Taylor Schabusiness brutally murdered her ex-boyfriend, Shad Thyrion, in February 2022. What she did with his dead body before dismembering it will give you nightmares.
Warning: The details of the case are graphic and disturbing.
Green Bay police were called to the Wisconsin home owned by Thyrion’s mother, Tara Pakanich. She had made a disturbing discovery in the early hours of the morning. In Shad’s basement bedroom, Tara had discovered a blood bath. Furthermore, in a bucket she found the decapitated head of her 24 year old son.
24 year old murder victim of Taylor Schabusiness, Shad Thyrion.
When the responding police officer asked Tara who was the last person to see her son. she immediately answered; Taylor Schabusiness.
The Suspect, Emotionless and Proud
When picked up by the police, Taylor Schabusiness was described as calm and nonchalant. She certainly had not been alarmed that the police were looking for her. As she was told about Shad’s demise and the gruesome details, her face stayed stoic.
Schabusiness being interrogated by Green Bay police.
When officers revealed his head was found removed from his body and placed in a bucket, Schabusiness simply responded, “That’s fucked up.”
Schabusiness told police she didn’t know what occurred that night, because she had blacked out at the time. However, after some prompting, it didn’t take much effort from investigators to get the story to unravel.
A Twisted Tale of Meth, Sex, and Dismemberment
Schabusiness claimed it was Shad who suggested they should use a dog’s chain collar during foreplay that night. She explained the two had engaged in erotic asphyxiation before.
However, on the night in question, she didn’t stop when it surpassed an innocent sex game.
She strangled Shad, loosened the restraint, and then tightened the chain again. She watched, fascinated during her meth high, as his face turned red, then different shades of purple and finally blue. According to Schabusiness, it was another three to five minutes until he met his demise from her hands.
During the next couple of hours, Schabusiness performed oral sex on the body. Even more disturbing, she used sex toys on it as well for her amusement and satisfaction.
Schabusiness in court.
Slowly taking this all in, the officer asked if she had planned to take the head somewhere. It was, after all, separate from the rest of the body parts and in a bucket. Disappointed, she told the police she forgot to take it with her. She wanted to keep Shad’s head.
“I liked the head. I wanted the head.”
When prompted to tell them where the rest of his body was, she chucked and taunted the investigators. Grinning, she told them how much fun they’d have at the crime scene as they searched for the organs she had removed from Shad’s body.
A Murder Scene Filled with Genitals, Drugs, and Sex Toys
When police arrived at the scene, the basement was covered in blood. It was evident something very bad had happened there. But where was the body?
Bloody mattress at crime scene where Schabussiness killed ex-boyfriend Shad.
As the investigation began, body parts and organs were found around the room hidden in plastic bags and cardboard boxes. In a big blue storage container beside the bed they found Shad’s bisected torso. Inside of the upper torso was the victim’s dismembered foot.
It was later discovered upon investigation of Schabusiness’ minivan, Shad’s other foot was found inside of a crockpot box.
As the police continued their inspection of the scene, the responding officer identified a penis and attached testicles in the bucket that housed the decapitated head.
Crime scene photo where Schabusiness kept her victim’s severed head and genitalia.
The kitchen knives Schabusiness had taken from upstairs and used to dismember Shad’s body were also found amongst the body parts.
Evidence of meth, drug paraphernalia, chain dog collars, and sex toys also littered the scene. Schabusiness admitted to police they were both high on prescription drugs and meth that night before she killed and mutilated her lover’s body.
Dahmer Admiration, an Unhealthy Obsession
At Schabusiness’ trial, forensic psychologist Diane Lytton testified the defendant had confided to her that she “had a thing with Jeffrey Dahmer a year ago.” Dahmer is a homosexual serial killer convicted of killing 17 boys and men. In 1994, he was murdered in a Wisconsin prison by his fellow inmates. It is safe to say on many levels, the two did not have “a thing.”
Selfie of Schabusiness and Jeffrey Dahmer.
What Schabusiness had was an unhealthy fascination with both Dahmer and his crimes. Internet search results conducted by the defendant included; “Jeffrey Dahmer’s butt” as well as “Jeffrey Dahmer walking into court all sexy.”
Days before the killing, Schabusiness took a selfie where she posed next to a screencap of the Milwaukee Cannibal.
Her interest in the serial killer certainly reflects in her crime. The brutal killing, extreme mutilation and dismemberment, and necrophilia are all hallmarks of Dahmer’s crimes.
A Circus of a Trial
Schabusiness pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity through her attorney, Quinn Jolly. At the time, Schabusiness’ competency to stand trial was not yet established. When her attorney asked for the trial to be delayed until competency could be established, she attacked him.
Schabusiness was immediately tackled and restrained by a Brown’s County Sheriff officer, and no one was seriously hurt. However, after the initial shock of being attacked by his client wore off, Jolly announced to the judge he would be filing a motion to be removed from the case.
Schabusiness attacking her own attorney, Quinn Jolly, in court.
Even without Schabusiness’ confession, the evidence at the trial spoke volumes about what happened that night.
On July 26, 2023, a jury convicted Lady Dahmer of first degree intentional homicide, the mutilation of a corpse, and third degree sexual assault. Judge Walsh handed down the punishment of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
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