Family of British teacher claims grooming led to Florida murder

The family of Sonia Exelby, a 32-year-old British music teacher, is alleging that she was groomed on a fetish website prior to her death in Florida. Exelby’s body was discovered in a shallow grave in Marion County in October last year, shortly after she traveled from the United Kingdom to the United States.

Dwain Hall, 54, faces charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping. While Hall denies the charges, investigators have suggested that Exelby, who struggled with depression and body dysmorphia, may have paid Hall to kill her. Authorities cited computer evidence and a video allegedly showing Exelby stating she traveled to the U.S. to die.

However, Exelby’s relatives reject the official narrative of suicide. They contend she was targeted through a fetish platform and traveled to Florida to expose the dangers of such sites. The family is currently seeking financial support to allow relatives to attend Hall’s trial, which is scheduled to begin on November 16.