48 Hours Tonight

“Sade Robinson and the Secret Beach”: 48 Hours Reports February 21 2026

by · February 20, 2026

CBS’s 48 Hours returns with a detailed examination of the murder of Sade Robinson in an episode titled Sade Robinson and the Secret Beach, airing February 21, 2026. Correspondent Anne-Marie Green leads the investigation into the disappearance and killing of the 19 year old Milwaukee college student whose first date ended in violence.

The broadcast retraces Robinson’s final hours, the discovery of her remains along the Lake Michigan shoreline, and the prosecution of the man convicted of killing her. Through interviews with family members, law enforcement, and individuals connected to the defendant, the episode presents a case that shocked Milwaukee and drew national attention.

Sade Robinson: A Young Woman With Plans for the Future

Sade Carleena Robinson was born on May 10, 2004. At 19, she was attending Milwaukee Area Technical College and working to support herself. She held jobs at local establishments, including Pizza Shuttle and the Wisconsin Country Club. Family members described her as independent and focused on building a career, with aspirations that included military service.

Robinson lived on her own and maintained close ties with her mother, Sheena Scarbrough, her father, Carlos Robinson, and her younger sister, Adrianna Reams. Pink was her favorite color, a detail that later became a symbol at memorials across the city. After her death, a mural was painted near Pizza Shuttle to honor her life and presence in the community.

The First Date and Disappearance

On April 1, 2024, Robinson went on a first date with Maxwell Anderson, a 33 year old bartender from Pewaukee. Surveillance footage showed the pair meeting at Twisted Fisherman, a seafood restaurant in Milwaukee. They later visited a bar in downtown Milwaukee before going to Anderson’s apartment on the city’s south side.

When Robinson failed to report to work the next day, co workers alerted authorities. She was officially reported missing on April 2. Investigators quickly began reconstructing her movements through cellphone records, app location data, and surveillance video. Those records showed her car leaving Anderson’s residence in the early morning hours and traveling toward the Lake Michigan shoreline.

The Discovery at Warnimont Park and Along Lake Michigan

On the night of April 2, a severed human leg was discovered near the shoreline at Warnimont Park in Cudahy. Preliminary DNA testing identified the remains as Robinson’s. In the following days and weeks, additional body parts were found in separate locations, including along beaches in South Milwaukee and at Waukegan Municipal Beach in Illinois.

Prosecutors later stated that Robinson was killed inside Anderson’s home and that her body was transported to Warnimont Park, where it was dismembered. Evidence presented at trial showed that Anderson then drove Robinson’s car to Milwaukee’s north side and set it on fire using an ignitable petroleum distillate. Surveillance video captured him walking away from the burning vehicle.

Despite extensive searches, portions of Robinson’s remains have not been recovered. The brutality of the crime prompted the assistant district attorney to describe it as the highest level of violence imaginable.

The Arrest and Charges Against Maxwell Anderson

Maxwell Anderson was arrested on April 4, 2024. On April 12, he was formally charged with first degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse, hiding a corpse, and arson. Court records showed he had prior convictions dating back to 2014, including domestic violence related offenses and disorderly conduct. He had briefly served in the United States Navy from April 2011 to January 2012.

When police searched his residence, they found blood on the walls. Testing later determined that the blood was canine, not Robinson’s. Prosecutors instead relied heavily on digital evidence, surveillance footage, and images recovered from Anderson’s phone. Those images showed Robinson lying face down on his couch, appearing incapacitated.

Anderson did not testify at trial, and his defense team did not present witnesses. His attorney argued there was no evidence of intent to kill. Anderson maintained his innocence and suggested an unknown individual could have harmed Robinson after she left his apartment.

The Trial, Verdict, and Sentencing

The trial began in late May 2025 in Milwaukee County Circuit Court. Prosecutors presented extensive evidence, including phone records, location data, surveillance footage, and testimony from law enforcement. The jury deliberated for less than an hour before returning guilty verdicts on first degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse, and arson. A count of hiding a corpse was later dismissed at sentencing.

On August 1, 2025, Judge Laura Crivello sentenced Anderson to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Under Wisconsin law, first degree intentional homicide carries a mandatory life sentence, leaving parole eligibility to the court’s discretion. The judge declined to allow any opportunity for release, citing the severity of the crime and a lack of remorse.

Anderson is incarcerated at Dodge Correctional Institution in Waupun. His attorneys have indicated plans to appeal.

A Family’s Grief and a Community’s Response

In the aftermath of Robinson’s death, dozens of community members gathered outside Anderson’s home for a pink themed memorial. Balloons, flowers, and stuffed animals were placed on the lawn. Her family later established Sade’s Voice Foundation to advocate for reforms in how missing persons cases are handled.

At sentencing, Robinson’s parents and sister delivered emotional statements describing the impact of her death. Her father spoke of the anguish of not having all of his daughter’s remains returned. Her sister described sitting through the trial while coping with the loss of her closest confidante.

The 48 Hours episode places these voices at the center of the story. Through interviews with Adrianna Reams, law enforcement officials such as Jo Donner and Nora Donegan, and others connected to the case, the program examines how digital evidence, coordinated investigation, and community support led to a conviction in a case that began with a first date and ended in tragedy.

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Ryan Gill

Ryan is a passionate follower of true crime television programs, reporting on and providing in-depth investigations on mysteries in the criminal world.

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