He also brought attention to an issue that is all too common. One of the missing persons cases explored in the show is that of Akia Eggleston, a 22-year-old who went missing from Baltimore, Maryland in 2017. Further, the few statements Robertson has provided to law enforcement have been contradictory and deceptive, according to the statement of probable cause. Updated: Feb. 21, 2019 at 10:34 AM PST. The search continues for a missing college student in South Carolina who went kayaking on Christmas Day and never came home. NamUs Charley Project "When it happens, we need to address it," he said. Akia Eggleston was eight months pregnant when she disappeared in May of 2017, featured in Datelines Missing in America. The physical search didn't produce any leads or clues. Cellphone data, text messages and other evidence tracked the movements of Robertson and Eggleston in what prosecutors allege were her final hours on that day. He stated about the confirmation of the skull belonging to Kia: "I felt for a long time that the skull was hers, but I hoped it wasn't. First published on May 4, 2021 / 10:50 PM. Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Here, the skull would be confirmed as belonging to Kia Logan, with the FBI forensic investigators theorizing that Kia had originaly been killed in Greenwood County and then later dumped in Newberry County. Robertson falsely led Eggleston to believe they were going to move in together.. VON CANNON IS A WHITE FEMALE, AGE 43, 5'7, 190 LBS. / CBS Baltimore. Charles Hampton agreed to give up blood and hair samples to investigators. For keeping hope for our family that we would find her alive. Akias case was featured in Datelines Missing in America series in September of that year. When they searched his home, they found several photographs of children in underwear, as well as various photos of nude adults - including pictures of Hampton himself. MS. NEBLING IS A WHITE FEMALE, BLOND HAIR, 5'5 AND SLIM BUILT. Just a couple of blocks from this airport are a number of apartment complexes - all of which are a few miles out from downtown Greenwood. Sending it off for testing, they had to hope that they could uncover any evidence that could help lead them to the culprit. Major Sam Riley was quoted as saying: "These leads have carried the investigation outside of the Greenwood area.". The then 22-year-old from Cherry Hill was getting ready for her second child but her dad, Shawn Wilkinson, said that she did not show up for her baby shower in May of 2017. As of this episode's recording, the abduction and murder of Malakia Zali Logan remains unresolved. "We hope this arrest serves as a reminder that time does not deter law enforcement efforts and our persistence to find truth and justice.". But that optimisim would be short-lived, as weeks began to bleed into months. Investigators allege that Akia Eggleston who was featured in a September 2021 PEOPLE cover feature on missing moms was misled by her boyfriend, Michael Robertson, into believing they were on the verge of moving in together. No tip is too small. This meant that investigators now had half-a-decade to try and work out a case against him. 11 Tennessee to an 85-45 victory over South Carolina on Saturday night. MS. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. We couldn't prove this case.". "Reading his statement, you'd think that only the person who did that would know those details. A random child abduction that went "sour" - usually a byproduct of a victim choosing to fight back, or attempting to run away. In the afternoons you see small children running and playing, riding skateboards, that kind of thing. ", According to the probable cause statement: "Multiple searches for Eggleston's remains have been conducted in several areas of Baltimore with negative results. Prosecutors there had been building a case against Hampton since the summer of 2000, but chose not to bring it forward because of an interstate agreement between Georgia and South Carolina. In October 2017, after a local TV station ran a report on Egglestons disappearance, Robertson searched on Google about trash or dumpster pickup schedules in Baltimore, Mosby said. In the probable cause statement, authorities allege that hours after withdrawing $450 in cash from the bank on May 3, Eggleston at the time a single mom with a 2-year-old daughter halted her frequent social media posts and contacts, including contact with her daughter. "Every time I open up the evidence room door, I see the bike and it's haunted me. Dennis Beauford, the deputy who had originally responded, was a Sergeant at this point in time for the Greenwood County Sheriff's Office. Robertson also was in contact during that time with the mother of his other two children. "So I took that as the hint.". Michael Robertson, 41, was arrested Tuesday in Michigan on