A man is accused of planning to feed a British woman to alligators during her visit to the US with a desire to be harmed. Sonia Exelby, a 32-year-old from Portsmouth, traveled to Florida on October 10 and allegedly met Dwain Hall, 53, who is accused of killing her after connecting on a fetish website. They drove to an Airbnb in Reddick, approximately 100 miles northwest of Orlando, where Hall purportedly filmed a video coercing Sonia to agree to harm.
According to arrest documents reviewed by The Mirror, Sonia had left evidence on her computer suggesting suicidal intentions and a trip to the US to endure abuse, torture, and potential murder. Sonia’s body was discovered in a shallow grave in woodland in nearby Marion County on October 17. An autopsy revealed she had been stabbed four times with a knife. Subsequently, a knife with Sonia’s DNA was found in a package sent to a friend of Hall’s in Ohio.
Hall voluntarily presented himself at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office on the same day after allegedly trying to withdraw $1,200 (£905.11) using Sonia’s credit card. Initially, Hall denied meeting Sonia and claimed he was given the card details over the phone for unspecified services. However, he later admitted to picking up a woman and dropping her at the Airbnb where Sonia was killed. Documents also indicated that Hall confessed to messaging Sonia about her alleged wish to be killed.
The documents alleged that Hall confessed to being the last person to see Exelby alive and suggested taking her to Alligator Alley, where she could encounter wildlife that would harm her. He insinuated using violence against Sonia. When pressed about whether he killed her, Hall refused to provide further details, stating he could not answer.
Hall faces charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping, fraudulent credit card use, and unlawful transmission device utilization. His next court appearance is scheduled for December 23, and he has pleaded not guilty. A social media post by a loved one of Sonia on October 16 described her as a “vulnerable person” who had flown from the UK to Florida.
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