On the quiet streets of Green Bay, Wisconsin, a brutal case of murder, mutilation, and sexual abuse has cast a dark shadow over the community. The trial of Taylor Denise Schabusiness, a 25-year-old accused of murdering and dismembering her lover Shad Thyrion, commenced with an exposition of gruesome evidence that sent ripples of shock and horror through the courtroom.

 

The bone-chilling case dates back to February 2022 when Thyrion, also 25, was found gruesomely dismembered in his mother's basement. Schabusiness faces charges of first-degree homicide, mutilating a corpse, and third-degree sexual assault. Authorities accuse her of strangling Thyrion to death, performing sexual acts on his corpse, and dismembering him, leaving parts of his body scattered throughout the house and inside a car. The victim's severed head and penis were shockingly discovered inside a bucket, a discovery made all the more disturbing as it was the victim's mother who stumbled upon them.

 

Footage captured by police body cameras revealed the horrifying crime scene. The visual evidence, shown to the Wisconsin jury, brought the grotesque reality of the crime to the fore. Investigators found bags soaked in blood and a blood-stained mattress, illuminating the grotesque extent of the murder.

 

As the trial opened, shocking evidence emerged, painting a disturbing picture of the murder and the events leading up to it. Schabusiness reportedly took advantage of Thyrion during an intense sexual encounter, leading to his death by strangulation using a chain. Post-mortem, she allegedly performed sexual acts on his dismembered body and scattered his remains throughout the house.

 

The sight that greeted Thyrion's mother, Tara Pakanich, and her boyfriend, Steve Hendricks, was nothing short of a nightmare. They discovered Thyrion's severed head and a male organ inside a bucket, leading to an urgent call to 911.

 

The police bodycam footage exhibited in court showed the officers being led to the basement, where they came face-to-face with the horrifying sight. Alex Wanish, one of the responding Green Bay officers, testified about the gut-wrenching discovery, "At the bottom of the stairs, to the right, there was a green bucket with a shower towel on top of it... and there was a human head severed head in the bucket."

 

Officers found more of Thyrion's remains in the basement in various plastic bags and storage totes. His upper torso was found in a storage tote, accompanied by a carving knife and several internal organs, indicating the extent of the dismemberment.

 

Schabusiness confessed to investigators that she had planned to transport the dismembered parts in her minivan. However, she abandoned the idea due to her lethargy and the random, unplanned nature of the murder.

 

Authorities apprehended Schabusiness shortly after the discovery of the remains. She was found still sporting blood-stained clothing and bearing physical evidence of the crime, such as scratches on her arms, a cut on her left thumb, and apparent blood on her hands.

 

During the interrogation, Schabusiness revealed that she and Thyrion had consumed drugs, including methamphetamine and a potent sedative called Trazadone, earlier in the day of the incident. Investigators recovered a glass pipe and a bag containing a light-colored powder, corroborating her account of drug consumption.

 

The trial continues as the legal teams grapple with the distressing evidence. The brutality and grotesque nature of the crime have left an indelible mark on the community, shedding light on a violent act of passion that ended in a horrifying spectacle of murder and mutilation.

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