‘His Own Words Buried Him,’ Prosecutor Says in Opening for 2017 Murder Trial of Pregnant Woman

By Jade Tabbs [former] - July 12, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Juveniles | Suspects | Victims |

On July 12, opening statements were given during a jury trial for defendant Michael Andre Robertson, who is accused of killing his then-pregnant girlfriend, 22-year-old Akia Eggelston.

Robertson, 42, is believed to have been the father of the unborn child.

During their statement, the prosecutor called this a “classic triangle” case in connection to the fact that both of Robertson’s alleged girlfriends knew about each other and how he was being unfaithful.

“His own words buried him, “the prosecutor said as he described how Robertson’s story would change each of the three times police interviewed him.

Defense attorney Jason Rodriguez countered the fact that Robertson had lied to police by claiming that this should not have come as a surprise seeing as he was lying to two women at the time. “You are going to hear things about Michael that you’re not going to like … this does not make him guilty of murder,” said Rodriguez as he continued to set the scene of Robertson’s defense. 

Prior to the 22-year-old victim’s disappearance, Eggelston was described as being excited over the fact that she and Robertson were in the process of moving into a new place together. However, the prosecution stated that Robertson is believed never to have had intentions of moving in with Eggelston. 

Eggelston was last seen on May 3, 2017, in surveillance footage at a bank in the Baltimore Inner Harbor area withdrawing cash which is assumed to be what she believed was the money needed to pay the deposit for the apartment she and Roberston were supposedly going to look at. 

Based on cell phone records from that same evening, the last person believed to have been with her was Robertson. 

When Eggelston failed to show up to her baby shower scheduled on May 7, 2017, close friends and family began to worry and went to the Baltimore Police Department to file a missing persons report.

Over the course of the investigation through now, the victim’s body has not yet been discovered. The case officially changed from a missing persons case to a homicide in April 2022.

As openings came to a close before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Christopher L. Panos, prosecutors called their first witness to the stand. This trial is expected to last between three and four weeks.

Robertson is charged with two counts each of first- and second-degree murder.