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The family of a suicidal British woman who flew to the US for a 'violent death' after meeting a man in an online fetish chatroom has paid tribute to the 'gentlest soul'.

Sonia Exelby, 32, boarded a plane from Portsmouth to Marion County in Florida where she was found dead on October 17 last year.

Dwain Hall, a 52-year-old father-of-two, was arrested by investigators over Ms Exelby's death and is expected to face trial later this year.

Police revealed Ms Exelby had recorded footage where she told Hall in graphic detail how she wanted to die.

Hampshire Constabulary said today officers were continuing to work with US authorities.

Relatives of Ms Exelby have now paid heartbreaking tribute to the digital content creator - saying her death has left an 'emptiness that can never be filled'.

They said: 'Sonia was a truly beautiful person, inside and out.

'She had the gentlest soul - so gentle that she chose to become vegan, because she couldn't bear the thought of any animal suffering just so she could eat.

Sonia Exelby (pictured), 32, boarded a plane from Portsmouth to Marion County in Florida where she was found dead on October 17 last year

Officers say Dwain Hall (pictured) made a video to protect himself from the consequences of 'kidnapping and murdering' his victim

Hall is accused of abusing and murdering Exelby inside this Airbnb cabin (pictured) before dumping her body in a shallow grave

'That was who she was - kind, compassionate, and full of quiet love.

'She was incredibly talented. Sonia could play the piano so effortlessly, and when she sang, she had the voice of an angel. Being around her felt special - she brought a calmness and warmth that made everything feel a little lighter.

'Sonia was one of those rare people who made you feel completely safe to be yourself. She never judged, never criticised - she simply accepted people as they were and loved them for it. That is something so many of us will carry with us forever.'

Ms Exelby, the youngest of six, was said to be 'deeply loved by all her siblings' - sharing an 'especially close and special bond with her sister Sara'.

She was also said to have 'built a life filled with that same love', in particular with her 'devoted' partner of 15 years, Stevie.

'Sonia had so many wonderful friends, who describe her as beautiful and caring. One wrote that they had "never known a soul with a bigger or purer heart, and nobody made me feel seen quite like she did".

'Sonia's siblings describe her as the "softest most gentle soul". She was softly spoken and always gave the best most intense hugs.

'She was the baby out of us that kept us bound together. We will never get over losing her which has left an emptiness in our lives that can never be filled,' the statement added.

Sonia Exelby (pictured, right, with her boyfriend Steve Hunt) flew to Florida 'seeking a violent death'

Hall, who is married, claimed Ms Exelby initiated the interaction, and he had not wanted to have sex because he did not want to 'feel bad about his wife'

Social media posts indicate Hall has been with partner Ginger Stein (pictured, left) since at least 2014

In footage seen by police, Ms Exelby was described as sitting on a chair 'looking dishevelled' and with multiple bruises across her face, neck and breasts – after being tortured by Hall who told police he used the name 'alphasadist' on fetish websites.

Hall, who claimed Ms Exelby had also asked for rough sex, could be heard asking her why she is in the US to which she replied in tears: 'Because I am an awful person,' adding: 'I've crushed everyone who ever loves me.'

Ms Exelby then went on to detail why she was an awful person before Hall asked her 'how' she wanted to die and to 'describe it'.

Initially Ms Exelby refused to answer but eventually said she wanted 'to be stabbed'.

Hall then said: 'This is how you wanted to die, right?'

When asked if she was being forced to do anything against her will, she shook her head before Hall asked if she was 'happy' and getting what she wants – and she nodded.

Ms Exelby's last moments were recorded in a 13-page indictment filed with the Florida Police Department investigating her murder.

The 32-year-old, who had well-documented mental health issues, flew out to Florida on October 10 and had a return flight booked three days later for October 13.

Mr Hunt posted an emotional plea for help in trying to find his partner, describing how she had flown to Tallahassee

Her family, including her boyfriend Steve Hunt back in the UK, reported her missing when she wasn't on board the return flight.

Mr Hunt posted an emotional plea for help in trying to find her – describing how she had flown to Tallahassee.

Posting several pictures of Sonia on Instagram he said: 'We believe she has arranged to meet someone there and has got herself into an extremely vulnerable situation. That's all I can really say on that.'

It emerged from the police report that Ms Exelby had suffered her family's worst fears, with detectives in the US saying she had 'travelled to the United States with the intention of meeting with online individuals who would be willing to kill her violently'.

They say evidence found on her computer had indicated she was 'suicidal and travelling to the US to be possibly sexually abused, tortured and murdered by unknown individuals'.

She had also used the messenger platform Discord to contact friends back in the UK to tell them what was happening, in what police say was a 'long and disjointed' series of texts.

In them she wrote: 'I'm sorry, he keeps taking my phone. He doesn't trust me with it.'

She then added: 'He made it clear, there was no way out unless I shoot him. I was questioning it last night. I can't kill anyone.'

Ms Exelby later said: 'I thought he'd do it quick and not give my mind time to stew and realise this is the last thing I'll ever do to anyone if I don't take this offer of shooting him.

'He showed me how to use it and where to aim it. I'm so scared I'm so broken and in so much pain.

'All I can do is lay here and doing what he wants makes him respect me enough not to do the things I really hate.'

Police eventually found her body in a woodland at Marion Oaks, while Hall was being questioned and she was identified via her fingerprints – a shovel found at his home had soil in it which matched the burial site.

Blood was also found on the handle, and it was later confirmed to be a positive match for Ms Exelby and an autopsy on her performed a week later showed she had been stabbed four times.

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