MILWAUKEE COUNTY — Maxwell Anderson, the person of interest in the investigation into a severed leg, has been formally charged.
Anderson has been in custody at the Milwaukee County Jail since Thursday, April 4th.
He's facing the following charges:
- First degree intentional homicide
- Mutilating a corpse
- Arson of property other than a building
All of these charges are related to the disappearance and now confirmed death of Sade C. Robinson, a 19-year-old Milwaukee woman who has been missing since Monday, April 1st.
Documents indicate Robinson and Anderson had some sort of relationship. Documents detail the two of them went on a date on April 1st.
Text messages between Robinson and Anderson show they planned to meet up at Twisted Fisherman, a seafood restaurant in Milwaukee.
Security camera footage shows them leaving the restaurant together just before 6:30 p.m.
On April 2nd, Robinson's mother was tracking her daughter's phone location through the Life360 app, according to court documents. The device had traveled from the area around Anderson's home, to 40th and Oklahoma and later all the way to S. Sheridan Drive before the battery died.
A criminal complaint filed by the Milwaukee County District Attorney's office shows the leg found in Warnimont Park on April 2nd "appeared to be a black female." Investigators said the leg appeared to have been sawed off. DNA analysis indicates the leg belonged to Robinson, according to court documents.
When investigators searched Anderson's home, they said they found blood on bedding in one of the bedrooms and on the walls leading to the basement.
During the weekend of April 5th, investigators continued searching in the area where Robinson's burnt car had been found on April 2nd, near 31st and Galena. They say they found a foot near the train tracks there as well as a "piece of what appeared to be human flesh." They appeared to "come from the same individual," according to investigators.
Court documents show Anderson was also captured on Milwaukee County Transist System security footage walking away from Robinson's burning car. Witnesses told investigators about having seen Anderson throw a lighter into the driver's door window. Investigators say the clothing Robinson was wearing on April 1st were in the trunk of her car.
In an emailed news release, both Milwaukee County Sheriff Denita Ball and Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman provided statements on the case.
“I would like to thank our detectives and ISB supervisors, as well as MPD investigators, for their diligent work,” Sheriff Ball said. “With little rest and a great deal of pressure, they have remained focused and relentless, 24-hours a day. Their efforts to carefully build this case with a host of other partners to locate and tie together evidence, will go a long way towards bringing justice, and hopefully, peace to the family and loved ones of Sade Robinson.”
“The Milwaukee Police Department is grateful for the efforts of the Sheriff’s Office, the District Attorney’s Office, and other federal and local law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts to gather facts and evidence to bring charges,” Chief Norman said. “Our hearts are with the family and loved ones of Sade Robinson. This is a horrendous tragedy and above all else, I cannot imagine the pain you must be going through. I would like to express my deepest and most sincere sympathy.”
Anderson will be back in court Friday morning and TMJ4's Jenna Rae will be attending the hearing. She'll bring you updates.
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