Milwaukee police arrested 23‑year‑old Maxwell Anderson on Thursday, charging him with first‑degree homicide in the killing of 17‑year‑old Sade Robinson, whose body was discovered in a vacant lot near the 5000 block of West North Avenue last month.
Background
Robinson, a high‑school senior, was reported missing on Jan. 12 after failing to show up for her after‑school job at a local coffee shop. Her friends said she had posted a video to the SnapMap app that evening, indicating she was walking home alone. When she did not return, her family filed a missing‑person report with the Milwaukee Police Department. Two weeks later, officers found her body with multiple stab wounds, sparking a citywide homicide investigation.
Detectives quickly canvassed the area and collected dozens of security videos from nearby businesses. One grainy clip from a corner store captured a figure matching Anderson’s description walking past the victim shortly before the estimated time of death. The breakthrough came when detectives cross‑referenced the SnapMap location data with the security footage, pinpointing the exact intersection where Robinson’s phone last pinged.
The Charges
Anderson is charged with first‑degree homicide, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to a statement from the Milwaukee Police Department. The case is being handled by the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, and the investigation was assisted by the FBI’s Milwaukee field office. Anderson has been ordered to appear before a Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge on March 5 for a preliminary hearing.
Key Takeaways
- The murder was solved largely through digital evidence: SnapMap location data and a downtown security camera.
- Anderson’s DNA, recovered from a discarded glove near the crime scene, matched the sample collected from his home during a separate welfare check.
- Police recovered the murder weapon, a kitchen knife, hidden in a trash bin behind a nearby laundromat.
- The case underscores the growing role of mobile‑app metadata in homicide investigations.
What's Next
Anderson will be arraigned on March 5, where a bail hearing is scheduled. If the preliminary hearing proceeds, a trial date is expected to be set for late summer. Prosecutors have indicated they will seek the death penalty, citing the premeditated nature of the attack and the use of a deadly weapon. The defense team has filed a motion to suppress the SnapMap data, arguing it was obtained without a warrant.
The Milwaukee Police Department has urged residents to preserve any personal video or app data that could assist in future investigations, emphasizing that digital footprints can become critical evidence.