He told police she ‘got what she wanted’ after she sent her friend a final message saying he wouldn’t let her leave

The trial for Dwain Hall, the 54-year-old Florida man accused of murdering 32-year-old Sonia Exelby, is set to begin with jury selection on November 16. The upcoming court date in Marion County, Florida, marks a significant step in a case that drew widespread attention following Exelby’s journey from Portsmouth, England, to the United States. Hall has pleaded not guilty to charges including first-degree murder and kidnapping.

The two had been communicating for approximately two years after meeting on a fetish website, as detailed by UNILAD. Hall reportedly used the profile name “alphasadist” on the platform, and police documents reveal their virtual conversations covered topics including bondage, suicide, and what was described as her desire to have someone kill her.

Exelby arrived in the United States in October last year. When she failed to appear for her scheduled return flight to London on October 13, it triggered a search that led police to discover her remains in a shallow grave. An autopsy confirmed she had been stabbed four times.

The messages from her final days tell a harrowing story

Investigators retrieved messages Exelby sent to a friend on October 11, one day after she arrived in the country. In those messages, she wrote, “I’m sorry he keeps taking my phone, he doesn’t trust me with it. He made it clear there was no way out unless I shoot him. I was questioning it last night.”

Hall initially denied knowing or meeting Exelby entirely, but eventually admitted to officers that the two had engaged in sexual intercourse, which he described as “vanilla.” He acknowledged grabbing Exelby around the throat for what he called “light bondage,” though he said no ropes were used. The kidnapping charge centers on allegations that he restricted Exelby’s movements during her stay, amid an Argentinian unlawful detention conviction involving a partner who also prevented a victim from leaving. When prosecutors asked directly whether he had killed Exelby, Hall reportedly responded, “She’s happy now because she got what she wanted.”

Exelby’s family has said she struggled with her mental health in the years before her death, which left her in a vulnerable state when she traveled to the United States. The prosecution has made clear the only plea offer on the table is life in prison. During a court hearing on April 22, 2026, prosecutors referenced Hall’s lengthy police statements, and his attorney confirmed no motions would be filed regarding recordings of those interviews.

The trial is expected to last one week, with phone records among the key evidence, the same records that initially led officers to the area of disturbed soil where Exelby’s body was found. Jury selection opens November 16, amid a Washington state stabbing case over a failed protection order also before the courts.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in a mental health crisis, help is available. You can reach Mental Health America by calling or texting 988, or by chatting at 988lifeline.org. The Crisis Text Line is available by texting MHA to 741741. The National Suicide Prevention Helpline can be reached at 1-800-273-TALK, providing free and confidential support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.