Tribute to Brit murdered in Florida

The family of Sonia Exelby, a British woman believed to have been murdered in Florida, has paid tribute to her as a ‘truly beautiful person’ and ‘the gentlest soul.’ Sonia was reported missing from her home in Southsea, Portsmouth, on October 12, 2025, but initial police inquiries established she had already left the country. Her body was later found by US investigators in Marion County, Florida, five days after her disappearance. Dwain Hall, 53, of Ocala, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping in connection with Sonia’s death.

He is expected to face trial in November. Hall had previously been detained for allegedly using Sonia’s credit cards fraudulently. In a statement released by Hampshire police, Sonia’s family remembered her as a kind, compassionate, and talented individual.

They said she was a vegan who ‘couldn’t bear the thought of any animal suffering just so she could eat.’ Sonia was also an accomplished musician who could play the piano effortlessly and sing with the ‘voice of an angel.’ The family described Sonia as someone who made them feel ‘completely safe to be yourself.’ She was the youngest of six children and was ‘deeply loved by all her siblings.’ They added that her passing has left an ‘emptiness in our lives that can never be filled.’ Hampshire police are continuing to support the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s investigation into Sonia’s death, while specially trained officers are providing assistance to her family in the UK.