Suspect pleads not guilty to murder of Milwaukee woman who was killed on ‘exciting’ first date

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 a seafood restaurant in Milwaukee, later sending 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.

Police previously said the leg, which was discovered two days earlier 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.