List of Durham University people

The case is notable due to the disturbing circumstances surrounding her death. According to multiple news sources, Exelby had reportedly traveled from the UK to Florida in the United States with the intention of meeting a man she had connected with on a fetish-related website.

Recent headlines from November 2025 report that Sonia Exelby was found murdered in Florida. Her body was discovered in a shallow grave, and police reports indicate she had been seeking a "violent death," characterizing the event as an apparent suicide mission that resulted in her murder.

The incident has drawn significant media attention, prompting statements from law enforcement and widespread coverage concerning the dangers of online interactions and the fulfillment of extreme fetishes. The case remains under investigation.