GoFundMe/Obit/Mugshot Shad Thyrion
Shad Thyrion was a Green Bay, Wisconsin, man who was murdered and mutilated by Taylor Schabusiness, prosecutors say.
Taylor Denise Schabusiness, of Green Bay, is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse and third-degree sexual assault, according to Wisconsin court records.
Schabusiness is married to husband Warren Schabow, who is standing by her. Read about her husband and family, including a mother who died young and young son, here.
Schabusiness was found guilty by the jury, which also rejected her insanity plea. “Jury finds that at the time the crimes were committed the defendant DID NOT have a mental disease or mental defect. Court adjudges defendant guilty on all 3 counts,” online court records say. She will be sentenced on September 26, 2023.
Be forewarned that the details in the criminal complaint are extremely graphic and disturbing. Crime scene photos were shown in court.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. The Mother of Victim Shad Thyrion Found His Severed Head in a Bucket in Her Basement, the Complaint Says
FacebookTaylor Schabusiness in a Facebook photo.
According to the criminal complaint, at about 3:25 a.m. on February 23, 2022, an officer was dispatched to a residence in the City of Green Bay, Wisconsin, “for a report of a severed head being found in a bucket in the basement.”
The officer reached the bottom of the basement stairs and saw a plastic bucket on the floor. He observed a shower/beach towel over the bucket and observed a human head in the bucket, the complaint says. He observed what appeared to be dried blood on a nearby mattress, the complaint says.
Police determined that Schabusiness was the last person seen with the victim, it adds.
When officers saw her emerge from an apartment building, she had what appeared to be dried blood on the front of her black hooded sweatshirt as well as her black sweatpants, according to the complaint. Her hands appeared to be smeared with blood as well, the complaint says. When the officer asked if she knew why officers were there, she stated something that sounded like “because of my warrant for my arrest,” the complaint adds.
In the van she had been using, authorities found a crock pot box and located additional human body parts, including legs, the complaint says.
According to the complaint, the human head was severed from the neck and was confirmed to be the victim. There was visual evidence of strangulation observed. In the same bucket was a male organ along with body fluid and two knives, the complaint says.
Other body parts were found in the basement in other bags, including plastic shopping bags, along with three knives, it adds. In a storage tote, an upper torso was located, the complaint says. It had numerous rigid cuts at the site where the head was removed, the complaint says. Also located in the tote was a carving knife and several internal organs, it says.
Evidence of drug use was observed on top of an entertainment center, the complaint says
The detective met with the victim’s mother, TP. She said that on Monday, February 21, 2022, at around 9:30 p.m., Schabusiness picked up the victim, the last time the victim’s mother saw him alive, the complaint says. The mother’s full name was given in court as Tara Pakanich.
Her boyfriend told her that sometime Monday night into Tuesday February 22, 2022, the victim and Schabusiness returned to the home and went into the basement, the complaint says.
She heard a storm door being slammed between 2:30 and 3 a.m. on February 23, 2022, and went to see if the victim was still there. She noticed a bucket next to the bottom of the stairs and discovered the head of the victim, the complaint says.
2. Taylor Schabusiness Is Accused of Telling Police That She Strangled Shad Thyrion After Smoking Methamphetamine
Told a head was found, Schabusiness said “that is pretty f***** up,” the complaint says.
She said the rest of the body was still in the basement and that she blacked out during that time but admitted it was just her and the victim in the basement and that they were smoking methamphetamine, it adds.
She stated that strangulation was part of their sex act, the complaint said, adding that Schabusiness said, “d*** the head” and “I can’t believe I left the head, though.”
She said that police were going to have fun trying to find all of the organs because she dismembered the body, the complaint said, adding that Schabusiness said she used knives from the kitchen and that a bread knife worked best.
She said she went crazy strangling Thyrion, the complaint said.
After he died, she said, she played with his body, performing oral sex on him, the complaint says.
She said she and a friend had picked up the victim in a minivan, got drugs and then smoked marijuana — and she and the victim smoked meth, the complaint said. She said she shot up herself and the victim with trazodone, an antidepressant and sedative, it said.
She said it took the victim three to five minutes to die, adding, “Yeah, I liked it,” the complaint said.
She asked the detectives whether they knew what it was like to love something so much that you killed it, the complaint said. She said she played with his body for two to three hours, it said, adding that she said she only ended up putting the leg/foot in the van and forgot the head.
Christopher Froelich, Schabusiness’s attorney, told the jury, according to Fox11Online: “I ask when you’re considering all of the evidence, don’t jump to a conclusion, don’t rush to judgment. Please keep an open mind and listen to all the facts. Listen to what every witness has to say, carefully, and weigh what they have to say.”
3. Shad Thyrion’s Obituary Says He Was a Talented Artist Who Enjoyed Wood Carving & Worked With His Father & Grandfather at Family Businesses
Obituary photoShad Thyrion
His obituary says that Shad Rock Thyrion, 24, “passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, February 23, 2022. Shad was born September 7, 1997, in Green Bay, Wisconsin to Tara Pakanich and Michael Thyrion. Shad attended Howard/Suamico schools as a child and later worked with his father and grandfather at their family businesses.”
According to the obit, “Shad enjoyed camping, games and spending time with his family. He was a very kind and compassionate person who often thought of others before himself. A talented artist, he also enjoyed wood carving.”
The obit noted: “Shad is survived by his mother Tara Pakanich, father Michael Thryion, sister Ava Wheelock, sister Cilivea Sunray Thyrion, and brother Beau Smith, grandparents Becky and Steve Fisher, grandfather David J. Pakanich, grandmother Elaine Williquette, and many aunts/uncles, nieces/nephews, cousins and friends.”
4. A GoFundMe Page is Raising Money to Help Shad Thyrion’s Mother
GoFundMeShad Thyrion
A GoFundMe page was set up to help Thyrion’s mother with living expenses during the trial.
“Last February, as many of you know, our family suffered an unimaginable and tragic loss of Shad. This week the trial will finally begin after many delays,” the post says.
“My cousin Tara, Shad’s mother, has taken an indefinite amount of time off to be at the trial. This also comes with a financial loss and it breaks my heart for her to go through this living hell, We am hoping to help raise funds to help off set the loss of income during this difficult time. If you feel compelled to help it is greatly appreciated otherwise, we humbly ask for prayers, lots of prayers, justice for Shad and hopefully some closure and healing ❤️ ”
5. Shad Thyrion Had No Wisconsin Criminal History, But Taylor Schabusiness Was Already a Felon
Thyrion had no criminal history in Wisconsin, according to online court records.
Schabusiness is a felon who was previously convicted of fleeing an officer and resisting as well as battery or threat to judge, prosecutor or law enforcement officer, both 2020 cases.
Schabusiness attacked her attorney in court during a previous hearing, according to video.
READ NEXT: More About Taylor Schabusiness.