Teen's Date Ended in Murder — Her Killer Just Convicted

On April 1, 2024, 19-year-old Sade Carleena Robinson went on a first date. By the next day, parts of her body were scattered across Milwaukee County. What happened in that short window has horrified a city, baffled investigators, and now, ended with a conviction.

The Victim: Sade Robinson

Sade Robinson was a bright, ambitious college student attending Milwaukee Area Technical College. She was known for her kindness, her drive, and her part-time job at a local pizza shop. She had made plans to meet 34-year-old Maxwell Anderson for dinner and drinks on the evening of April 1. Surveillance later showed the pair at a seafood restaurant and a nearby bar before heading back to Anderson's south-side Milwaukee apartment.

The Crime

Robinson never made it home. The next day, her severed leg was discovered in Warnimont Park, near Lake Michigan. Over the following weeks, more body parts were found in locations across the city and even in Waukegan, Illinois, including her torso, right arm, and breast. Some remains have never been recovered.

Investigators pieced together a timeline using text messages, the Life360 app on Robinson's phone, and extensive surveillance footage. According to prosecutors, Anderson returned alone from the park after allegedly dismembering Robinson's body under cover of darkness. He was later seen near her burning car, captured on county bus video wearing a tan backpack with unknown contents.

The Trial

Anderson was arrested and charged with first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse, hiding a corpse, and arson. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, during the two-week trial in Milwaukee, jurors saw what one described as "damning" evidence — photos retrieved from Anderson's phone showing Robinson incapacitated, facedown, on his couch while Anderson groped her.

Prosecutors argued she was unable to resist.

Anderson's defense argued there was no proof of intent to kill and no eyewitnesses. His attorney emphasized that neighbors heard no struggle and Anderson didn't attempt to flee or hide his identity.

Jurors deliberated for under an hour before returning a unanimous guilty verdict on June 6, 2025. Anderson now awaits sentencing on Aug. 15 and faces mandatory life in prison.

Lingering Questions

Even after the verdict, not all questions have answers. Detective JoAnn Donner, the lead investigator, told 12 News that she still hopes to find Robinson's head — a final piece of evidence that has eluded the exhaustive, multi-agency search.

The crime shook not just a family but an entire community. Outside the courthouse, Robinson's mother said her daughter "will be forever remembered as an angel," according to Wisconsin Public Radio.

Maxwell Anderson never testified. His motive remains unclear.

References: Milwaukee Man Maxwell Anderson Found Guilty of Killing and Dismembering 19-Year-Old College Student on Their First Date | First Date Murder: Lead Investigator Shares Question She Has for Maxwell Anderson | Milwaukee Killer Maxwell Anderson Played Netflix Series With Mutilation the Night He Killed Sade Robinson, Juror Says | Jury Finds Maxwell Anderson Guilty of Killing and Dismembering 19-Year-Old Sade Robinson