Sade Robinson killed, lead detective opens up about case

Sade Robinson killed, detective opens up

FOX6 News spoke to Milwaukee County Sheriff's Det. JoAnn Donner, the lead detective on the Sade Robinson homicide case.

MILWAUKEE - The case of Sade Robinson captivated Milwaukee. Behind the case was a detective who made solving the 19-year-old woman's murder her only assignment from day one.

What they're saying:

Days after a jury convicted Maxwell Anderson of killing and dismembering Robinson, Milwaukee County Sheriff's Det. JoAnn Donner opened up to FOX6 News.

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Maybin: "How often did you walk (Warnimont Park) during this investigation?"
Donner: "At least a couple dozen times, I think."
Maybin: "Why that many times?"
Donner: "I needed to focus a little bit. Sometimes I have to pull myself away from my desk to be able to do that."

Donner immersed herself in Robinson's homicide case. She said she wasn't just walking through the Cudahy park to find evidence, she was talking to Robinson, too.

Sade Robinson

Maybin: "What would you say to her?"
Donner: "If there’s anything else. If there’s something she can guide me to help me figure this out or piece more together."

During the investigation, Donner said she’d search the beach where Robinson’s severed leg first turned up.

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"We’re still missing her head, so my hope was that I would be the one to find it and not a civilian or family member or something like that," she said.

In the early days of this investigation, it was known Robinson had Life360 on her cellphone. The app allows people to share and track locations with one another. As it turned out, the app played a critical role in Donner and her team's search for evidence to crack the case.

Maxwell Anderson in court as guilty verdict is read

"To see on the backend how much it helped us, that’s really what led us down the path to find all that video," she said.

Video showed Robinson's first date with Anderson, as well as Anderson riding a bus after killing Robinson and torching her car. It was evidence that led the jury to convict Anderson on all counts. But Donner admits it was frustrating to not have clear video of Anderson driving Robinson’s car around on the night she was killed.

COMPLETE COVERAGE: Maxwell Anderson found guilty of killing, dismembering Sade Robinson

"There was actually one video that he’s driving by slowly," she said. "The passenger window is down. That’s the camera side. As he’s going by, that window is rolling up. I found myself literally bending down, hopefully, maybe a little glimpse. But yeah, nothing."

Maybin: "If you could interview Maxwell Anderson, what would you ask him?"
Donner: "I definitely want to know where he put her head. At least narrow down a search area for us. I have a lot of questions. Motive."

Det. JoAnn Donner, Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office, lays flowers at the Warnimont Park gate for Sade Robinson

After the guilty verdict was read and the courtroom cleared, FOX6 was there as Donner returned to Warnimont Park to quietly pay respects to Robinson.

"Just basically hoping I did a good job for her. I wanted to leave a little bit of a tribute," she said. "That’s where I met her and wanted to say goodbye."

Anderson remains in the Milwaukee County Jail. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 15.

Full interview

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Full interview: Sade Robinson case lead detective opens up after Maxwell Anderson trial

FOX6 News' Aaron Maybin spoke to Milwaukee County Sheriff's Det. JoAnn Donner, the lead detective on the Sade Robinson homicide case.