Maxwell Anderson trial: Guilty verdict reached by Milwaukee jury
The Brief
A jury has convicted Maxwell Anderson of killing and dismembering Sade Robinson.
A whirlwind of court activity unfolded on Thursday afternoon.
WARNING: During testimony, some content may not be suitable for all viewers.
MILWAUKEE - A jury found Maxwell Anderson guilty of killing and dismembering Sade Robinson on Friday after a days-long trial.
Anderson is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday, Aug. 15.
What they're saying
A whirlwind of court activity unfolded on Thursday afternoon. Over the course of roughly an hour, the state rested its case, the judge denied a defense motion to dismiss a charge on the basis of multiplicity, the defense rested its case, jury instructions were read and closing arguments began.
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Lead Prosecutor Ian Vance-Curzan delivered his closing argument first on Thursday.
"What Maxwell Anderson did to Sade Robinson was an intentional homicide. There is no question behind the intent and there's no question about the person responsible for doing it," Vance-Curzan said during his closing argument. "The killer is him, the last person to be with her, last one texting her, the last one whose residence she was at, the last one who had her car, the last one who had her phone, the last one who was with her. The one who burned her car.
"He did everything he could to try to get away with it. He tried to cover up, he tried to fool the police, he's trying to fool all of you, but he doesn't get to do that."
Defense Attorney Anthony Cotton delivered his closing argument second.
"You heard that he went to work at Dugout 54 the next morning. And his phone died, not turned off, intentionally. It died, during the hours that one would be asleep. And he went to Dugout 54, and he worked at Dugout 54, which was his job, the next day. No issue," said Cotton. "You didn't hear from one person who said suddenly his behavior is different or that he started acting strange, he continued to work, stayed in the area, didn't cut his hair, didn't change his appearance, didn't have a ton of cash in his car with a passport to Mexico. None of that."
A rebuttal from the state came after Cotton's closing argument.
The backstory
Anderson is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse, hiding a corpse and arson of property other than a building. He is accused of killing Robinson after a date, dismembering her and dumping her body parts across Milwaukee County. One of her arms was later found on an Illinois beach.
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Prosecutors said Anderson and Robinson showed up at a Menomonee Valley bar on April 1, 2024 – the night she was last seen or heard from. The next day, Robinson's burned-out car was found near 30th and Lisbon in Milwaukee. Surveillance photos show a man investigators believe is Anderson walking away from the area, and who was later seen on a bus heading back towards his home on the city's south side.
Anderson had planned to kill Robinson weeks before her death, according to a statement from a "confidential informant" noted in court filings FOX6 News obtained. A search warrant also revealed prosecutors believe Anderson tried to cover up Robinson's death with a text message.
Dig deeper
FOX6 News is streaming the entire Anderson trial each day on FOX LOCAL. The app is free to download on your phone, tablet or smart TV.
Day 8: Closing arguments made, jury deliberations begin
Day 7: Sade Robinson killed; mapping path of Robinson's car
Day 6: Jurors get look inside Anderson's home; see clothing
Day 5: Testimony provided our first look at Anderson's arrest
Open Record: Maxwell Anderson trial
Day 4: Video from Milwaukee, discovery of Sade Robinson's remains
Day 3: Testimony resumes; law enforcement, friends of Sade Robinson take stand
Day 2: Opening statements, testimony begins
Day 1: Jury selected in single day
Sade Robinson homicide: Timeline of events leading to criminal charges
Sade Robinson homicide: Parents navigate grief ahead of trial
Sade Robinson homicide: The psychology behind the murder
Sade Robinson homicide: Lasting legacy, from tragedy to advocacy
Open Record: A Date With Death
The Source
FOX6 News was in court for the Anderson trial. Information in this report is from the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office, Wisconsin Circuit Court, and prior FOX6 coverage of the case.
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