Woman convicted of killing, dismembering former boyfriend; scattering body parts

GREEN BAY, Wis. — A woman was convicted Thursday of killing and dismembering her former boyfriend in Wisconsin.

>> Read more trending news

After deliberating for a little over 30 minutes, jurors returned to the courtroom Thursday with a guilty verdict. Taylor Schabusiness was found guilty on all counts for the killing and dismemberment of Shad Thyroin, according to WBAY.

Schabusiness, 25, was convicted of homicide, third-degree sexual abuse and mutilating a corpse for the February 2022 killing, according to The Associated Press.

Thyroin’s father, Shad Thyroin testified Thursday and said that his son had known Schuabusiness since middle school, WBAY reported.

Authorities said that Schuabusiness strangled Thryoin at a house in Green Bay where he lived with his mother, the AP reported. She then reportedly sexually abused him and dismembered his body. Parts of his body were left around the house and inside a car, authorities said.

Schabusiness’ defense argued that she suffered from mental illness at the time of the incident, the AP reported. Her attorney, Christopher Froelich, said that she was under a “civil commitment order” in April 2021 for mental illness.

An independent psychologist, Dr. Diane Lytton, testified for the defense saying Schabusiness was not competent to stand trial and provided a list of medications she was on, according to WFRV. She also said she felt that Schabusiness was psychotic and suffered from different kinds of hallucinations.

If the jury had found that Schabusiness was mentally ill, she would have been sent to a mental institution, not prison, the AP reported. Her mental state at the time of the killing was an issue for the jury, according to Brown County Assistant District Attorney Caleb Saunders.

Ultimately, the jury found her not to be mentally ill.

Schabusiness is expected to be sentenced on Sept. 26, the AP reported.