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Florida prosecutors seek to admit violent images in Sonia Exelby murder trial
Court documents say Dwain Hall, accused of kidnapping and murdering British music tutor Sonia Exelby in Florida, had sexually violent images on his phone, including images of women being stabbed and impaled. Prosecutors want the images admitted at his trial, arguing they may show his motive and intent; the case raises a dispute over whether this material is relevant evidence.
Exelby, 32, travelled from Portsmouth to Marion County and was found in a shallow grave on 17 October 2025, six days after meeting Hall at a remote cabin near Ocala. Prosecutors allege Hall groomed her and that she paid him $4,000 for her torture and death; her family say she was groomed, while police found evidence she had been suicidal. Hall’s defence argues the images do not reflect what happened, and a judge is due to rule on their admissibility before jury selection on 16 November.
In short
- Prosecutors say Hall had images depicting violence against women.
- A judge will decide whether the images can be used at trial.
- Hall is accused of kidnapping and murdering Sonia Exelby.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Prosecutors can argue that the images may help establish Hall’s motive or intent, particularly if other evidence connects them to the alleged planning or conduct. If they are probative and the jury is given careful guidance, admitting them could help it assess the case using relevant evidence rather than an incomplete account.
The case against
The defence can argue that possessing disturbing images does not show that Hall acted on them or explain what happened to Exelby, so their admission could unfairly prejudice jurors. Evidence should be closely tied to the alleged offence, and excluding material with little direct relevance would help keep the trial focused on what can be proved about this case.
Explained simply
Sonia Exelby was a 32-year-old music tutor from Portsmouth who travelled to Marion County, Florida. She was found dead in a shallow grave in October 2025, after meeting Dwain Hall at a remote cabin near Ocala.
Hall is accused of kidnapping and murdering Exelby. Prosecutors allege he groomed her and say evidence found on his phone may help explain his motive and intent; Hall’s defence disputes that the images reflect what happened.
The case centres in part on what evidence jurors may hear. A judge must decide whether the images are relevant to the charges, a question that can affect what the prosecution and defence are allowed to present at trial.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Florida man accused of murdering British music tutor Sonia Exelby had ‘photos of women being impaled on his phone’”.