Naman Shrestha
CBS’ ’48 Hours: Sade Robinson and The Secret Beach’ chronicles the horrific killing of a college student named Sade Robinson in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 2024. When her disappearance concerned her loved ones, the authorities launched a search, which led them to her remains in different parts of the city. Thanks to her cell phone data, the detectives uncovered the mystery behind the tragedy piece by piece, ultimately apprehending the perpetrator behind the gruesome crime.
Sade Robinson’s Remains Began Surfacing Across Milwaukee After Her Disappearance
The beloved daughter of Carlos Robinson and Sheena Scarborough, Sade Carleena Robinson came into this world on May 10, 2004.
The pair welcomed her into their lives in the town of Vicksburg in Warren County, Mississippi, but left the state nearly two years later to relocate to Wisconsin. While they never made their bond official in the eyes of the law by tying the knot, Carlos and Sheena built a life together rich with love, compassion, and understanding. They raised their two daughters, Sade and Adrianna Reams, in a warm and kind household in Milwaukee. Sade received her early education at Ida S. Baker High School in Florida and later attended Riverside High School in Milwaukee.
Growing up, Sade developed an affinity for Criminal Studies. Thus, she enrolled at Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) and pursued a degree in Criminal Justice. By the time 2024 rolled around, the 19-year-old was on the verge of earning her degree, with her graduation date reportedly set for May 10 — her 20th birthday. She was a kindhearted, free-spirited person and an ambitious individual, adored by her friends and family. As per reports, the teenager was also contemplating entering the Air Force at the time when life took a tragic turn. Sade vanished without a trace on April 1, 2024. When her friends couldn’t reach out to her, they requested a welfare check. While a missing report was subsequently filed, Sade’s friends and family received heartbreaking news on April 2.
Around 7:37 am, a hiker reported the discovery of partial remains in a secluded stretch of Lake Michigan’s shoreline near 3305 Marina Road, just outside Warnimont Park in Cudahy. Hours later, her 2020 Honda Civic was found ablaze on the 1800 block of North 29th Street. According to police records, on April 6, additional remains were discovered just a couple of blocks away, in the area of North 31st and West Galena streets. Further remains were found in the same week. An investigation also took place near 31st and Walnut streets. Reportedly, the authorities recovered remains on three separate days. Preliminary DNA testing confirmed the remains belonged to 19-year-old Sade Robinson.
Sade Robinson’s Killer Spent the Evening With Her Before Killing Her
After Sade Robinson was reported missing, the authorities launched a search for the missing teenager, but it soon turned into a homicide investigation as her dismembered remains were found in different parts of Milwaukee. As the detectives retraced her activity on the days prior to her disappearance, they learned that she had a date with a man named Maxwell Anderson at the Twisted Fisherman restaurant on the evening of April 1, 2024. After reviewing her cell phone records and surveillance footage, the police discovered that Sade and Maxwell also went to Duke’s on Water, where she sent a Snapchat message to her friend. The two left the bar after 9 pm and went to Maxwell’s home in the 3100 block of South 39th Street.
Several hours later, in the early hours of April 2, her phone left Maxwell’s residence and was traveling throughout Milwaukee County. The surveillance footage also showed a hoodie-wearing suspect near Sade’s burning car. Since Maxwell was the last person to have seen her alive, the authorities pulled him over on the afternoon of April 4, 2024, and arrested him just a few blocks away from his home. Upon searching his car, they found an identical hoodie that the suspect was seen wearing in the security video. During the search of his home, they reported finding multiple gasoline containers, blood in one of the bedrooms and on the walls, as well as women’s clothing in the basement. About a week after his arrest, on April 12, he was charged with first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse, and arson in connection with Sade’s killing.
The Killer Was Confronted by Sade’s Family During His Sentencing Hearing
The authorities dug deeper into Maxwell Anderson’s past and found out that he had prior criminal convictions. Per record, between 2014 and 2022, he was convicted of charges including drunk driving, disorderly conduct, and abuse. On June 3, 2024, the Robinson family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Maxwell. Nearly a year later, on May 27, 2025, his jury trial got underway. The prosecution presented a series of evidence against the defendant, including the surveillance footage and the cell phone records. However, the defense argued that he had no intention of killing Sade Robinson. “There’s nothing in the videos that you’ve seen that suggests that Max is planning to do anything like an intentional homicide,” the defense added. After seven days of testimony, the jury deliberated for less than one hour before reaching a final verdict.
On June 6, 2025, Maxwell was found guilty of all the charges against him. Finally, on August 1, his sentencing hearing took place, and several members of Sade’s family took the stand. Her sister, Adrianna Reams, told the court how the convict took away her support system and role model and tried to erase Sade’s existence. She stated, “I cannot meet any person without the fear that they’re going to harm or kill me, because all my sister did was meet someone, and as a result, he ended her life.” What angered her more was for the lack of remorse he allegedly felt. “He stole my sanity because I will spend the rest of my life searching for answers that I’ll never get about what he did to my sister and why he did it because even though he has no life ahead of him, he still refuses to tell us these answers, even though doing so no longer has any ability to hurt him,” she added.
Sade’s mother, Sheena Scarbrough, also addressed the killer, stating, “There’s no such thing as justice with what you did to my daughter and what you have done to my family. You plotted and planned to kill, dismember. Then you disrespectfully spread my daughter across Milwaukee like a piece of trash.” As for her father, Carlos Robinson, he opined that Maxwell didn’t deserve to live. “You deserve what you get. He deserves the punishment that he gave to my daughter. Everything that he did should be done to him. That’s how I feel,” he added. Ultimately, Maxwell was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
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