A Baltimore man has been sentenced to two consecutive life sentences after being found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder in the 2017 death of his pregnant girlfriend and their preborn child.
Akia Eggleston was eight months pregnant with her son, Anubis Robertson, when the two were murdered by Michael Robertson.
Eggleston was first reported missing by her family members when she did not arrive for her baby shower on May 7, 2017. In 2022, Robertson was charged with homicide based on circumstantial evidence; Eggleston’s body was never found, though authorities believe she and her child were dumped in a landfill in Northern Virginia.
Prosecutors maintain that Robertson killed Eggleston because he was also in a relationship with another woman, with whom he had two children. When the other woman forced him to choose, they say he killed Eggleston.
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“You can prove a case in many different ways. This case was highly circumstantial. But when you have enough circumstances, when you have enough puzzle pieces, it makes the case extremely strong and tight, and that’s what this was,” Assistant Baltimore City State’s Attorney Kurt Bjorklund said after the guilty verdict.
The presiding judge said, “What happened to Akia Eggleston and her unborn son was the most horrific act,” calling the crimes “unfathomable acts of murder.”
Following the conviction, Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates also released a statement.
“This sentence ensures that Michael Robertson will no longer be a threat to the safety of others and will spend the rest of his life behind bars for the egregious violence he inflicted upon Akia Eggleston and her unborn child,” he said. “My prayers are with Ms. Eggleston’s family, who had to wait such a long time to see justice done.”
According to a 2021 study, homicide is one of the leading causes of death of pregnant women. In fact, the study found that homicide during pregnancy “exceeded all the leading causes of maternal mortality.”
Though Eggleston’s family says they are pleased with the verdict, they wish her body was located so they could give a proper burial both to her and her child.
