The crime spree began in July 1995 and carried on until August of 1996. Courtesy of FBI About an hour later, Robertson's phone moved away from Eggleston's apartment and headed toward downtown Baltimore as. He was described as being between thirty-five and forty years old, with slender ad pointed facial features. Soon, children began playing outside of the Georgetown apartments once again, Kia's disappearance becoming an outlier to a safe community. 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. It's a reminder of unfinished business.". "It's definitely changed the lifestyle here. 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. This means that, between the time of his plea and now, Charles Wade Hampton has likely served his time and since been released. 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. Robertson then started staying with Eggleston in April 2017 after being evicted from the apartment he shared with Pomeroy, according to the statement of probable cause. Eggleston, 22, was reported missing by her family after she failed to show up to her baby shower on May 7, 2017. Dennis Beauford, the deputy who had responded to the incident and originally stayed the night, continued to feel a personal connection to the story. They searched pretty exhaustively for around three weeks, unable to locate any more remains other than the skull. 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Man Accused of Torturing Woman Is Using Dating Apps to Find Victims and Evade Capture: Police, Brian Walshe, Husband of Missing Mass. If you know anything, call the FBI's Baltimore office at 410-265-8080 or Baltimore Police at 410-396-2499. Her granddaughter, Ashley, had been friends with both Kia and Renee Logan, and had actually been playing with the two on the basketball court shortly before Kia disappeared. His height was listed in the range of 5'8" or 5'9", and he was of slight build, in the weight range of 150 pounds. Even though the evidence says something different -- that shes not. Her picture appeared on ADVO cards in August and the story was recently on television. At around the time these sexual assaults came to an end, in the summer of 1996, police began to eye a specific sexual deviant as a potential suspect. On this Sunday afternoon, in the middle of May, all seemed to be well. A random child abduction that went "sour" - usually a byproduct of a victim choosing to fight back, or attempting to run away. The FBI is also involved and is offering a $25,000 reward for information about the case. The case continues to generate national media coverage, but there are still no answers as to what happened to the 22-year-old mom. In 1993, the skull was sent off to the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC for DNA testing. As former Sheriff Riley and current Sheriff Tony Davis stated: "members of the community supported the Logan family when in need, and now those funds will support those in need with educational opportunities.". ", Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster also shared his thoughts, referring to the active state of the investigation or rather, the lack of one: "I can't think of anything worse than losing a child to an act of violence, then on top of that losing a child which you really don't know what happened.". 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. TV show Missing Word Star (year) One Tree ____ James Lafferty (2003) NC _____ Banks: Chase Stokes (2020) NC _____ R.F.D. They're no closer today than they were back in 1988 when Kia was snatched up. 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 . "Let me also say this to the people of Baltimore City: Our pursuit of justice is unyielding. But we can't prove it. ANDERSON, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - The Anderson County Sheriff's Office says a missing 10-year-old boy . Officers are looking for Brianna Lee Roller . They all decided to put the money to good use, allowing education or nursing majors to receive the scholarship in times of hardship. On the northern outskirts of the town is the small country airport, which consists of a single elongated runway. The 22-year-old, who was eight months pregnant, was reported missing when she failed to show up at her own baby shower. 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. She was eight months pregnant at the time of her disappearance. "The case is 19 years old; the family has been living with it for 19 years. That's all we've got. Mosby indicated investigators learned of a "volatile argument" between Robertson and the mother of his children the night before Eggleston disappeared. Like I said, these crimes varied by location, with some taking place in Georgia and others in South Carolina. Akia Eggleston. 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. Akia Shawnta Eggleston was reported missing on May 7, 2017. Speaking about the indictment, longtime Greenwood County Sheriff Sam Riley stated: "There was no relationship between him and Kia. On October 1st, 1990 - a Monday - a hunter was in an area just outside of Newberry, South Carolina. He had been in police custody, and when questioned, he began confessing to the crimes. It all pointed to a very confusing puzzle, which police didn't know how to make sense of. The prosecutors consulted Kia's family throughout this process, taking their feelings into consideration. Based on her pattern of life, the time passed, extensive publicity, multiple searches, and monetary reward for information in this case, the document stated, the fact that Eggleston has not returned to her family or been electronically or