British Woman Found Buried in Shallow Grave in Florida
The 32-year-old woman who vanished after landing in Florida earlier this autumn was found buried in a shallow grave in Marion County, prompting a homicide investigation that now centres on a man she met online.
On October 17, 2025, investigators in Marion County, Florida, discovered a body buried in a shallow grave near the intersection of SW 30th Terrace and SW 27th Circle. Fingerprints confirmed the remains belonged to Sonia Exelby, a 32-year-old woman from Portsmouth, England.
According to law enforcement records, Exelby had travelled to the United States with the apparent intention of ending her life and allegedly sought someone who would torture and kill her.
She is believed to have connected with a man online before making the journey to Florida. She arrived at Gainesville Regional Airport on October 10 but failed to board her scheduled return flight three days later.
Her disappearance was reported to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) by UK authorities through INTERPOL. A week after landing in Florida, her body was found in the wooded backyard of a home in Marion Oaks. Dwain Hall, 53, has since been arrested and charged with kidnapping and first-degree murder.
On October 20, 2025, a woman identifying herself as Katherine Elizabeth Grantham posted a desperate plea on Facebook, sharing that her sister, Exelby, was missing. "She's struggling deeply right now and we are terrified for her safety," the post read.
Grantham said Exelby was last believed to be in Gainesville and may have also travelled to Tallahassee. The victim's boyfriend, Steve Hunt, also raised the alarm online.
On October 16 he posted, "My whole world is still missing," and added, "I just want and need Sonia back home safe so so bad." On November 9, he shared another update, writing, "So as some of you know, I've been in such a horrible place losing the closest person in the world too me [sic]."
Following her disappearance, Hunt told investigators that Exelby, who studied music in college, had a history of mental health challenges. In 2024, UK authorities intervened after she reportedly tried to hire someone to end her life. That attempt was unsuccessful, and she later received treatment.
The FDLE said Exelby had allegedly posted on a fetish website seeking someone to abuse her. Hall, a Florida resident, is accused of responding to that post.
A suicide letter found on Exelby's computer referenced a plan to be "mutilated and disabled for the rest of my life" should she reach the man she had arranged to meet, as she was "suicidal and travelling to the United States to be sexually abused, tortured, and possibly murdered."
Hall initially denied knowing Exelby when questioned by police. However, investigators uncovered a series of digital and physical evidence linking the two.
On October 10, hours before picking her up from the airport, Hall was seen on surveillance video purchasing rope, gun cleaner, and a shovel at Walmart in Gainesville. That same evening, the pair travelled to an Airbnb in Reddick, which Exelby had reserved.
Items bought by Hall — including food, the rope, and other materials — were later found inside the rental property. Investigators said Exelby's bank card was charged $1,200 through Hall's roadside assistance business.
Later, a shovel recovered from Hall's home tested positive for both his and Exelby's DNA. A matching label for the same brand of shovel was found at the burial site.
Sonia Exelby's burial site from a post dated November 20, 2025. | Source: Facebook/Exposed uk News
Police also discovered a disturbing video on Hall's phone in which Exelby, covered in bruises, was seen answering questions about how she wanted to die. Although she responded, she appeared to hesitate repeatedly.
Furthermore, in messages sent via Discord, Exelby told a friend she was being held against her will. "He made it clear there was no way out unless I shoot him," she wrote, adding she had been forced to record disclaimers and write letters to her family "because he thought it was 'funny.'"
Hall, originally from Canton, Ohio, owns a business called Solverwolf Roadside Assistance. Public records show previous offences for disorderly conduct and fishing without a licence. He had lived in Ocala for the past three years, following a stint in Tallahassee.
Dwain Hall from a post dated November 20, 2025. | Source: Facebook/Exposed uk News
A former neighbour told FOX 35 she had reported Hall for animal neglect. "Thinking of somebody that you came across in life killing somebody else — that's just, I don't know, it's very shocking," she said.
Hall's wife, who is reportedly terminally ill, has not responded to requests for comment. Hall claimed both his wife — who allegedly shares a son with the accused — and mother-in-law live locally.
A detailed timeline released by authorities outlines the final days of Exelby's life.
On November 19, 2025, the FDLE issued a public statement following Hall's arrest. "This type of violent crime and disregard for human life will not be tolerated in our state," said FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass.
He also revealed that agents worked with "extraordinary speed and unwavering determination" to bring justice and closure to Exelby's family. The FDLE thanked the Marion County Sheriff's Office and other partners who assisted in the investigation.
With Hall now held without bond and facing charges of kidnapping and first-degree murder, investigators say their focus remains on securing justice for Exelby and providing closure for the family and friends who worked desperately to find her.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text "help” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.