First Date Murder Trial: Maxwell Anderson Faces Life in Prison

Maxwell Anderson, a 34-year-old man from Wisconsin, is accused of killing and dismembering 19-year-old Sade Robinson. He was charged with first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating and hiding a corpse, and arson. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges, but if he is convicted, he will face life in prison.

First Date Murder

The prosecution argues Maxwell Anderson killed Robinson in April 2024 after their first date in Milwaukee. When she did not show up for work the following day, she was reported missing. Later, her car was found burned out. Her remains were found throughout the area for weeks. CourtTV obtained court documents that detail text messages between the two indicating they met up before she went missing. 

Robinson’s location leading up to her disappearance was tracked using Life360. She was pinged at various locations, including Anderson’s home and where her remains were discovered. There is surveillance footage capturing Anderson torching Robinson’s car the night before it was found. Police obtained a search warrant for Maxwell Anderson’s home and found blood in one of his bedrooms and on the walls leading to the basement. 

Maxwell Anderson on Trial

The first date murder trial began with opening statements on May 28, 2025. Assistant District Attorney Ian Vance-Curzan opened by detailing the timeline of Anderson and Robinson’s first date. He repeated the allegations of Anderson disposing of her remains and explained that there is evidence to prove he tried to make her disappear.

Maxwell Anderson’s defense attorney, Anthony Cotton, argued there is reasonable doubt in the evidence and details of the case. He stated there is no reason for his client to want to kill and dismember Sade Robinson. “There is no reason for him to commit a crime like this,” he said. 

Witnesses testified in court yesterday as well, including a responding officer, the man who found Robinson’s leg, Robinson’s leasing agent, and her coworker. Officer Zachary DeSmet was the initial responding officer to the severed human leg found in Warnimont Park. The witness, Osyrus Terrell, was unsettled and could not process his findings.

Robinson’s leasing agent, Christine Schuda, was able to confirm the apartment where she resided and identified Robinson in elevator footage. She was emotional during her testimony and recalled when the police showed up with a search warrant at the apartments. Sade Robinson’s coworker and friend, Angela Jung, initiated the missing persons report and was becoming increasingly concerned when Robinson did not show up for work.

Current Trial Updates

During day 3 of the trial, Robinson’s friend described her as “the strongest, kindest, most charismatic person I’ve ever met.” She testified to her whereabouts the evening she went missing since she was able to track her location, which ended in Warnimont Park in Cudahy at 4 a.m.

The timeline and location of Robinson will be the prosecution’s strongest argument in attempting to convict Maxwell Anderson. After finding the leg, police searched her apartment to determine a DNA match. They recovered 47 pills of suspected meth, 18 grams of marijuana, and $888 in cash which was argued by the prosecution as irrelevant. However, the judge sided with the defense, saying, “It’s always a concern when we cut away the truth, whenever we’re asked to tailor the evidence.”