Southsea woman’s body found mutilated in shallow grave after she reportedly flew to America 'to be killed'
.jpeg?crop=3:2,smart&trim=&width=640&quality=70&enable=upscale)
A “vulnerable” Southsea woman’s body was found mutilated in a shallow grave after she allegedly flew to America to be killed.
Sonia Exelby, 32, was found stabbed to death and buried in the woods in Marion County, Florida, on October 17.
Hampshire Police has today told The News the content creator was reported missing from her Southsea home on October 12. The force is assisting American investigators.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) arrested Dwain Hall, 53, of Ocala, on charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping in the homicide of missing Sonia. The arrest follows a “swift and intensive investigation that led to the discovery of her remains” in Marion County less than one week after she was reported missing, the FDLE said.
Authorities believe she boarded the flight to Gainsville, Florida, knowing Hall would kill her. He told detectives he met Sonia online two years earlier on a fetish website where she revealed she wanted to be killed.
Hall claimed he was her mentor who wanted to help her, not let her kill herself. But he did reportedly admit to having violent tendencies.
Hall reportedly picked Sonia up from the airport on October 10 and took her to an Airbnb in Reddick. Investigators were able to recover a deleted video which allegedly shows Sonia “hesitant” and “visibly upset” as Hall asks for consent to hurt her.
Police say in the video, Sonia was dishevelled with bruises all over her body as she nodded in affirmation to Hall’s questions. Hall then asks her why she was there, to which Sonia replies, “because I’m an awful person” before adding: “I’ve crushed everyone who ever loves me.”
Sonia sent a message to a friend on Discord a day after she arrived revealing her regrets, investigators said. “He made it clear there was no way out unless I shoot him. I was questioning it last night… I thought he’d do it quick and not give my mind time to stew,” Sonia wrote.
Her boyfriend Stevie Hunt wrote on social media last month appealing for information: “I’ve been shown so much love and support from my friends. Sonia Exelby has been missing since Friday. Sonia is such a vulnerable person and really struggling with her mental health. We believe she got on a plane on Friday and made her way to Florida Tallahassee from the UK.
“We believe she has arranged to meet someone there and has got herself into an extremely vulnerable situation. That's all I can really say on that.”
Investigators connected Hall to transactions made on Sonia’s credit cards, along with a label of a shovel found in her grave. They said Hall purchased the shovel the day before he picked her up from the airport. The shovel was later found in his garage with Sonia’s DNA on it, police revealed.
FDLE said in a statement: “On Monday, October 13, FDLE received a request for investigative assistance from the UK. authorities through INTERPOL regarding a missing and endangered woman from England. FDLE’s investigation found that the woman missed her scheduled flight back to England on the afternoon of October 13.
“Within days, agents from FDLE’s Jacksonville Regional Operations Center and Marion County Sheriff’s Office located human remains in Marion Oaks on Friday, October 17. The remains were determined to be those of the missing woman from England and further examination revealed that her death was ruled a homicide.
“On Monday November 17, FDLE agents and detectives with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office arrested Hall for first-degree murder and kidnapping. Hall was already incarcerated on prior charges of fraudulent use of credit cards and unlawful use of a two-way communication device. The charges were tied to fraudulent use of the victim’s credit cards.”
FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass added: “Our agents worked with extraordinary speed and unwavering determination to ensure justice was served and closure was brought to the victim’s family.
“This type of violent crime and disregard for human life will not be tolerated in our state – those who commit such heinous crimes will be held fully accountable.”
Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said: “Florida’s tough stance against crime is due largely in part to the professional cooperation between local and state law enforcement. This powerful partnership between my office and the FDLE will continue to come together and bring swift justice.”
The FDLE said multiple agencies had assisted them including Hampshire police.
A Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary spokesperson told The News: “We received a report on Sunday 12 October that 32-year-old Sonia Exelby was missing from her home in Southsea.
“Initial enquiries established that she had travelled outside of the UK prior to the report being received.
“Our officers are liaising with US authorities to assist their ongoing investigation, including the Florida Department of Law Enforcement where she is believed to have travelled to, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCDO) to provide support for Sonia’s family in the UK.”
If you've been affected and bereaved by suicide, Cruse is a dedicated service providing free and confidential support across Portsmouth, Southampton, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Call 0330 555 0129, or visit supportaftersuicideship.org.uk
If you need urgent help with your mental health, there is free support available 24/7 from:
- Samaritans - call 116 123 or email [email protected]
- Shout - text HANTS to 85258
- NHS - call 111 and select the mental health option, or in an emergency, call 999