Florida investigators arrested 53-year-old Dwain Hall on Nov. 17 in connection with the death of Sonia Exelby, a woman from Portsmouth, England, whose remains were found in Marion Oaks after she missed a flight home. Writings and a letter indicate Exelby described herself as suicidal and said she planned to travel to the U.S. to be sexually abused and possibly killed. Authorities allege Hall had contact with Exelby, attempted withdrawals from her account, and appears in a video prompting her about how she wanted to die; he has pleaded not guilty to murder, kidnapping and fraud charges.
Man Arrested After British Woman Who Said She Traveled to the U.S. to Be Abused Found Dead in Florida
Florida investigators arrested 53-year-old Dwain Hall on Nov. 17 in connection with the death of Sonia Exelby, a woman from Portsmouth, England, whose remains were found in Marion Oaks after she missed a flight home. Writings and a letter indicate Exelby described herself as suicidal and said she planned to travel to the U.S. to be sexually abused and possibly killed. Authorities allege Hall had contact with Exelby, attempted withdrawals from her account, and appears in a video prompting her about how she wanted to die; he has pleaded not guilty to murder, kidnapping and fraud charges.
12:44 PM, 11/19/2025Security
Trigger warning: This article contains references to sexual violence, torture and suicide.
Florida authorities have arrested a man in connection with the death of Sonia Exelby, a 28-year-old woman from Portsmouth, England, whose remains were discovered in Marion Oaks after she failed to board a return flight to the U.K.
Missing report and discovery
Officials received a missing-person report on Oct. 13 after Exelby did not take a scheduled flight home. Within days, investigators located human remains in Marion Oaks, Florida, and have treated the death as an apparent homicide.
Investigation details
According to court documents, writings found on Exelby’s computer indicated she described herself as suicidal and said she planned to travel to the U.S. to be sexually abused, tortured and possibly killed. British authorities reportedly recovered a letter in which she anticipated serious mutilation if she reached a particular person.
Investigators say financial activity helped identify a suspect. Agents traced an account that allegedly tried to withdraw money from Exelby’s bank beginning around Oct. 11. Authorities arrested 53-year-old Dwain Hall on Nov. 17; he was already in custody on state fraud-related charges when investigators added murder and kidnapping charges.
Allegations against the suspect
The arrest affidavit alleges Hall initially gave inconsistent statements in a voluntary interview, later acknowledging sexual contact with Exelby and discussing topics including bondage and suicide. In the interview, he reportedly said he would have taken her to an area known as Alligator Alley so wildlife "would have taken care of her," and he later told investigators, "she's happy now because she got what she wanted."
Authorities also say a cell phone video shows a man prompting Exelby with questions about how she wanted to die; the affidavit notes she at times appears to consent but hesitates repeatedly. Separately, Exelby is said to have messaged a friend on Discord saying she was being held against her will and that the man had forced her to record messages and write a letter to her family.
Charges and legal status
Hall faces charges including murder, kidnapping, fraudulent use of a credit card and unlawful use of a two-way communication device. Court records show he has pleaded not guilty to all counts. The criminal process is ongoing and the allegations remain subject to prosecution and legal review.
Support and resources
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit rainn.org. For mental health crises or emotional distress, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org for 24/7 support.