The Shocking Torture and Murder of Sonia Exelby

In this episode of Pushing Up Lilies, I’m covering the tragic and deeply disturbing case of Sonia Exelby, a 32-year-old woman from Portsmouth, England, who traveled to the United States in October of 2024… and never made it home. According to investigators, Sonia flew into Gainesville, Florida, after connecting online with a man named Dwain Hall through a fetish website. She was expected to return to the UK just three days later, but she never boarded her flight. What followed became an international homicide investigation that shocked both sides of the Atlantic. As I walk through the timeline of Sonia’s final days, I do so with compassion and care, because beneath the headlines was a real woman whose life mattered. A woman who trusted someone she believed she knew… and whose story ended in unimaginable tragedy. From an investigative standpoint, I also discuss the complexities of cases involving online relationships, long-distance travel, digital evidence, and how quickly missing person cases can escalate into homicide investigations. This episode is not about judgment or sensationalism. It’s about understanding the vulnerability that can exist in human connection, the realities investigators face in cases like this, and honoring the victim at the center of the story. This episode contains discussion of violence, homicide, and sensitive themes involving online exploitation. Please take care of yourself while listening.