Anthony Eugene Robinson, the man police called the "shopping cart killer," was sentenced Friday to life in prison after a Rockingham County judge imposed punishment for two 2021 killings in Harrisonburg. Prosecutors say the women’s remains were moved in a shopping cart and concealed in an undeveloped lot behind a motel. The sentence follows a jury conviction in January 2025 on counts that included aggravated murder and concealing a dead body. The case has drawn broad regional attention because investigators say Robinson may be tied to other deaths across the D.C. area.
As reported by Rocktown Now, jurors recommended four life sentences plus 10 years and a $400,000 fine after a short deliberation in January 2025. The judge’s ruling at Friday’s hearing put Robinson behind bars for life, while investigators and prosecutors continue to coordinate with other jurisdictions on additional possible cases.
What Jurors Saw
Jurors watched hotel surveillance footage that prosecutors say shows Robinson entering a motel room with women on separate dates and later leaving with a shopping cart draped in a sheet, according to The Washington Post. Prosecutors told the court that that visual evidence, together with DNA and witness testimony, was central to linking Robinson to the two Harrisonburg victims.
Investigations in D.C. and Fairfax
Authorities say the matter may extend beyond Harrisonburg. WTOP reports Robinson is wanted in connection with the death of Sonya Champ, whose body was found in a shopping cart a few blocks from Union Station. Fairfax County detectives told WHSV that investigators also recovered remains, including those of Cheyenne Brown, in a container near a shopping cart in woods off the 2400 block of Fairhaven Avenue, and they are still examining whether additional victims should be connected to Robinson.
Legal Context and Next Steps
Under state law, aggravated murder is a Class 1 felony that can carry life behind bars, per the Code of Virginia. Defense lawyers had sought additional neuropsychological testing before sentencing, and psychologists conducted evaluations this spring, WMRA reported. Prosecutors said they will continue to coordinate with D.C. and Fairfax investigators as those probes proceed.
The life sentence resolves the Harrisonburg prosecution but does not close the wider investigations. Fairfax and D.C. authorities continue to ask anyone with information or relevant surveillance to come forward as they review motel records, digital data, and other leads.
