This is the full trial report of the true crime trial of Taylor Schabusiness who dismembered and beheaded her lover Shad Thyrion, designed to catch you up with the nucleus of the case efficiently!
Case Info
Case background:
The case of State of Wisconsin vs. Taylor Schabusiness involves the February 2022 killing and dismemberment of 24-year-old Shad Thyrion in Green Bay. Shad was last seen alive on February 22 after returning home with Schabusiness and going with her into the basement. Early the next morning, his mother and her partner discovered a severed head in a bucket, prompting a police response. Officers located additional body parts in bags, a tote, a backpack, and a crockpot box, along with several knives, cleaning supplies, drug paraphernalia, and a dog choke collar.
According to criminal complaint:
Count 1: 1st Degree Intentional Homicide, repeater – Guilty – Decided on 26th July 2023
Count 2: Mutilating a corpse, repeater – Guilty – Decided on 26th July 2023
Count 3: Third degree sexual assault, repeater – Guilty – Decided on 26th July 2023
Mental Capacity Responsibility: No mental defect or disease – Decided on 27th July 2023
Victim: Shad Thyrion
Date Of Incident: 22 February 2022
Incident Reported: 23 February 2023
Legend:
Repeater = repeat offender
Officers of the court
Judge: Thomas Walsh
Attorneys:
Prosecution: ADA Caleb Saunders, ADA Caucasian Male 2
Defence: Christopher Froelich
Former attorney(s): Quinn Jolly
Legend:
ADA = Assistant District Attorney
Day 1 Summary
Day 1 of the Taylor Schabusiness murder trial opened with starkly contrasting narratives from the prosecution and defense, followed by a series of foundational witnesses who established the discovery of the crime scene, the timeline, and early forensic findings. The State focused on portraying the killing as a deliberate act involving strangulation and post-mortem dismemberment, while the defense urged the jury to remain cautious and open-minded.
Forensic specialists and detectives detailed:
- Six knives recovered from various bags and containers at the scene.
- Human remains found inside a crockpot box.
- Blood penetration through the top mattress and blood transfer patterns throughout the room.
- The discovery of cleaning supplies, a meth pipe, and a dog choke collar, which the State argues was used in the strangulation.
Detective Philip Scanlon provided an extensive walkthrough of blood evidence on bedding, carpeting, and the shower—correlating to both violence and attempted cleanup.
Day 1 constructed the foundation of the State’s case through:
- 911 audio,
- Bodycam footage,
- Precise discovery details,
- Timeline witnesses, and
- Early forensic reconstruction.
The testimony introduced the brutality of the homicide in clear, methodical detail, positioning Day 1 as the trial’s structural backbone.
Full report below!
Heinz Report – WI vs. Taylor Schabusiness (2023)
Sources:
Criminal Complaint, Available Online: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21299905-taylor-denise-schabusiness-criminal-complaint/
LIVE: House of Horrors Trial | WI v. Taylor Schabusiness DAY 1, 24th July 2025, Court TV Youtube Channel, Available online: https://www.youtube.com/live/lW-fAp5He5A?si=_OZOC4TDSKgYkibb
WATCH LIVE: Beheaded Lover Murder Trial — WI v. Taylor Schabusiness — Day One Part Two, 24th July 2025, Law & Crime Network Youtube Channel, Available online: https://www.youtube.com/live/D-kNd6oIu_A?si=UX0zTwIqJCIHFI_s
