25-year-old woman convicted of murder, dismemberment sentenced to life in prison

***WARNING: The following story contains graphic content.***

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WLUK) — One of the most sordid murder cases in Wisconsin's history came to a close Tuesday when Taylor Schabusiness was sentenced to life, plus 10-and-a-half years in prison, with no chance for parole, for the killing and dismemberment of Shad Thyrion.

Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered a no contact with the victim's family, sobriety, as well as psychological evaluations.

Schabusiness, 25, was convicted in a two-part trial in July, with the jury finding her guilty before rejecting her insanity plea.

The case began Feb. 23, 2022, when Thyrion's mother made the horrifying discovery of her son's head in a bucket in the basement of her home on Green Bay's west side.

Thyrion's mother told investigators her son was last seen with Schabusiness -- with officers quickly tracking her down at an area apartment complex.

According to the criminal complaint, Schabusiness said she and Thyrion were using drugs, including meth, and engaging in sexual play, when the man was strangled. She then sexually abused him, dismembered the body, and placed body parts in various locations in the home and a vehicle, the criminal complaint states.

Schabusiness made the comment that at one point, she did get paranoid and lazy and that she thought it was the 'dope' that was making her paranoid," the complaint states.

During the trial, prosecutors played video of her interrogation.

It's weird. I was riding him like a donkey, OK, I think so. And I think that's what was happening and I started pulling and I don't know, I don't know, and then I just didn't stop. I don't know why I just didn't stop. I didn't stop," she told police.

The case took many twists and turns during 19 months. There were several defense requests for mental competency exams.

In February, Schabusiness attacked her then-defense attorney, Quinn Jolly, during a court hearing.

Legal maneuvers continued into this week.

On Monday, Schabusiness' current attorney, Christopher Froelich, withdrew a request to postpone the sentencing. Froelich told the court on Friday that he had not been allowed to see his client in the Brown County Jail to prepare for sentencing, but on Monday filed a motion saying he was finally allowed to sit down with her in the jail.

Ultimately, Schabusiness was convicted of first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse, and third-degree sexual assault.

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