he was only able to withdraw $1,200 after multiple declines. Hall is currently being held in the Marion County Jail on six felony charges. His legal representative did not respond to a request for comment.