A quiet stretch of shoreline at Warnimont Park in Milwaukee County became the starting point of a homicide investigation in April 2024 after a passerby discovered human remains. Investigators soon began to suspect the victim was 19-year-old college student Sade Robinson, who had been reported missing after going on a date the night before.
Robinson’s burned car was located behind an abandoned building a few miles from her apartment. Fire investigators determined the vehicle had been intentionally set ablaze. Inside the trunk, authorities found the clothes she had been wearing. Her purse was recovered from beneath the driver’s seat, making robbery unlikely.
Detectives also examined the position of the driver’s seat and concluded the last person to operate the vehicle was likely taller than Robinson, who was about 5 feet 3 inches. The seat placement suggested someone close to six feet tall had been behind the wheel.
A breakthrough came from Robinson’s Life360 phone app, which provided detailed location history. The data showed her phone traveled from a restaurant where she met 33-year-old Maxwell Anderson to a second bar, then to Anderson’s home. Hours later, the phone left his residence, and the vehicle was seen driving around Milwaukee before stopping near Warnimont Park at about 2:53 a.m. Her phone battery died there.
Security footage from the park area captured a figure appearing to drag something toward the lake. Investigators later identified Anderson as the last person seen with Robinson. Additional surveillance video showed him near the location where her car was set on fire. He was later recorded boarding a city bus carrying a large backpack.
Authorities executed a search warrant at Anderson’s home but did not find a clear crime scene. They did, though, recover numerous knives. A gray jacket found in a neighboring trash can later tested positive for Robinson’s DNA inside the hood and on the zipper.
Former girlfriend Chloe Wright told investigators Anderson had previously referred to Warnimont Park as his “secret beach,” a place he guarded closely. She directed police to the same area where remains had been discovered.
On April 12, 2024, the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office announced that the remains were identified as Robinson. Anderson was charged with first-degree intentional homicide, mutilation of a corpse, and arson. He pleaded not guilty.
During the May 2025 trial, prosecutors relied heavily on digital evidence, surveillance footage, and phone data to reconstruct Robinson’s final hours. The defense argued the case was circumstantial and pointed to the absence of a confirmed cause of death and a missing murder weapon.
Jurors later said images recovered from Anderson’s phone played a key role in deliberations. The photos, which had been deleted, showed Robinson lying face down inside his home. Prosecutors argued the evidence supported their timeline of events.
After brief deliberations, the jury found Anderson guilty on all counts. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
At sentencing, Robinson’s family spoke directly to the court, describing the lasting impact of her death. Her mother asked Anderson to reveal the location of her daughter’s head, which has never been recovered. Anderson denied responsibility and maintained his innocence.
Robinson, who was studying criminal justice and planned to join the Air Force, was remembered by family and friends as hardworking and determined. A mural now honors her near the restaurant where she worked, and her family has launched initiatives aimed at supporting crime victims and addressing violence against Black women and girls.
