Netflix has added another disturbing true-crime story to its catalogue with The Dating App Killer: The Monica White Story. Originally released on Lifetime, the film arrived on Netflix on August 15, 2026, bringing a chilling real-life survival story to a wider audience.
The movie follows Monica White, a divorced woman whose experience with a man she met on a dating app took a terrifying turn. Her date, Anthony Robinson, initially appeared to be an ordinary single father looking for companionship. Months later, however, White learned that Robinson had been arrested in connection with the deaths of two women.
Who Was Monica White’s Date Anthony Robinson?
Monica White met Anthony Robinson in late 2020 through the dating app Tagged. White was a recent divorcee and said she was primarily looking for companionship rather than a serious romantic relationship. Robinson, a single father from Virginia, reportedly initiated the conversation by messaging her, “Hi beautiful, I’d like to get to know you better.”
The two began communicating regularly and also video chatted. At first, White believed she was getting to know an ordinary man. But when Robinson travelled from Harrisonburg, Virginia, to Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, to meet her in person in January 2021, she began noticing things that made her uncomfortable.
In a 2024 interview with PEOPLE, White said she immediately noticed red flags. “There were things that went up as red flags at the first visit,” she recalled. Robinson reportedly asked her not to judge him and told her he did not like being rejected by women.
What Red Flags Did Monica White Notice About Anthony Robinson?
White said Robinson’s behaviour became increasingly concerning during his visits. She recalled an intimate encounter in which Robinson tried to restrain her and grabbed her by the neck. White told him that she was uncomfortable but she said he continued to push boundaries.
Robinson also reportedly suggested moving in with White despite their relationship being relatively new. She rejected the idea, telling him, “No. You’re moving too fast, man.” Robinson returned to Pennsylvania the following month for White’s 54th birthday, arriving about a week before the occasion. During that visit, White said his behaviour became even more erratic. At one point, she said, Robinson urinated in her bed.
Why Did Monica White End Her Relationship With Anthony Robinson?
White eventually confronted Robinson and told him she wanted him to collect his belongings and leave. According to her recollection, Robinson “started snapping” after she ended the relationship.
He later stayed at a motel in nearby Harrisburg and reportedly offered White $500 to visit him. She refused. White later saw him outside the motel while driving past and said his appearance and demeanour seemed completely different. “He looked like a totally different man. Something snapped in him,” she recalled in her PEOPLE interview.
White said she wondered whether drugs had played a role in his behaviour, describing the experience as if she had seen “a ghost, a monster.”
When Did Monica White Realise Her Date Was A Serial Killer?
The truth emerged months after White ended her relationship with Robinson. In November 2021, Robinson was arrested after investigators connected him to the deaths of Allene “Beth” Redmon and Tonita Smith in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
When White’s cousin showed her Robinson’s mugshot, she immediately recognized the man. “Once I started putting the puzzle together, of course, when the pieces fit, they fit,” White recalled. The discovery left her frightened and struggling with guilt.
Why Was Anthony Robinson Called The Shopping Cart Killer?
Investigators gave Robinson the nickname “Shopping Cart Killer” because of allegations that he used shopping carts to transport the bodies of women he had killed. Authorities alleged that Robinson met women through dating platforms and arranged encounters in hotel rooms. The bodies of some victims were later discovered near shopping carts.
Robinson was ultimately convicted in 2025 in connection with the deaths of Redmon and Smith. He faced charges including aggravated murder, first-degree murder and concealing dead bodies and was sentenced to life imprisonment plus additional time.
Authorities have also investigated whether Robinson could be connected to other women’s deaths, including Stephanie Harrison, Cheyenne Brown, Sonya Champ and Skye Allen.
What Happened To Monica White After She Escaped Anthony Robinson?
White severed all ties with Robinson after ending their relationship and later learning about the allegations against him. Her story has since become an example of the dangers that can emerge from online dating, particularly when warning signs are overlooked or explained away.
What makes her experience especially chilling is that White did not meet Robinson as part of an obviously dangerous situation. Their relationship began with messages, video calls and what she believed was ordinary companionship.
