Luis Antonio Gomes Akay, 39, has been convicted of first‑degree murder in the 2022 killing of his 22‑year‑old girlfriend, Anna Laura Costa Porsborg, a U.S. Army Reservist, during what began as a vacation in Los Angeles. He now faces a formal sentencing on April 27, while his attorney says he intends to appeal and maintains his innocence.
What happened on the trip
- Gomes Akay and Porsborg traveled from New Jersey to Los Angeles on Christmas Eve 2022 and stayed at a hotel in El Segundo. [PEOPLE][L.A. Times]
- They argued after visiting a bowling alley on December 27 and returned to the hotel; Porsborg was never seen or heard from again, and her body has never been found. [L.A. County DA][L.A. Times]
Evidence and timeline
- Surveillance showed Gomes Akay dragging a large suitcase from the hotel two days later, and cell‑phone and GPS data placed him in the Angeles National Forest for about an hour around that time. [L.A. County DA]
- Prosecutors said trial evidence painted him as controlling, jealous, and possessive; two friends testified he often said, “no body, no crime,” suggesting he understood the advantage of a missing victim. [L.A. County DA]
How suspicions mounted
- Porsborg, originally from Brazil, had been sending photos and messages to her mother there; when the messages abruptly stopped, her mother grew alarmed and contacted authorities, eventually leading the FBI to get involved. [L.A. Times]
- On December 31, El Segundo police knocked on the hotel room door; Gomes Akay claimed Porsborg had left on her own after an argument and said she never wanted to be contacted again. [L.A. Times]
- Police noted fresh abrasions and “rug burns” on his hands and elbows, and he was arrested on suspicion of murder on January 1, 2023. [L.A. Times]
Legal status
- A jury convicted him of first‑degree murder on April 3, 2026, based largely on circumstantial evidence, messaging patterns, travel data, and the couple’s relationship dynamics. [L.A. County DA][PEOPLE]
- His sentencing is set for April 27, and his attorney has said he will pursue an appeal, arguing the case was complex and emotionally charged. [PEOPLE]
This case is a troubling example of how a “disappearing” partner and digital trail together can still lead to a murder conviction, even without a body.
