What began as a long and desperate trip from the United Kingdom to Florida has now unfolded into a deeply disturbing criminal case.
Investigators say 32-year-old Shelby Exelby travelled to the U.S. while battling severe suicidal thoughts and seeking someone who would end her life violently.
When she did not make her return flight out of Gainesville on October 13, loved ones in Portsmouth raised the alarm — and soon, Florida authorities were pulled into what would become a chilling investigation.
How Investigators Tracked Her Final Movements
UK police alerted the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, explaining that Exelby had discussed plans to meet a stranger who would kill her.
Within days, Florida detectives traced her whereabouts through transactions on her credit cards. The digital trail led them to 53-year-old Dwain Hall, a man they say picked her up from the airport and drove her to an Airbnb in Marion County.
The Arrest That Exposed a Dark Story
On November 17, Hall was arrested and charged with a long list of crimes, including first-degree murder, kidnapping, credit card fraud, and unlawful use of a communication device.
Before the killing, security footage reportedly showed him purchasing a gun-cleaning kit, rope, and a shovel — items investigators later found significant.
A Relationship Formed Online
According to police reports, Hall admitted he met Exelby two years earlier on a fetish website. He also told officers she had confided in him about wanting to die and asked for his help.
Hall described himself as someone with violent tendencies but claimed he initially intended to “help” her.
Investigators say the pair slept together several times at the Airbnb, and a deleted video recovered from Hall’s device painted a grim picture: Exelby appeared bruised, exhausted, and emotionally broken while he questioned her.
Signs She Wanted Out
Although Hall tried to get her verbal consent to harm her, authorities say she seemed unsure and hesitant, even though she nodded at times. A message she sent to a friend on Discord revealed she was second-guessing everything.
She reportedly wrote that Hall told her she would have no way out unless she shot him, adding that she had been hoping for a quick death that wouldn’t give her time to overthink the decision.
Loved Ones Pleaded for Her Safety
Back home, her boyfriend Stevie Hunt made a heartbreaking appeal on social media, calling Exelby the love of his life and begging for help to find her. He said she had been struggling deeply with her mental health and that their family was terrified for her wellbeing.
The Discovery That Confirmed the Worst
On October 17, investigators found Exelby’s body in a shallow grave in Marion Oaks. An autopsy showed she died from four stab wounds.
Beside the grave was a shovel label matching the one Hall had purchased earlier — one more detail linking him to the crime scene.
Evidence That Strengthened the Case
Authorities say Hall mailed a knife to a friend in Ohio soon after the killing. When officers searched that home, the knife tested positive for blood and may contain Exelby’s DNA.
With all the evidence stacked against him, Hall is being held in Marion County without bond.
Officials Respond to the Shock
FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass praised investigators for acting quickly to bring closure to the victim’s family. He stressed that violence of this nature will never be tolerated in Florida and vowed that offenders will face full accountability.
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