BRITISH MUSIC TUTOR FOUND BURIED IN FLORIDA AS FAMILY SAYS SHE WAS GROOMED ONLINE BEFORE HER DEATH

Sonia Exelby, a 32-year-old music tutor from Portsmouth, England, traveled to Florida in October 2025 after communicating with people on a fetish website. Days later, her body was discovered in a shallow grave in Marion County. Authorities charged 54-year-old Dwain Hall with first-degree murder and kidnapping in connection with her death. He has pleaded not guilty, and his case is expected to go to trial in November 2026.

According to investigators, Exelby arrived at Gainesville Regional Airport on October 10, 2025, and was allegedly picked up by Hall before being taken to an Airbnb in Reddick, Florida. Court documents indicate that Hall had purchased rope, a shovel and other items at a Walmart shortly before collecting her. Investigators later reviewed phone records and other evidence as they worked to establish what happened during her final days.

Authorities also uncovered messages Exelby allegedly sent to a friend through Discord. In the messages, she reportedly described being frightened and feeling trapped, suggesting that she wanted to leave the situation but did not know how to escape. Investigators also found a deleted video on Hall’s phone that appeared to show him questioning Exelby about why she had traveled to Florida.

Exelby was reported missing after she failed to return to the United Kingdom as scheduled. On October 17, investigators found her body buried in a wooded area of Marion County. The medical examiner determined that she had suffered four sharp-force injuries consistent with knife wounds, and her death was ruled a homicide.

While authorities previously reported evidence suggesting Exelby had traveled to the United States intending to be harmed, her family believes the circumstances were more complicated. Relatives say she may have been groomed over a period of two years through online interactions. Her brother has said she wanted to gather information and raise awareness about people who might exploit vulnerable individuals through these online communities.

Her family is now campaigning for greater awareness of online exploitation and is raising money to travel from the UK to attend the upcoming trial. They remember Sonia as a loving sister, aunt and partner whose life was far more than the struggles she faced. Hall remains accused of murder and kidnapping, and the charges have not yet been proven in court.

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