Mum who murdered lover and chopped off penis ‘got lazy’ after not hiding body parts

Taylor Schabusiness was sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole for the murder of ex-boyfriend, Shad Thyrion. Schabusiness lived in Wisconsin and had been in a relationship with her husband Warren, with whom she shared a son, since 2017, though by 2022, he was serving time in prison for distributing drugs.

While Warren was in prison, Schabusiness spent her time partying and with her ex-boyfriend, Shad. On the evening of 21 February, 2022, Schabusiness picked up Shad and the pair headed to a party together. In the early hours of 23 February, Shad’s mum heard a door slam and the sound of a vehicle driving away.

As she went to investigate, she discovered her son’s severed head in a bucket and called 911. When the police arrived, they found Shad’s head and dismembered penis in a plastic bucket covered with a towel.

As they searched the basement, more gruesome discoveries were made including blood on a mattress, more body parts and organs stuffed in bags and boxes. Shad’s torso was in a tote bag with one of his feet and a carving knife.

Schabusiness was the last person to be seen with Shad and investigators tracked her down where they found her clothes covered in blood. In her van were more of Shad’s body parts and she was arrested.

Schabusiness made a confession, explaining that after smoking cannabis with friends, she had gone with Shad back to his mum’s house. She claimed they had smoked methamphetamine and she said she’d injected herself and Shad with Trazodone, a sedative.

They began having sex, with Schabusiness claiming they’d engaged in erotic asphyxiation before.

She alleged Shad was a willing participant when she put a chain around his neck and tightened it. Schabusiness told the police that Shad started to cough up blood.

She continued strangling him for three to five minutes, until he was dead. Rather than calling the police, Schabusiness performed oral sex on Shad, and used sex toys on his body for several hours. The following morning, she used knives found in the house to dismember Shad’s body.

Schabusiness later pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. However a judge ruled that she was competent to stand trial and in July 2023 Schabusiness was found guilty of murder, third-degree sexual abuse and mutilating a corpse.

Two months later, she was sentenced. Schabusiness was given life in prison without the chance of parole for the murder and an additional 10-and-a-half years for mutilation of a corpse and sexual assault.

The judge said that Schabusiness was a risk to the public. “This crime offends human decency, it offends human dignity, and it offends the human community,” they said.

From prison, Schabusiness’ husband Warren made a statement saying he’d stand by his wife “forever”.