WARNING: This story contains graphic information.
GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — Taylor Schabusiness has been convicted of first-degree intentional homicide, third-degree sexual assault, and mutilating a corpse in the killing and dismemberment of Shad Thyrion. During the second phase of the trial, the jury found she was competent and was not suffering from a mental disease or defect at the time of her crime.
The verdict after a day of testimony means Schabusiness will be sent to prison instead of a secure mental health facility.
A sentencing is scheduled for September 26.
During phase two, the defense called Schabusiness's father, Arturo Coronado, to the stand.
Coronado, who is currently serving time himself, said Schabusiness' mother died when she was 11 and that Schabusiness was a normal kid. Coronado did mention Schabusiness was experiencing hallucinations when she was living with him as an adult.
When asked by Christopher Froelich — Schabusiness' attorney — if he had concerns about her from a physical or mental standpoint, Coronado said, "always."
Psychologist Diane Lytton also took the stand for the defense who testified partly based on medical records from a psychiatric center that stated Schabusiness was dealing with mental health problems in 2021.
"The records indicate bipolar disorder, substance use, hallucinations," Lytton testified.
Lytton said when she was interviewing Schabusiness, she was told by Schabusiness that her husband got her involved with methamphetamine.
"He was a dealer," Lytton said. "She had reported that he was very physically abusive."
Schabusiness decided not to testify.
A prosecution witness, Dr. Matthew Seipel, testified he had concerns with Schabusiness' bipolar diagnosis.
"For one to be diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and specifically within the diagnostic criteria for that condition, that the symptoms cannot occur exclusively in the course of substance intoxication," Seipel said.
Seipel said he didn't see any records of Schabusiness being involved in psychiatric treatments in February last year.
"There was no reliable, collateral source to corroborate those symptoms at that time," Seipel said.
Before the trial, Lytton argued Schabusiness was not competent to proceed. But Seipel testified, twice, that she was competent to stand trial.
Before Thyrion was killed, the criminal complaint explains that Schabusiness and Thyrion were smoking methamphetamine at her apartment on Eastman Avenue before going to Thyrion's mom's house on Stony Brook Lane in a minivan.
The complaint states the two engaged in a sexual act that involved strangulation. Schabusiness told investigators that she enjoyed choking Thyrion, according to the complaint.
The complaint goes on to explain that Schabusiness played with the body before dismembering the victim.
Green Bay Police Detective David Graf, a prosecution witness, testified Schabusiness used knives she obtained in the kitchen to dismember the body.
Other witnesses testified Thyrion's head was found in a bucket in the basement. They said other body parts were found in the basement, and additional remains were found in a crockpot box in a van that did not belong to Schabusiness.
When video of Schabusiness' interrogation was shown to the jury during testimony Wednesday, Schabusiness was heard telling investigators she put the head in a bucket and put a towel over it.
According to the criminal complaint, Schabusiness intended to take all the parts with her, but said she got lazy and forgot the head.
Witnesses testified they found a meth pipe and other drugs in the basement.
TRIAL RECAP
