Wisconsin Woman, Taylor Schabusiness, Receives Life Sentence for Meth-Induced Lover's Murder and Decapitation

Warning: This story contains explicit descriptions of violence.

A woman from Wisconsin received a life sentence without the possibility of parole on Tuesday for the gruesome murder and decapitation of her lover during a meth-induced encounter last year. This decision came despite a plea from the victim's father for leniency.

Michael Thyrion, the father of 24-year-old Shad Thyrion, made an unusual appearance in Brown County Circuit Court and expressed hope for Taylor Schabusiness, the defendant. He acknowledged that people make poor choices and believed in the potential for her rehabilitation.

Jurors, who deliberated for less than an hour in July, found Taylor Schabusiness guilty of murdering Shad Thyrion in February 2022. The jury also determined that Schabusiness was not suffering from mental illness at the time of the murder, which means she will serve her sentence in prison, not in a mental health facility.

Prosecutors advocated for a life sentence without parole, describing the crime as "egregious." In contrast, defense attorneys argued that Schabusiness should be eligible for parole, citing her impaired mental state during the murder.

Relatives speaking on Schabusiness's behalf, including her father and grandmother, emphasized that she was not a "monster" and that drug use had a detrimental effect on her behavior. They advocated for her eventual reintegration into society for the sake of her son.

During the trial, it was revealed that Schabusiness had strangled Thyrion in the basement of his mother's Green Bay home after they had used methamphetamine and engaged in sexual activity.

Schabusiness admitted to police that she had dismembered and sexually abused Thyrion before placing his severed head and male genitalia in a five-gallon bucket and leaving the house. Thyrion's mother discovered the gruesome scene covered by a beach towel and called 911.

Dr. Vincent Tranchida from the Dane County Medical Examiner's Office testified that Thyrion had cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana in his system, but these substances were not the cause of death. He described the victim as essentially bloodless, indicating that someone had attempted to drain his blood.

Prosecutors also presented evidence of Schabusiness's obsession with Jeffrey Dahmer, including selfies with a photo of the notorious serial killer. 

Former Green Bay Police lieutenant Jena Luberda testified about Schabusiness's online searches related to Dahmer, who was infamous for killing and dismembering 17 men between 1978 and 1991.

Meanwhile in the South Carolina capital city, Columbia, a 14-year-old has been apprehended in connection with a tragic weekend shooting that claimed the lives of three teenagers and left another injured. See detailed story here.

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