physically located overwhelmingly indicates that she is in fact, deceased. The document details Akias last days as revealed by interviews, financial records, telephone records, and social media communications, and alleges that the investigation revealed the only person with the motive, means, and opportunity to murder Eggleston was the purported father of her unborn child, Michael Robertson., While Akias body has not been found, the statement of probable cause revealed that in October of 2017, following the airing of a local television news report on Akias case, Robertsons Google searches for where does Baltimore city trash go when picked up, BALTIMORE City Dumpster pickup, and baltimore city landfill indicate what may have happened to Egglestons remains., Michael Robertson is being held on bond in Michigan, where he currently resides. The sunny atmosphere from just a few days prior had evaporated. Friends were celebrating the warm weather by swimming in the apartment pools, kids were playing outside among others their age, and families were barbecuing and picnicking in the community areas. "I hope wherever she (Kia) is, she's safe and alive and she'll be home soon. An eight-year-old girl that lived in this community was out playing with her sister and a friend on their apartment complex's basketball court. That afternoon, Eggleston unsuccessfully attempted to withdraw cash twice from an ATM at a Wells Fargo location downtown. Police first thought this was a clue that she walked off on her own. I am a model/model coach with experience in runway, Promotions/Brand Ambassador, Video, TV, Acting, Pageants, model and Fitness Instructor etc. Calls to . Akia Shawnta Eggleston was last seen May 3, 2017. pic.twitter.com/KgrjYz2OMd. That's really bad for the family. What he had told them was intriguing at face-value, but there was nothing incriminating: it was as-if he was saying enough to keep police on-the-hook, but not enough to actually be charged with any crimes. For nearly five years, the people of Baltimore have searched, hoped and mourned with Akias family and friends, she said. He was a former Department of Transportation employee, who lived in Clarke County, Georgia, and worked at the rest stop at Hard Labor Creek State Park as a maintenance man. That report, compiled by the team at . Although the Baltimore police department declined to share details about the case with People for a September 2021 article because the investigation is still ongoing, a spokesperson for the department discussed the case in a June 2017 news conference. It was occupied by a white male, thirty-five to forty years of age, slender built, lean or pointed facial features with brownish blond hair with sun streaks.". The sun was beginning to set, and this eight-year old climbed onto her bike to head back home. At about 5:22 p.m., Eggleston sent a friend an invite to her baby shower on the following Sunday, Mosby said. Further, the few statements Robertson has provided to law enforcement have been contradictory and deceptive, according to the statement of probable cause. Prosecutors, once-confident that the case against him was looking rock-solid, were now worried about not having enough evidence against him. Greenwood is the type of town you imagine when you think of rural America: a downtown comprised of brick buildings, a railroad track that separates the storefronts from the industrial area, and a large suburban population. Both of these generated more leads of possible sightings of Kia Logan and suspects bearing a resemblance of the composite of a man wanted for questioning. We've received your submission. 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. I am criticizing the rest of us who thrive in our community yet appear apathetic. / CBS Baltimore. That day, Eggleston was seen on surveillance video depositing the two money orders and a paycheck from her employer at a BB&T location in the central business district. Akia was reported missing by family members on May 7, 2017, after she failed to show up to her own baby shower. It took police a while to line up the suspect description because the vehicles in-question varied based on each witness: two described the vehicle they had been abducted in as a champagne-gold Mazda, while others pointed out either a white Toyota Corolla or a white Chevy Celebrity. She said investigators used interviews, financial records, telephone records and social media messages to construct a timeline of the case. Another description was vague, calling it simply an older model white compact or subcompact with blue interior. In particular, they went after him for comments he had made between his 2000 release from prison and his 2002 re-arrest, in which he had confessed to the 1995 abduction of a five-year old girl from Richland County and the subsequent sexual assault. "Maybe he did it, maybe he didn't. How can we send such a message? ON AUGUST 15th, 2015 PHILLIP GAMBLE LEFT HIS MOTHER'S RESIDENCE AT 709 CIRCLE ROAD GREER, S.C. . "Every time I open up the evidence room door, I see the bike and it's haunted me. He faces a maximum penalty of two life sentences in prison if found guilty. 