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Florida Man Charged in Killing of UK Woman Who Traveled to the U.S. Seeking to Be Killed

An affidavit describes recovered video, online messages, plus forensic traces that investigators say tie Dwain Hall to Sonia Exelby's death.

Overview

  • Investigators say 32-year-old Sonia Exelby arrived in Florida on October 10, missed her return flight on October 13, and was found in a shallow grave on October 17.
  • Court filings state Exelby had communicated online about traveling to the United States to be killed and later messaged a friend that she had made a mistake and was afraid.
  • Police report Hall met Exelby at an Airbnb in Reddick and recorded video showing her bruised, subdued, and responding to questions about consenting to harm.
  • Forensic findings cited by investigators include Exelby's fingerprints, her DNA on a shovel in Hall's garage, alleged purchases linked to her credit cards, and a knife with suspected blood recovered from a package Hall sent to Ohio.
  • Hall, 53, has been arrested in Marion County and charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, credit card fraud, and unlawful use of a communication device.