College Student Was Slain and Dismembered. How a 'Flurry of Racist Emails' Stopped Plans for Her Memorial

Mar. 15, 2025

Sade Carleena Robinson (left); and Maxwell Anderson.Photo:Sade Carleena Robinson/Facebook; Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Sade Carleena Robinson/Facebook; Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Milwaukee officials have reluctantly halted their plans for a memorial for a college student who was killed and dismembered after going on a first date last year.

Two weeks after she was last seen, theMilwaukee County Sheriff’s Officeannounced homicide and arson charges against 33-year-old Maxwell Anderson.

Robinson’s bereaved mother requested that county officials sponsor a $7,000 memorial for her, citing the fact that the family didn’t have an intact body to bury,FOX6reported.

Sade Carleena Robinson.Milwaukee Police Department

Milwaukee Police Department

However, when county officials began planning for the memorial, they say they received a slew of racist messages about the plan, officials told theMilwaukee Journal Sentinel. County Board Supervisor Juan Miguel Martinez said there had been a “flurry of racist emails.”

County Supervisor Felesia Martin told the paper, “It is most unfortunate that we’re at this moment in our country’s history where, once again, we feel very comfortable being overt with our prejudices, with our racism and with just plain evil, hateful thoughts.”

Some people emailed saying they didn’t want taxpayer money allocated to the memorial, according to Martinez, who asked for the proposal for the memorial to be withdrawn last week, citing the pain of the victim’s loved ones.

“People should be thoroughly ashamed of the way that Ms. [Scarbrough] has been treated for wanting this,” Martinez said at a meeting of the committee, per the outlet.

“I just want to say shame on people for treating a grieving mother this way and making it a race thing, and treating her as subhuman when it’s absolutely unnecessary and absolutely unethical and it shows the most disgusting and detestable parts of our society,” he said.

The suspect, Anderson, is White and Robinson was Black, though authorities have not said the case is related to race.

Supporters are honoring Sade Robinson through art.GoFundMe

GoFundMe

Since the notice of withdrawal became public information, there has been an outpouring of support for Robinson’s family.

Omar Sheikh, owner of a local steakhouse Carnevor, announced on Tuesday that he will be raising funds for the family.

“I’m not understanding how this Sade Robinson is a racial thing. I’ve heard firsthand how great of a girl she was & [Pizza Shuttle] top employee 4 years,” he wrote onX. “I’m going to do a [Carnevor] dinner and raise the remaining $4,000 for her memorial. Can’t imagine what her family is going thru.”

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He was charged with first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse and arson. Online court records show he has entered pleas of not guilty.

His trial is set for May 5, perFOX6.

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source: people.com