“The Day Akia Disappeared”: Dateline Reports on Akia Eggleston Homicide December 6 2025
NBC’s Dateline examines one of Baltimore’s most heartbreaking missing persons cases in its episode, The Day Akia Disappeared, airing Saturday, December 6, at 9/8c. Correspondent Josh Mankiewicz guides viewers through the disappearance of 22-year-old Akia Eggleston, a pregnant woman who vanished days before her baby shower in May 2017. What began as a community search for a missing mother evolved into a six-year battle for justice, culminating in a rare conviction without a body.
- Who Was Akia Eggleston & What Happened to Her? 2025 Update & Background
- Who Is Michael Robertson & Where Is He Now? 2025 Update & Background
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The Vanishing of Akia Eggleston
On May 7, 2017, Akia’s family and friends gathered to celebrate the upcoming birth of her second child. The shower was one she had planned with great care and anticipation, but when she failed to show up, alarm quickly spread. She was eight months pregnant and already a devoted mother to a two-year-old daughter, making her absence deeply troubling.
Akia’s loved ones launched a search immediately. Police and family members searched her Baltimore apartment and discovered signs of abrupt departure. Her furniture was missing, her clothes were gone, and a hole had been punched in the wall. Nothing about the scene made sense, and her social media activity had gone silent since May 3, the last day she was seen at a local bank.
A Troubled Relationship and Suspicious Circumstances
Detectives focused on the men in Akia’s life. Her boyfriend, Michael Robertson, was believed to be the father of her unborn son. He told police their relationship had soured days before the shower when Akia gave him an ultimatum to choose between her and his other girlfriend, Hali Pomeroy. He claimed he chose Pomeroy and denied any involvement in Akia’s disappearance.
But Robertson’s account didn’t match the facts. He admitted Akia had ordered him a Lyft to her apartment the day she went silent. That same night, he conducted internet searches about where trash from dumpsters goes. These digital breadcrumbs suggested something more sinister had occurred inside Akia’s apartment.
The Role of Stephen Foster and Community Scrutiny
Another central figure was Stephen Foster, Akia’s close friend. Described by Robertson as “obsessed” with Akia, Foster had keys to her apartment and access to her online accounts. Their relationship straddled the line between friendship and romantic involvement, but police ruled him out as a suspect early on. He was at work the night she disappeared and fully cooperated with investigators.
Foster helped lead community efforts to find Akia, joining family members in distributing flyers and speaking with the press. He remained a vocal advocate for keeping her case in the public eye. While his closeness to Akia raised early questions, his consistent transparency and emotional support for her family highlighted his genuine concern.
Pressure Builds as the Case Grows Cold
Despite their suspicions, investigators lacked a body and physical evidence to make an arrest. Akia’s case, like many involving missing women of color, struggled to gain sustained media coverage. Her family turned to the Black and Missing Foundation, which helped amplify her story nationally.
Her aunt, Sanobia Wilson, pushed for FBI involvement, helping to bring federal attention to a case the family feared would fade into obscurity. For years, the family operated in limbo, desperate for answers as each passing month brought more uncertainty. The strength of their advocacy played a vital role in keeping pressure on investigators and the public aware of Akia’s name.
A Break in the Case and a Rare Conviction
Six years after Akia’s disappearance, investigators secured enough evidence to charge Michael Robertson with murder. Cell phone records placed him in her apartment during the critical window of time, and his disturbing Google searches supported the theory that he had disposed of her body in a dumpster.
Authorities believe Robertson murdered Akia following an argument, concealed her body with a dresser in a dumpster, and left no physical remains. Despite the absence of a body, prosecutors charged him with two counts of first-degree murder—for Akia and her unborn child.
In July 2023, Robertson stood trial. A Baltimore jury found him guilty of all charges. He was sentenced to two consecutive life terms on October 25, 2023. The prosecution’s success marked a significant legal milestone in a case built entirely on circumstantial evidence.
The Legacy of Akia Eggleston
Akia Eggleston’s story is now a symbol of perseverance, injustice, and the power of a family’s voice. The six-year journey to accountability exposed flaws in how cases involving missing Black women are handled and highlighted the critical role advocacy organizations play in achieving justice.
For correspondent Josh Mankiewicz and the Dateline team, telling Akia’s story was not only about solving a mystery but confronting the reality of what families endure when the justice system moves slowly. The episode explores not only what happened but why it took so long for the truth to emerge.
Akia’s family continues to grieve, knowing justice did not come with closure. The pain of not recovering her remains lingers. But through determination and unity, they ensured Akia would not be forgotten. Her case stands as a stark reminder of the voices that too often go unheard—and the lengths it takes to bring those voices justice.
More “The Day Akia Disappeared”
- “The Day Akia Disappeared”: Dateline Reports on Akia Eggleston Homicide December 6 2025
- Who Was Akia Eggleston & What Happened to Her? 2025 Update & Background
- Who Is Michael Robertson & Where Is He Now? 2025 Update & Background
