Anna Laura Costa Porsborg, a 22-year-old U.S. Army soldier, was last seen on December 27, 2022, in El Segundo, California. Originally from Santarém, Brazil, she had moved to the United States for an exchange program in high school and later enlisted in the Army as a path to citizenship. At the time of her disappearance, she was on vacation in Los Angeles with her boyfriend, Luis Antonio Gomes Akay, also a Brazilian national. The couple, who were staying at the Doubletree Hotel in El Segundo, had been visiting tourist spots in the area, and Anna Laura had been sending photos to her mother in Brazil.
The last communication her family received from her was on December 27, 2022. That same day, Akay contacted her family to inform them that they had broken up and she had left the hotel room. Suspicious of his account, her family reported her missing to the Brazilian Federal Police two days later, who then involved the FBI. When questioned by law enforcement, Akay initially maintained his story of an argument and her subsequent departure.
However, hotel surveillance footage from December 29 showed Akay struggling to drag a large, heavy suitcase out of the hotel. On January 1, 2023, Luis Antonio Gomes Akay was arrested on suspicion of her murder. During questioning, he confessed to killing Anna Laura on the night of December 27 during a physical altercation. He admitted to strangling her and keeping her body in a suitcase in their hotel room for two days before burying her in the mountains. Akay claimed he could not remember the exact location where he buried her, but authorities believe her remains may be in the Angeles National Forest.
Despite extensive searches, Anna Laura's body has not been recovered. The case is being prosecuted as a "no-body" homicide. In November 2023, a significant development occurred when her cell phone was discovered in a mountainous area, renewing hopes for her family that her remains will be found. It was also reported that Akay is a suspect in the 2017 disappearance of another woman in Brazil, although he was never charged in that case. He is currently awaiting trial for the murder of Anna Laura Costa Porsborg.
Last Seen: Dec 27, 2022
