UK woman lured to Florida allegedly murdered by online acquaintance

A Florida man, Dwain Hall, is charged with premeditated first-degree murder and kidnapping in the death of Sonia Exelby, a Portsmouth, England woman who flew to rural North Florida after meeting him online and reportedly agreed to be killed for cash. Exelby’s body was found in a Marion County shallow grave in October 2025; investigators say the pair plotted the killing, devised a cover story, and Hall purchased items (including a shovel) and charged expenses to Exelby’s debit card. Exelby had sent messages expressing fear and regret, and a video recovered from Hall shows her distressed during questioning. Hall faces potential the death penalty, with a trial set for November 5 in Marion County.