two counts of first-degree murder charges in the death of Akia Eggleston and the couples unborn child, Baltimore City States Attorney Marilyn Mosby told reporters at a press conference. After this discovery, interrogators circled back around to Hampton. That afternoon, Eggleston unsuccessfully attempted to withdraw cash twice from an ATM at a Wells Fargo location downtown. BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- It has been four years since Akia Eggleston was last seen in Baltimore on May 3, 2017. The expecting mom was last seen on May 3 on surveillance camera at a bank where she deposited $572 before making a cash withdrawal, Mosby said. Mom Is Presumed Dead, as Police Search for Possibly Suicidal Ex, Who Is Murder Suspect, Wanted Ore. Man Accused of Torturing Woman Is Using Dating Apps to Find Victims and Evade Capture: Police, Brian Walshe, Husband of Missing Mass. The prosecutors consulted Kia's family throughout this process, taking their feelings into consideration. On June 22nd, 2007 - a Friday - the charges against Charles Wade Hampton were suddenly dropped. Most concerning, though, were torn out magazine images of children - a discovery that made investigators think that there might be more to this deviant than meets the eye. May 3, 2020 will mark the third year anniversary of Akia Eggleston's disappearance. Dennis Beauford, the responding deputy, ended up staying the night on the couch of the Logan family, waiting for there to be any ransom calls or communication from Kia herself. Shawn Wilkinson, Eggleston's stepdad, says the money could have been for a down payment for a new apartment with her babys father. According to the statement of probable cause, Eggleston told a bank employee, whom she knew from high school, she had to cash the orders because the property manager "only only takes cash.". MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee police are requesting the public's assistance in locating critical missing, Akia Hair. Upon further investigation, it was determined that the last time anyone saw. This case has been open for nearly five long years leaving this family to search nonstop for their missing daughter.. Eggleston, a single mom with a three-year-old daughter, was eight months pregnant at the time of her disappearance; she was expected to attend her baby shower on May 6, 2017 but never arrived. She, also, went missing while riding her bike very close to her home, in a public setting. They wanted to keep their options option, should more evidence be found against him, so they didn't want him to go free and then lose any chance at a prosecutor under double jeopardy laws. The sunny atmosphere from just a few days prior had evaporated. MR GAMBLE WAS RIDING A MOUNTAIN BICYCLE TO THE SPINX CONVENIENCE STORE IN THE FIVE FORKS AREA OF GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. MR. GAMBLE NEVER RETURNED. Charles Wade Hampton was born on September 21st, 1952. "It is not the answer and there's always an alternative. So when family and friends wanted to celebrate her . Can't we show at least as much concern for the fate of a child? As an adult, he stood about five-feet-eight-inches tall, weighing it at only 132 pounds. HER FAMILY IS CONCERNED BECAUSE HASN'T CONTACTED ANYONE IN SOME TIME. From hair trends to relationship advice, our daily newsletter has everything you need to sound like a person whos on TikTok, even if you arent. This was a random act, which seems to be his technique.". Pomeroy gave birth to her second child with Robertson in August 2016, a month before Eggleston got pregnant. Police said at the time they had invested more than 1,000 man-hours into the case. By Thursday, May 19th, the mood in the Georgetown apartment complex had changed dramatically. However, three - which took place in the middle of this crime spree - took place on a Thursday. Just like the details he provided: he knew some information about these locales, but not all of the minute details. Eggleston was 22 years old, eight months pregnant and the mother to a 2-year-old daughter when she disappeared in May 2017. Her father, Shawn Wilkinson, told WJZ in 2019 "[t]here were no signs that any of us saw that she would just want to pack up and leave.". THEY BELIEVE SHE WAS HAS UNDIAGNOSED MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES BUT THOSE HAVE NOT BEEN CONFIRMED. She was not looked at as if she mattered to anybody, but she mattered to us., Alex Murdaugh Faces Life In Prison For Allegedly Killing His Wife & Son, Morgan Doughty Filed A Lawsuit Against The Murdaugh Family, Curtis Cousin Eddie Smith Claims Alex Murdaugh Made Him A Fall Guy, Buster Murdaugh Testified For The Defense At His Fathers Double Murder Trial, Get Even More From Bustle Sign Up For The Newsletter. Robertson was interviewed several times during the investigation, but "notably