Reported by:Hajira Irfan
The Dating App Killer: Monica White’s Story and the Real Case
Monica White thought she had met someone worth getting to know when she connected with Anthony Robinson on a dating app. She had no idea that the man she was dating would later be convicted of murdering two women.
That unsettling experience is now at the center of The Dating App Killer: The Monica White Story, a 2026 Lifetime movie that has gained renewed attention after becoming available on Netflix. Netflix describes the film as being based on the true story of White and convicted killer Anthony Robinson.
How Monica White Met Anthony Robinson
White met Robinson on the dating app Tagged in late 2020. They began talking and video chatting regularly before meeting in person in January 2021.
Robinson traveled from Harrisonburg, Virginia, to Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, to see her. But White soon noticed behavior that made her uncomfortable.
One warning sign came when Robinson allegedly asked about moving into her home, despite their relationship being relatively new. White later recalled telling him that he was moving too fast.
The situation became even more uncomfortable during White’s birthday celebration. She said Robinson had been drinking, urinated in her bed and behaved inappropriately around her family.
White eventually ended the relationship in February 2021.
Months Later, Robinson Was Arrested
Later that year, Robinson was arrested in connection with the murders of Allene Elizabeth “Beth” Redmon and Tonita Smith.
He was convicted in 2025 and sentenced in 2026 to two life terms plus 10 years. Investigators found evidence connecting him to the killings, and he became known as the “Shopping Cart Killer” because shopping carts were used to transport victims’ bodies.
Robinson has also been identified as a suspect in four additional deaths involving Cheyenne Brown, Stephanie Harrison, Sonya Champ and his former fiancée, Skye Allen. He has not been convicted in those deaths.
What the Movie Changes About the Real Story
Although the film is based on White’s experience, it does not present every event exactly as it happened.
One important difference involves the timeline. The movie creates a more dramatic sense that Robinson may have been killing women while he was still communicating with White. That has not been established in real life.
Director Elisabeth Röhm has said the filmmakers wanted White’s perspective to remain at the center of the story instead of portraying Robinson as a sensationalized figure.
Why Monica White’s Story Is So Disturbing
What makes White’s story particularly unsettling is how ordinary the relationship initially appeared.
She met Robinson online, spent time talking with him and eventually welcomed him into her home. Only later did she learn that the man she had dated was connected to a series of murders.
White has spoken about feeling guilt and wondering whether her rejection somehow contributed to what happened afterward. But the facts do not establish that her decision caused Robinson’s crimes.
Her story is ultimately about recognizing warning signs and trusting your instincts. She ended the relationship before she knew the full truth about Robinson, a decision that, in hindsight, became extraordinarily important.
The renewed attention around The Dating App Killer shows why White’s experience continues to resonate: sometimes the most frightening part of a true crime story is realizing how normal everything looked before the truth came out.
