A Wisconsin woman, Taylor Schabusiness, 25, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the brutal killing and dismemberment of her former boyfriend, Shad Thyrion, 24, in February 2022. The sentence was handed down by a Brown County judge after a jury found Schabusiness guilty of first-degree intentional homicide, third-degree sexual assault, and mutilating a corpse in July.
Schabusiness had entered pleas of not guilty and not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. However, the jury also determined that she was not mentally ill at the time of the murder.
Prosecutors revealed that Schabusiness and Thyrion had consumed methamphetamine in the basement of Thyrion’s mother’s residence in Green Bay before Schabusiness strangled, decapitated, and dismembered him. She then scattered parts of his body throughout the house and in a vehicle.
Schabusiness was arrested on February 23, 2022, after Thyrion’s mother called the police when she discovered her son’s head in a bucket in the basement.
Brown County Circuit Judge Thomas Walsh, in delivering the sentence, emphasized the severity of the crime, stating that “the offense in this case can’t be overstated.” He highlighted the shocking nature of the actions, noting that such acts are foreign and deeply unsettling for the community.
Schabusiness’ defense attorney, Christopher Froelich, expressed that she would speak on her behalf before the sentencing. However, when given the opportunity to speak, Schabusiness simply replied, “No, there isn’t.”
Froelich also asserted that Schabusiness is not a monster and suggested that, at the age of 25, there is still potential for her rehabilitation.
Earlier in February, Schabusiness had physically attacked her previous attorney during a court hearing, resulting in deputies intervening to restrain her.
