Army Reservist's Fiance Convicted of Her Murder Despite No Body Found

Luis Gomes Akay, 22, was found guilty of strangling his fiancee Anna Laura Costa Porsborg, whose body has never been recovered.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 7:18pm

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An extreme close-up of a shattered car sensor lens reflecting a faint red light, conceptually illustrating the vandalism and violence surrounding the murder of a young Army reservist.As the case against Gomes Akay highlights, the lack of a body can make proving murder charges extremely difficult, even when circumstantial evidence points to a violent crime.Los Angeles Today

A Brazilian man was convicted of first-degree murder in the strangulation death of his fiancee, a U.S. Army National Guard reservist who vanished from a hotel in El Segundo, California in 2022. Luis Antonio Gomes Akay, 22, killed Anna Laura Costa Porsborg, 22, in their hotel room on December 27, 2022, then disposed of her body, prosecutors said. Costa Porsborg's remains have never been found.

Why it matters

This case highlights the challenges prosecutors face in securing convictions without a body, as well as the complex dynamics of domestic violence and controlling behavior in relationships. It also raises questions about how authorities handle missing persons cases and whether 'no body, no crime' is still a viable legal defense.

The details

Prosecutors argued that Gomes Akay strangled Costa Porsborg in their hotel room after the couple returned from a night of drinking at a bowling alley. They said Gomes Akay then disposed of her body, likely in the mountains near Sunland-Tujunga. The defense claimed Costa Porsborg drunkenly left the hotel on her own and met an unknown fate. Gomes Akay was also accused of killing a previous girlfriend in Brazil in 2017, though he was never charged in that case.

  • On December 27, 2022, Gomes Akay and Costa Porsborg went bowling and drank heavily before returning to their hotel.
  • Later that night, prosecutors say Gomes Akay strangled Costa Porsborg in their hotel room.
  • The next day, December 28, 2022, Gomes Akay was seen leaving the hotel dragging a suitcase that may have contained Costa Porsborg's body.
  • Gomes Akay was arrested on January 1, 2023 and eventually confessed to law enforcement and informants.
  • On April 3, 2026, a Los Angeles jury convicted Gomes Akay of first-degree murder.

The players

Luis Antonio Gomes Akay

A 22-year-old Brazilian man convicted of murdering his fiancee, Anna Laura Costa Porsborg, in 2022. He was also accused of killing a previous girlfriend in Brazil in 2017, though he was never charged in that case.

Anna Laura Costa Porsborg

A 22-year-old U.S. Army National Guard reservist who disappeared during a trip with her fiancé, Luis Gomes Akay, in 2022. Her body has never been found.

Hilary Williams

The Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney who prosecuted the case against Gomes Akay.

Stephen Kahn

The defense attorney representing Gomes Akay.

Erbena Costa

The mother of Anna Laura Costa Porsborg, who became concerned when her daughter did not send her daily 'fit pic' messages.

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What they’re saying

“The truth in this case is very clear. And it doesn't disappear just because we can't find Anna Laura.”

— Hilary Williams, Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney

“You may not like him. He may have certain flaws that are who he is. He may be more involved with his phone than anything else. But that doesn't make him a murderer. That doesn't make him able to put his arms around the neck of the woman he loves.”

— Stephen Kahn, Defense Attorney

What’s next

Gomes Akay is scheduled to be sentenced on April 27, 2026.

The takeaway

This case highlights the challenges prosecutors face in securing convictions without a body, as well as the complex dynamics of domestic violence and controlling behavior in relationships. It also raises questions about how authorities handle missing persons cases and whether 'no body, no crime' is still a viable legal defense.