Alleged ‘Shopping Cart Killer’ denied joint trial

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) – At a pre-trial hearing, Anthony Robinson and his defense team were denied a request to consolidate Robinson’s two trials into one bigger trial.

On Sept. 30, 2024, Robinson’s defense attorneys — Louis Nagy and Scott Hanson — made several motions and responses to Marsha Garst — the Rockingham County Commonwealth’s Attorney — about the status of the “Shopping Cart Killer” case moving forward.

One of the motions from Nagy was about using nicknames throughout the trial. Police had given Robinson the nickname “Shopping Cart Killer” because investigators who linked Robinson to the murders claimed he disposed of the bodies using shopping carts. Garst agreed to not use the name “Shopping Cart Killer” but insisted the judge allow her to continue using “serial killer” in the trial. She said the nature of the crimes — multiple murders with sadomasochistic findings — fit the definition of “serial killer.” Nagy argued Virginia has no definition of a serial killer, therefore it would be inappropriate to refer to Robinson by it.

The judge agreed with Nagy and allowed the motion.

In a separate motion, the defense asked the judge and the Commonwealth to merge the two trials and all the charges into one trial date in January. Nagy said the two separate trials could be messy because they’ll be two separate juries reviewing nearly identical arguments. On the off chance the two juries disagreed with convictions — one convicted Robinson and the other did not — Nagy said it would be unprecedented and there would be a lot up in the air.

Garst didn’t refuse the motion to join the trials — she did however only agree if it would stay consistent to the September date because delaying the trial further will “torture the family even more.”

The judge took a short recess — and denied the defense’s motion. He said combining the two trials might make it longer than scheduled and it could be difficult to schedule a day around the trial where the court would be available.

Nagy also made a motion to prevent the Commonwealth from using prior bad acts evidence. Previously, WHSV reported on Robinson allegedly connected to murders happening in different parts of the D.C., Maryland and Virginia areas. Nagy said since no cause of death has been found in any of the previous murders Robinson is alleged to have committed, it would introduce prejudiced evidence if the Commonwealth used any of these cases as part of their prosecution.

Garst said the cases were “beyond a strong resemblance” and the connections can help identify a motive in the case.

The judge allowed the Commonwealth to use the evidence.

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