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. So when family and friends wanted to celebrate her . Bernetta, the girls' mother, began looking around the apartment complex for eight-year old Kia. He was accused of intentionally drilling the holes to Peep on unwitting victims, and arrested shortly after this was discovered. The searches and canvass of the apartment complex continued on into Tuesday, but police wouldn't release another public statement until May 18th - Wednesday. ", "People are definitely keeping small children in. "So I took that as the hint.". Shawn Wilkinson, Eggleston's stepdad, says the money could have been for a down payment for a new apartment with her babys father. Police have long theorized that the abduction - and later murder - of Kia Logan was a crime of opportunity. It wasn't until the third or fourth crime that police began to link the crimes together, when the suspect descriptions began to slowly align with one another. Robertson was the father of Akias unborn child. SHE HAS A TATTOO ON HER LEFT FOREARM THAT SAYS "LIVE FREE". The author of the newspaper article noted that as she spoke about her daughter, Bernetta was clutching a photo of Kia. BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Authorities have arrested Michael Robertson and charged him with murder in the 2017 disappearance of Akia Eggleston, a woman with whom he was having a child who went missing just days before her baby shower, Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby said Thursday. It was her last known communication. When I drove up, and looked at that bike in the parking lot, I had a gut feeling something wasn't right and I called Riley at home. Upon further investigation, it was determined that the last time anyone saw. Hair . Set in the middle of Greenwood itself, the reward fund started with a $2000 donation in her name. "We're now awaiting requests from law enforcement for further assistance. The search continues for a missing college student in South Carolina who went kayaking on Christmas Day and never came home. Two years have passed since a 22-year-old Baltimore woman seemingly vanished a few days before her baby shower, but FBI investigators say the missing persons case has not gone cold. Within the year, the Malakia Z. Logan Reward Fund had topped $20,000, for any information that would lead to answers for the missing eight-year old. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Eggleston then returned to her Baltimore home, Mosby said, citing phone records that put her there at about 3 to 4 p.m. on May 3. BALTIMORE . 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. Akia, a resident of Baltimore, Maryland, was eight months pregnant when she vanished four days before her baby shower was to take . 11 Tennessee to an 85-45 victory over South Carolina on Saturday night. The father of a missing pregnant mother's unborn child has been arrested and charged with killing them both nearly five years after the Maryland woman disappeared. "The family seeks justice in Akia's case. Then, when her family and former-sheriff Sam Riley got involved, they realized that the initial reward fund - which had been established for information - had remained untouched for around two decades. Hampton had been sitting in a Georgia prison at the time, and if South Carolina prosecutors tried the case at that time, they would be forced to bring Hampton to trial within 180 days. Theron Wallace's family said he is a student at USC Aiken and was . That evening, Eggleston had shared a sonogram picture on Facebook. On May 15th, 1988, all seemed to be well in the world. But Robertson had other plans, Mosby said, ultimately concocting an elaborate ruse about a fake move that led to Eggleston withdrawing cash for a down payment. In May 2021, the Baltimore Police Department again asked for help locating Eggleston. "We'd like to say, domestic violence is real and when it happens, we need to address it. 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. This year my daughter Renee will go, but I will stay here to answer the phone, just in case. "He'll get credit for time served and good behavior. About 1:24 p.m., Eggleston purchased two money orders totaling $450 after making several ATM withdrawals from her savings account, Mosby said. Instead, they decided to look for Eggleston themselves. "Reading his statement, you'd think that only the person who did that would know those details. I criticize us for not raising such an uproar it would be heard across this nation .. If you have information on any of these missing children, call 911, the local agency or 1-800-THE-LOST. "As a result of interviews we are now looking for two men and two vehicles. In the afternoons you see small children running and playing, riding skateboards, that kind of thing. It was occupied by an older white male with graying hair. For almost five years, Akia Eggleston's family has anxiously waited for authorities to figure out what happened to the pregnant 22-year-old Baltimore mother who vanished just days before her baby. Eggleston, who was eight months pregnant with her son, disappeared just . He included details, some of which convinced police that he had involvement, but others they viewed skeptically. By September 15th, Kia had been missing for four months. He would be sixty-five years old as of this episode's recording, and there's only a brief mention of him on the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division's sex offender registry. They had reason to believe that Hampton had been responsible for some truly terrible crimes, but they had no prove any of them. Browse all missing children from South Carolina Missing: Joshua Cuddy (SC) Kia and her sister, Renee, were playing with some friends on the basketball court, when Kia decided to turn in at around 8:30 PM. At that time, very little was known about Akias movements in the days before she disappeared. The witnesses had described his hair as having a light glow to it, but they couldn't definitively see it. 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