has displayed a consistent pattern of hiding or avoiding police contact For nearly five years, the people of Baltimore have searched, hoped and mourned with Akias family and friends, she said. It was a Sunday in Greenwood, South Carolina - a small town roughly an hour north of Augusta, Georgia and about an hour-and-a-half west of Columbia, South Carolina. Courtesy of FBI About an hour later, Robertson's phone moved away from Eggleston's apartment and headed toward downtown Baltimore as. We do not give up on the victims of crime in Baltimore City. Prosecutors, once-confident that the case against him was looking rock-solid, were now worried about not having enough evidence against him. Susan Smith was convicted of killing her two little boys on July 22, 1995 a tragic event that sparked worldwide attention, rage, and confusion. Moments later, Eggleston messaged Robertson on Facebook, "I called u I got the money order.". document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Akia's family became alarmed when the 21-year-old failed to show up to her own baby shower on May 3. "The case is 19 years old; the family has been living with it for 19 years. So, she was not valued. I'm thinking in terms of fifty or a hundred thousand dollars for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible a reward made up of contributions from those who really care, in amounts affordable to them parents, concerned citizens and businesses. Police also found actual pairs of children's underwear in his laundry, which then sent in for forensic testing. Investigators said they believe Robertson killed Eggleston, whose phone has never been recovered. He is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the killing of Eggleston and her unborn child. Upon his arrest, he proved very cooperative with law enforcement. Despite that, police wouldn't have any real leads to follow up on until October of the next year, 1990. Newberry County Memorial Hospital forensic pathologist Dr. Keene Garvin reiterated this finding, stating - after preliminary testing had been conducted - that the skull was likely placed there are the body had decomposed. ", He said the family is seeking justice for Akia and "will continue to stand united as a family until the final judgment in this case has been rendered. According to a statement of probable cause, Eggleston and Robertson first met in the 1990s when his grandmother babysat her as a child. Even though the evidence says something different -- that shes not. James, who suffered an ankle injury against Vanderbilt on Feb. 8, hit 4 of 7 3-pointers for the Volunteers (21-8, 10-6 Southeastern Conference). However, one of the most interesting notes of this sketch came from a description, which noted that the suspect had a pockmarked face. Michael Robertson has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder. BALTIMORE . Families were barbecuing, having picnics, and hanging out in the pool, while children were playing all around the complex. The family seeks justice in Akias case. Eggleston, then 22 and eight months pregnant, subsequently missed a May 7 baby shower she'd organized for herself, causing panicked friends and family to search and then report her missing. Theron Wallace, 20, went missing on Christmas morning while he was kayaking on Lake Carolina After nearly a week of searching, his family has hired a private investigator to assist the South. He had been in police custody, and when questioned, he began confessing to the crimes. Over the next week, the letter written by Dr. Wiggins inspired many to pledge support to the Malakia Z. Logan Reward Fund. "The murder kidnapping and criminal sexual misconduct charges have been dropped. believe that foul play may have been involved. I had dreams that maybe she's been in California or somewhere all this time.". He included details, some of which convinced police that he had involvement, but others they viewed skeptically. Baltimore Police continue to search for clues in her disappearance. Police took Hampton out of jail, and drove him to many of the landmarks and locations from the child abductions. BALTIMORE Since the very beginning, finding 22-year-old Akia Eggleston has been considered 'critical.'. This week her family placed a missing person flier, flower and ribbon outside the home where Akia once lived, on Cherrycrest Road in south Baltimore's Cherry Hill neighborhood. DNA testing didn't match him in one of the Georgia cases. Mosby indicated investigators learned of a "volatile argument" between Robertson and the mother of his children the night before Eggleston disappeared. