The family of a British woman found dead in Florida last year has accused a man she met through a fetish website of grooming her prior to her death and called for tighter regulation of such online forums. Sonia Exelby, 32, a music tutor from Portsmouth, was discovered in a shallow grave in Marion County in October 2025, weeks after travelling approximately 4,000 miles to the United States.
Exelby is alleged to have met Dwain Hall, 53, from Florida, through the website where they exchanged messages over several months. Authorities have suggested she may have consented to being harmed, with early police reports indicating that Exelby took steps to travel to the U.S. with a suicidal intent linked to Hall. Investigators found evidence on her computer that she was planning her trip with the intention of self-harm.
Hall was arrested by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping. Prior to these charges, he had been detained on suspicion of fraudulent use of credit cards and illegal use of a two-way communication device associated with Exelby. Hall has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for trial on November 16.
Exelby’s family disputes the suggestion that she acted of her own accord, asserting that she had been vulnerable and groomed by Hall over a two-year period. Her brother, Luke Wilton, described her as aware of the dangers linked to the fetish website. Wilton said Exelby initially raised concerns, claiming she was attempting to protect others by gathering evidence and confronting individuals involved in harmful acts. Before her death, Exelby informed her siblings that she had uncovered a group of American men on the site believed to be targeting vulnerable women.
Despite Exelby's efforts to involve law enforcement, including attempts by her sisters Gemma Isaj and Sara to prevent her traveling to Florida, she ultimately arrived and later sent messages to friends requesting help. The family has faced financial difficulties in supporting their legal and travel expenses, prompting them to start a GoFundMe campaign to attend the upcoming trial and "tell Sonia’s story," according to Isaj.
The medical examiner reported that Exelby sustained multiple stab wounds, with her body found in woodland near a highway. The family also expressed distress over negative commentary online surrounding the case and difficulties encountered, including an Airbnb cancellation after disclosing reasons for their visit.
The lengthy legal process and media attention have added to the family's distress as the trial date approaches. They continue to advocate for increased oversight of online communities they believe may facilitate predatory behaviour.