Maxwell Anderson found guilty; juror discusses trial, verdict
The Brief
Maxwell Anderson was convicted of killing and dismembering Sade Robinson.
One of 12 jurors who found him guilty told FOX6 News the decision was "easy."
Beyond evidence and testimony, she said more was going on behind the scenes.
MILWAUKEE - Maxwell Anderson was convicted on Friday of killing and dismembering Sade Robinson. One of 12 jurors who found the man guilty told FOX6 News the decision was "easy."
What they're saying
After the jurors were fully assembled at the Milwaukee County Courthouse, the verdict was reached within an hour. The jury of nine women and three men found Anderson guilty of first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse, hiding a corpse and arson of property other than a building.
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"Just emotionally exhausted," the juror said. "We had a big decision to make today, and there was a lot of momentum leading up to this."
Because it was such a high-profile case, the juror said she was not comfortable going on camera.
"The decision was easy, especially after that mic drop yesterday seeing those pictures," she said in reference to key evidence presented on Thursday.
That evidence included graphic photos, which the state said showed Robinson partially undressed and face down on what looked like Anderson's couch.
"That's what I went home thinking about last night. He grabbed her right breast, that right breast has not been recovered, he was taking pictures to look back later at it," the juror said.
The juror said, beyond the evidence and testimony, much more was going on behind the scenes.
"There was knife found in the courtroom, under his chair, at some point this week," she said. "That happened, the judge told us."
The juror also told FOX6 that an internal investigation determined the knife potentially belonged to one of the courthouse cleaning staff, but that's not all.
"We actually got some insight on that from the detectives," she said. "They're still actively looking into him, so it will be interesting to see the snowball effect from that in the future.
As for the outcome of the Anderson case, the juror said justice was served.
"Sade, she didn't anticipate any of this, obviously, but she was just going on a date. She was 19. She was innocent," said the juror.
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 9: Jury finds Anderson guilty of killing, dismembering Robinson
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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