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. U.S. South Carolina North Carolina Missing Persons Search efforts are continuing for a 23-year-old South Carolina man who went missing in late January. Akia Shawnta Eggleston was last seen May 3, 2017. pic.twitter.com/KgrjYz2OMd. Greenwood's Emergency Preparedness Director Herbert Vaughn spoke to the local press, and talked about the searches his department had helped conduct in the area on Monday and Tuesday. "It's definitely changed the lifestyle here. Hours later, Robertsons next call was made near Egglestons home and investigators believe they were together at her apartment that afternoon. But when they first went to the Baltimore Police Department station in Cherry Hill to report her as missing, Wilson said that their pleas for help werent taken seriously. He faces a maximum penalty of two life sentences in prison if found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder. February 3, 2022 / 11:30 PM We're requesting anyone with information call our office.". Police were beginning to become certain that Hampton had simply been lying to them in order to obtain special privileges: such as trips outside of jail, meals, coffee, and cigarettes. As the hunter walked along a pasture fence, he stumbled upon a small object resembling a human skull. MS. NEBLING IS KNOWN TO FREQUENT THE TRAVELERS REST AND MARIETA COMMUNITES. In October, investigators tried to speak with Robertson at his Muskegon home, but he declined to be interviewed and then left his residence, investigators said. On this Sunday afternoon, in the middle of May, all seemed to be well. But there were also nude photographs of women - including images of his then-girlfriend - and a pornographic magazine named "Stroke Off Tales.". They had already been waiting two hours for her to come there, so when I got the call stating that she wasn't there and nobody could reach her. Grace Beahm Alford/AP/ShutterstockAfter almost two years of speculation and a stunning fall from grace as a once-prominent South Carolina lawyer, Alex Murdaugh finally took the stand Thursday to provide a jaw-dropping testimony in his double murder trial, including admitting to stealing from clients and conceding that he'd lied about his whereabouts on the night of the murders because of . Akia Eggleston. Greenwood County Sheriff Giles Daniel stated that calls were still pouring in about Kia, either potential sightings or people that may know something. Who Is Ana Walshe, the Massachusetts Mom Missing Since New Year's Day? You see, in 1981, he had been arrested and convicted for the rape of a sixteen-year old, telling interrogators that his seminal fluid had been used to convict him. When the police did eventually investigate, they discovered that Eggleston was last seen three days prior to her shower on May 3, 2017, when she was spotted on a surveillance camera withdrawing $572 from a bank in downtown Baltimore. Little else could be determined of the victim or how they had died, as the skull showed no signs of obvious trauma or any bullet holes. She withdrew money for a down payment from a Baltimore Inner Harbor bank on May 3, 2017. US says Russia planned fake video as 'false flag' to invad King Charles to evict Harry and Meghan from Frogmore Cottage and give to Andrew, 'Elvis' star Austin Butler was rushed to ER after 'body just started shutting down', Drug-resistant stomach bug spreading across US: 'Serious public health alert', Meghan Markle, Prince Harry have first night out since bombshell Spare released, Jordyn Woods supports Selena Gomez amid singers feud with Kylie Jenner, Hailey Bieber, RHONJ recap: Jennifer Aydin mocks Rachel Fudas terrible nose job, Heroic bus driver saves student from passing car, Savannah Guthrie Rushed Out Of Today After Testing Positive For COVID-19 During Live Broadcast, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry have first night out since bombshell 'Spare' released. Akia Eggleston, 22 featured in a 2021 PEOPLE cover feature on missing moms was reported missing in May 2017 after failing to show up for her own baby shower By Jeff Truesdell Published on. "Domestic violence is real and when it happens, we need to address it," Wilkinson said. Check out more on my resume below. Four and a half years after a 22-year-old pregnant mother from Baltimore vanished before her baby shower, authorities say they know who's responsible for Akia Eggleston's sudden disappearance. She had plans to get her hair done on that Friday, and she was supposed to pick out her dress, and the baby's dress, her daughter, so she was getting ready, she was happy, Egglestons aunt Sanobia Wilson told local Baltimore news station WMAR-2 News. However, with DNA testing being in its infancy, it would be years before they could definitively test the skull for forensic proof. Let today serve as a reminder to the people of Baltimore City that your States Attorneys Office will never give up in our fight for justice, Mosby said in a statement. So, he'll be back on the street. 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