BALTIMORE — Its been six-and-a-half years since 8-month-pregnant Akia Eggelston was reported missing after not showing up to her own baby shower.
On Wednesday, a judge sentenced Michael Robertson, the man convicted in Eggelston and their unborn child's death to two consecutive life sentences.
Baltimore State's Attorney Ivan Bates issued the following statement on the sentencing:
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,” said State’s Attorney Ivan J. Bates. “My prayers are with Ms. Eggleston’s family, who had to wait such a long time to see justice done. It was the vigilance of our Homicide Division, ASA Kurt Bjorklund, the Baltimore Police Department, and our partners in law enforcement, including Missing Persons and the FBI, that made this conviction possible. My gratitude is with them for ensuring that this defendant was held accountable.
He was found guilty of two counts of first degree murder for the death of Akia Eggleston and their unborn son, already named Anubis.
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Eggleston was 22 years old when she went missing in May 2017, just weeks from her due date, and her pregnancy was deemed high risk.
Investigators never found her body, but believe Robertson killed her and disposed of the body.
That point was a central theme during Wednesday's sentencing hearing, both from Eggleston's family members during their victim impact statements and from Judge Christopher Panos, the judge in this case.
"Akia didn't have to die.. no one deserves to be thrown out like trash," Angelique Wilkinson, Eggleston's step-mom, read from Eggleston's brother's written statement.
"For you to desecrate her body, put her somewhere we can't even find her?" loudly expressed Sanobia Wilson, Eggelston's aunt, at Robertson in the court. She added in her statement that this took away the ability for the family to bury her and have a gravesite for Akia's daughter to visit.
"You actually threw her out like trash," Wilson said.
Eggleston's grandmother broke down in tears following her victim impact statement, describing the last day they spent together and describing finding Akia's daughter on a tablet, trying to find her mom.
Eggleston's step-father, Shawn Wilkinson asked the court to give Robertson "the full magnitude of justice" and told Robertson "may you never forget your actions.. may your days be slow."
Another aunt's victim impact statement was deemed not appropriate to be read in court, but Judge Panos read the written version during the hearing.
Following the victim impact statements, the prosecutor said "that's why he needs to be punished today," and asking for the maximum sentence to be imposed.
The judge asked the prosecutor if he considers Robertson 'irredeemable.'
"I'm not going to call him irredeemable," said Kurt Bjorklund, the prosecutor, but that the focus should be on punishment and deterrence, not rehabilitation.
The defense asked for mercy from the court, but Robertson did not speak on his own behalf.
His attorney, Jason Rodriguez, did say that with everything he's learned about Robertson over the course of this trial, "Mr. Robertson is absolutely not a monster."
The judge described the crime as a horrific, misogynistic act.
"The court cannot overstate its sadness for the pain, anguish and sorrow you will have to endure for the rest of your life," Judge Panos told Eggelston's family, before sentencing Robertson to two consecutive life sentences, with the possibility of parole.
