MILWAUKEE — Opening statements began Wednesday in the trial of Maxwell Anderson, the man accused of killing and dismembering 19-year-old Sade Robinson.
READ ALSO: Jury selected for Maxwell Anderson trial in the death of 19-year-old Sade Robinson
Anderson is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse, arson of property other than a building, and hiding a corpse.
Opening Statements
The trial began with both sides presenting opening statements. The state began by outlining Robinson’s background, describing her as a typical 19-year-old who lived in an apartment on Milwaukee’s east side, attended school, and worked at Pizza Shuttle.
Prosecutors then walked the jury through a timeline of events, detailing the night Robinson and Anderson met for drinks at Twisted Fisherman, then headed to Duke’s before allegedly going to Anderson’s home, where they say she was murdered.
They also laid out a timeline they allege shows Anderson’s attempts to cover up the crime — including dismembering Robinson’s body, discarding the remains, and allegedly taking her car and burning it behind an abandoned building.
Graphic photos and videos were presented in court, along with phone records, surveillance video, and alleged DNA evidence to support the state’s case against Anderson.
In total, the state's opening statements lasted less than 30 minutes.
Defense opening statements
The defense’s opening statements, which were under 20 minutes, leaned heavily on the lack of DNA evidence.
Defense attorney Anthony Cotton told the jury that no DNA or blood from Robinson was found in Anderson’s home. Cotton said that the gloves discovered with blood on them contained no trace of Anderson’s DNA, and results for Robinson’s DNA were inconclusive.
The defense also noted no murder weapon was found, and there’s no evidence Anderson purchased any tools like saws or knives, nor did he have a suspicious internet search history related to dismemberment.
They pointed out Anderson never attempted to change his identity and claimed the state is relying on the emotional weight of the case to secure a conviction.
Witness Testimony
Five state witnesses have testified so far, including the man who discovered Robinson's severed leg at Warnimont Park, three law enforcement officers who responded to the scene, and the water superintendent of Cudahy at the time the alleged crime took place.
The state’s first witness, Osyrus Terrell — the man who found Robinson’s leg at Warnimont Park — took the stand first.
Terrell testified that he and a friend initially thought the leg they saw on the beach in Cudahy belonged to a mannequin, until they got closer and realized the horrifying truth. He said they immediately called police.
Body camera footage from Milwaukee County Sheriff's Deputy Leon Martin showed him responding to the lakefront portion of Warnimont Park after two men called 911 to report finding a severed leg.
The footage captured Martin speaking with the men who discovered the leg before examining it himself.
WATCH: Police bodycam shows discovery of human leg at Warnimont Park
After deputies and Cudahy police confirmed it was a human leg, they called in crime scene investigators from the Sheriff's Office.
In court, Detective Joann Donner described what she observed when her team arrived at the location.
“When the leg was being removed, the fold of skin and flesh had moved away from the bone. You could see that it was severed below the top ball of the femur,” Donner explained. “It looked like it was a tool mark. It was very smooth. I noticed that the skin had kind of a long zigzag pattern to it. That’s why I was able to determine that it was probably not from, like, an accident—a boating accident or anything like that.”
WATCH: Detective Joann Donner describes what she saw when her team arrived at Warnimont Park
Jury selection on Tuesday
On Tuesday, 12 women and three men were picked to serve as jurors. During jury selection, prosecutors spent time asking about people’s tolerance for gruesome pictures, including mutilated body parts and blood.
A lot of potential jurors raised their hands at that point, noting they’d be uncomfortable.
“It is actually a homicide case that deals with the dismemberment of a human body. The testimony that you hear if you're on this jury will be graphic at times,” said Ian Vance-Curzan, assistant district attorney. “You are going to see images of dismembered human body parts. Does anybody feel that it would be so bothersome to you that you wouldn't be able to even focus?”
The defense also brought up this question, but it was framed to jurors who work in the health care field—those who see graphic things daily. A handful of jurors in the medical field responded to the defense's questioning.
"I know a few of you were nurses or involved in medicine. Can you raise your hand if you're, um, a nurse or worked at a hospital?" said Jason Findling, defense counsel for Maxwell Anderson. "Okay, and that's probably why you didn't raise your hand when they were asking about the gruesome photos and gruesome evidence, as you do that somewhat in your career path?"
Potential jurors also answered questions about whether they knew anyone involved in the case, whether they had ever been a victim or witness of a homicide, and whether they had consumed any media regarding Maxwell Anderson or Sade Robinson.
Robinson’s family and friends were present in the courtroom. Anderson’s parents were also in attendance.
Timeline of events
Sade Robinson was last seen on April 1, 2024. On April 2, authorities found the first of several remains belonging to Robinson—a severed leg in Warnimont Park, 11 miles away.
Family members say Robinson's car was found burned near 30th and Lisbon on Milwaukee’s north side.
Two days later, on April 4, Anderson was taken into custody as a person of interest related to the severed leg found in Cudahy. On April 12, Anderson was charged with first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse and arson.
Prosecutors allege that he killed Robinson following a first date. That same day, law enforcement officially declared Robinson dead.
Six days later, on the morning of April 18, someone walking along the beach on Lake Michigan in South Milwaukee found Robinson’s torso and arm.
On April 22, Anderson was back in a Milwaukee County courtroom, where he entered a plea of not guilty to intentional homicide, mutilation and arson, and waived his right to a preliminary hearing.
Previous coverage: Maxwell Anderson charged in Sade Robinson's death
A month later, another one of Robinson’s body parts was found—this time on a beach in Waukegan, Illinois.
In June 2024, Robinson’s family filed a civil lawsuit against Anderson, asking for damages as well as all proceeds from the sale of his home.
Previous coverage: Sade Robinson's family files wrongful death civil suit against Maxwell Anderson
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