Man Convicted of Girlfriend's Murder Despite No Body Being Found
A man has been convicted of murdering his army reservist girlfriend, even though her body has never been found, in a chilling case that unfolded after a hotel argument. Luis Antonio Gomes Akay, 39, was found guilty this month of murdering 22-year-old Anna Laura Costa Porsborg in December 2022. The jury deliberated for less than three hours before reaching its verdict, and Gomes Akay now faces 25 years to life in prison, with a sentencing hearing scheduled for 27 April.
The Disappearance and Investigation
The court heard that the couple travelled from New Jersey to Los Angeles on Christmas Eve 2022 and checked into a hotel in El Segundo. They visited local sites over the following days, but on 27 December, they got into an argument after going to a bowling alley. They returned to their hotel, but Porsborg was never seen or heard from again. Her body has never been found.
A news release from the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office detailed that Gomes Akay was seen dragging a large suitcase from the hotel two days later. Phone and GPS evidence showed he then drove to the Angeles National Forest, where he remained for about an hour before returning to the hotel and initially reporting Porsborg missing.
Chilling Evidence and Previous Missing Girlfriend
Evidence presented at trial showed the defendant was controlling, jealous, and possessive, according to the release. Several prosecution witnesses flew from Brazil to testify that one of Gomes Akay's previous girlfriends, 24-year-old Ana Claudia Dos Santos, had gone missing in Brazil after breaking up with him. Her body also has never been found.
Most chillingly, two of Gomes Akay's friends testified during the trial that he often liked to say, 'no body, no crime', highlighting his belief that without a body, a crime could not be proven.
Family Concerns and Police Action
Porsborg, who was originally from Brazil, had been sending her mother pictures and messages throughout the LA trip. When they abruptly stopped, her mother contacted authorities, who ultimately reached out to the FBI. A detective with the El Segundo Police Department knocked on the hotel room door where Gomes Akay and Porsborg were staying on 31 December 2022.
Gomes Akay told police that he and Porsborg had gotten into an argument several nights earlier and that she had left the hotel on her own, telling him she never wanted to be contacted again. However, during a preliminary hearing in 2023, the same detective testified that he had noticed 'small abrasions that appeared to be fresh in nature' on Gomes Akay's hands and 'what appeared to be rug burns' near his elbows.
Gomes Akay was arrested on suspicion of murder on 1 January 2023.
Prosecution's Statement on the Verdict
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said: 'For over three years, Anna's family and friends have waited for justice. Today the jury has spoken, returned its guilty verdict for first-degree murder against this sociopath and justice has arrived.'
He added: 'So-called 'no body' cases are some of the most difficult to prove because they rely so heavily on circumstantial evidence. I want to thank Deputy District Attorney Hilary Williams of the Major Crimes Division and the investigators in this case who methodically laid out the case piece-by-piece for the jury, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to the pursuit of justice for Anna.'
