Sonia Exelby Murder Case Explained: Did She Hire Her Own Killer and Fly to Florida to Die?

Content Warning: This article discusses murder, mental-health struggles and possible self-harm.

True-crime cases are often built around familiar motives such as money, revenge, jealousy or personal conflict. However, the alleged murder of 32-year-old Sonia Exelby presents a far more unsettling question: what happens when a person apparently asks someone else to end their life, but may change their mind when it is already too late?

According to the account surrounding the case, Sonia was a British woman from Hampshire. She was the youngest of six siblings and was described by the people close to her as friendly, talented and deeply loved.

She reportedly enjoyed singing and playing the piano. She also had a beloved dog and maintained close relationships with her siblings and friends. On the surface, she appeared to be a warm and lively person.

Behind that personality, however, Sonia was allegedly dealing with serious emotional and psychological difficulties.

An Online Friendship With a Stranger

Sonia reportedly met a 52-year-old Florida man named Dwayne Hall through an online platform. The two lived thousands of miles apart and had never met in person.

Despite the distance, they continued communicating for approximately a year. Their conversations allegedly became increasingly personal as they discussed their lives, problems, fears and private thoughts.

At some point in 2024, Sonia reportedly told Hall that she wanted to visit him in the United States.

She obtained a ticket and attempted to travel, but airport officials allegedly became concerned about her mental wellbeing after questioning her and examining information on her phone. She was reportedly prevented from continuing her journey and returned home.

However, that did not end her plan.

Sonia allegedly continued trying to arrange another trip to America. During her conversations with Hall, she reportedly told him that she no longer wanted to live but did not want to end her own life.

She then allegedly made an extraordinary request: she asked Hall to kill her.

The Alleged Payment

Hall initially appeared confused by the request, according to the account. Sonia allegedly insisted that she was serious and wanted the killing to be violent and merciless.

Their conversations reportedly continued until Hall finally agreed.

At another point, Hall allegedly told Sonia that he needed money to pay someone. Sonia reportedly transferred approximately $4,000 to him.

The exact purpose of that payment later became one of the most important questions in the investigation.

Sonia allegedly suggested that the money was not a gift and that Hall was expected to complete the task they had discussed. However, investigators reportedly did not find a completely direct written statement identifying the transfer as payment for murder.

This distinction could become significant in court. A conversation that appears to suggest a murder arrangement is not necessarily the same as a clear and legally enforceable confession or contract.

The Journey to Florida

In October 2025, Sonia finally travelled from England to Florida.

She reportedly told her family that she was going on a short trip and would return within a week. After arriving, she made limited contact with them before suddenly becoming unreachable.

Her family became increasingly worried. They knew that she had struggled emotionally in the past, and the lack of communication appeared unusual.

British authorities were contacted, and information about Sonia’s disappearance was reportedly passed to American law enforcement agencies.

Investigators examined airport footage from the day she arrived. The footage allegedly showed Sonia getting into a vehicle outside the airport.

The registration number reportedly led police directly to Dwayne Hall.

Before officers had fully investigated Hall, another development changed the case. A woman’s body was allegedly discovered in a pit near a wooded area in Florida.

The victim was identified as Sonia.

Evidence Found by Investigators

Police reportedly questioned Hall and searched his property.

Inside his garage, investigators allegedly discovered a hammer with blood on it. Testing reportedly connected the blood to Sonia.

Authorities also examined Hall’s phone, laptop and other electronic devices. The material they found allegedly included private messages and disturbing videos recorded after Sonia arrived in Florida.

One video reportedly showed Sonia sitting inside an Airbnb property with visible injuries. Hall could allegedly be heard asking her to confirm that she wanted him to kill her and that she had chosen him for the task.

Sonia did not appear to give a clear verbal answer. Instead, she reportedly nodded her head.

That footage became both disturbing and legally complicated.

A nod could be presented as evidence that Sonia had previously agreed to the plan. However, the circumstances under which the video was recorded would be extremely important. She may have been frightened, injured, pressured or unable to respond freely.

Consent to being killed would also not normally give another person the legal right to commit murder.

Did Sonia Change Her Mind?

The most heartbreaking part of the case may be a message Sonia allegedly sent to a friend after meeting Hall.

In the message, she reportedly suggested that she had made a terrible mistake. She appeared afraid and believed that Hall had become completely committed to killing her.

It is possible that Sonia initially treated the plan as a distant fantasy while communicating online. Travelling to America and meeting Hall face-to-face may have transformed that fantasy into a terrifying reality.

She may have expected Hall to back out after seeing her. She may have believed he would recognise the seriousness of the situation and refuse to continue.

Instead, Hall allegedly collected several possible weapons, including a knife, a gun, a hammer and material that could be used as a noose.

Investigators reportedly believed that Sonia became frightened and wanted to escape. Hall, however, allegedly interpreted her fear as part of the arrangement rather than a withdrawal of consent.

According to the account, Sonia suffered multiple stab wounds before her body was placed in a pit.

Hall’s Explanation

Hall reportedly admitted that he killed Sonia but denied acting out of hatred or a desire to rob her.

He allegedly told police that Sonia had requested her own death and had selected him to carry it out.

However, investigators also discovered that Sonia’s bank cards were allegedly used to withdraw money between her arrival and the discovery of her body. Surveillance footage reportedly showed Hall making some of those withdrawals.

This raised further questions about his motive.

Even when a victim has previously spoken about wanting to die, taking their money, recording their apparent agreement while they are injured and continuing after they appear frightened could suggest exploitation rather than compassion.

A Difficult Case for the Court

Hall reportedly faced a first-degree murder charge.

The prosecution will likely focus on preparation, financial activity, the collection of weapons and any evidence suggesting that Sonia tried to withdraw from the plan.

The defence may argue that Hall believed he was carrying out Sonia’s clearly expressed wishes.

However, the central issue is not simply whether Sonia had once asked him to kill her. The court would need to examine whether Hall planned the killing independently, whether he financially exploited her and whether he continued after realising that she no longer wanted to die.

A person experiencing a mental-health crisis is especially vulnerable. Agreeing to a violent act during such a crisis does not remove another person’s legal or moral responsibility.

Final Thoughts

The Sonia Exelby case is not merely a strange story about a woman who allegedly hired her own killer.

It is a tragedy involving isolation, mental-health struggles, online manipulation and the dangerous consequences of placing trust in a stranger.

Sonia may have once believed that death was the only escape from her pain. Yet the messages she allegedly sent after reaching Florida suggest that when the danger became real, she may have wanted to survive.

That possibility makes the case even more devastating.

She travelled thousands of miles believing she controlled the plan. Once she arrived, however, the control may have passed entirely into the hands of a man who was prepared to turn her darkest thoughts into reality.