Bar worker accused of murdering and dismembering student on first date pleads not guilty
Maxwell Anderson is accused of killing Sade Robinson after they met up for drinks at Milwaukee seafood restaurant
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The suspect charged over the killing and dismemberment of a teenager in Milwaukee, who disappeared after telling friends she was excited for a first date, has pleaded not guilty to her murder.
Maxwell Anderson briefly appeared in court in Wisconsin on Monday to enter the plea and waived his right to a preliminary hearing.
Prosecutors say that on 1 April, 19-year-old Sade Robinson allegedly met the 33-year-old for drinks at the Twisted Fisherman seafood restaurant in Milwaukee, where he had previously worked. She later sent a Snapchat message to friends from a nearby bar.
The next day, police recovered a severed leg at Warnimont Park, and friends later traced Robinson’s location to the area in the early hours of 2 April.
During the short hearing on Monday afternoon, Mr Anderson appeared in person wearing an orange prison-issue jumpsuit. He spoke only to confirm that he understood that he was waiving his right to the full preliminary hearing. The not-guilty plea was entered by his lawyer.
His attorney also indicated that they would be seeking a substitution of a judge to oversee the trial, which was granted.
Mr Anderson is next expected back in court on 16 May for a scheduling hearing.
He was arrested on 4 April and charged with first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse and arson charges relating to Robinson’s death. Location data from Robinson’s phone had placed her at Anderson’s apartment earlier in the evening.
A complaint filed at the Milwaukee County Circuit Court stated that blood was found in bedding in his home and on “walls leading towards the basement”. However, on Monday Assistant District Attorney Ian Vance-Curzan said the blood did not belong to Robinson.
"It indicates that the preliminary DNA analysis supports the conclusion that there is no support for inclusion of Robinson’s DNA in the blood, or swabs that have been tested," he said.
“In some of those her DNA has been excluded.” Mr Vance-Curzan did not indicate who the blood sample belonged to.
It comes after Milwaukee County Sheriff Denita Ball told reporters on Friday that investigators currently “don't believe there are any other victims out there.”
Police previously said the leg, which was discovered two days earlier to Mr Anderson’s arrest on April 2, had been cut off just below the hip socket and “appeared to have been sawn off”. Additional human remains were found on 5 April and 6 April, including a human foot that was located in the area where Robinson’s car was destroyed, having been burned up.
An eyewitness told investigators that she had seen a white male leave the driver’s door of Robinson’s car early on the morning of April 2, claiming she saw the man light a lighter and toss it into the driver’s door window of the vehicle.
Authorities searched, finding a black puffer coat, light blue ripped jeans and white shoes — consistent with that worn by Robinson on that evening.
Investigators noted that they think, though have not “formally confirmed,” that all of the discovered remains belong to Robinson. The investigation into the 19-year-old’s death is ongoing.
On Thursday, a torso and arm were found along a remote stretch of tree-lined beach on Lake Michigan in South Milwaukee, the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office announced in a press release. The remains have not yet been formally identified as having belonged to Robinson.
A person walking along the beach found the remains at around 7.30am about a quarter of a mile from an apartment complex.
Last week after the arrest, Mr Anderson’s father, Steven Anderson, released a statement expressing sympathy for Robinson’s family.
“On behalf of myself and my family, I would like to express our deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of Sade Robinson. We are shocked and devastated by her senseless death," the statement, released by the attorney firm representing Maxwell Anderson, read.
"To Sade’s mother and father, words cannot express our sorrow for the incomprehensible pain and grief you are going through. We join the entire community in celebrating Sade’s life."
The statement by requesting the media respect his family’s privacy.
Maxwell Anderson is being held on a $5m bond for first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse and arson charges in the death of Robinson. The homicide charge alone carries a penalty of life in prison.