The Taylor Schabusiness Case: Murder, Meth, and a Head in a Bucket

Who Was Shad Thyrion?

Shad Thyrion was 24. He lived in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with his mom, Tara. He wasn’t some big headline name before this, he was just a guy trying to figure life out. He liked being around people, had a goofy sense of humor, and according to family, was one of those quiet types who’d open up once you earned it. He helped take care of his grandparents, stayed close with his family, and tried to keep the peace in his own way.

Shad wasn’t flashy. He worked odd jobs, spent time with friends, smoked a little weed here and there… nothing wild. People described him as gentle. And maybe that’s part of what makes this whole thing hit even harder. Because the person who killed him knew that about him. She knew he wouldn’t fight her, at least not right away.

He’d been spending time with Taylor Schabusiness, an on-and-off thing. They weren’t dating, but they were close enough to hang out, hook up, and get high together. Maybe he thought he could trust her. Or maybe he didn’t see the red flags until it was too late.

But the last person Shad saw alive was Taylor.

And she had other plans.

Who Is Taylor Schabusiness?

Taylor Schabusiness was 24 at the time too. But while Shad was mostly under the radar, Taylor had already racked up some red flags.

A month before the murder, she led police on a chase and got slapped with a GPS ankle monitor. She removed it casually and went right back to doing whatever she wanted. That included drugs, violence, and behavior that made people around her uneasy. Taylor wasn’t just spiraling. She was sprinting toward a wall with her foot on the gas.

She had a known meth problem. She was mixing drugs like it was an experiment. And if that wasn’t enough, she had a weird, deep obsession with Jeffrey Dahmer. At one point, during a psych eval, she claimed she “had a thing” with Dahmer just a year earlier. Which is wild, considering Dahmer died in 1994. And she meant it. She wasn’t joking. She had photos of him saved in her phone, had read up on his life, and saw something in him she seemed to relate to.

By all accounts, Taylor Schabusiness was not well. But she was also violent. And when those two things collided, Shad ended up in the middle of it.

The Night Shad Was Killed

On February 21, 2022, Taylor picked up Shad outside his mom’s house. They swung by to grab a friend, ended up at an apartment, smoked some weed, hung out. Nothing unusual. But once the friend left, things took a turn.

Taylor and Shad didn’t stop at weed. They injected trazodone, an antidepressant that’s supposed to be taken orally, then smoked meth on top of that. Sedatives and stimulants mixing in their system like a chemical bar fight.

Later, they went back to Shad’s place. His mom wasn’t home. They went down to the basement and had sex. According to Taylor, choking was part of their usual routine.

But this time, she used a metal chain.

Not hands. Not something flexible. A solid chain. And Shad couldn’t break free.

Taylor kept it around his neck until he coughed up blood. He struggled. She didn’t stop. She told police she held it for five minutes. He passed out. Then he died.

Taylor didn’t call for help. She didn’t panic.

She stayed.

The Dismemberment and Discovery

Taylor stayed overnight in the house. Shad’s body was still in the basement. She was likely still high. Meth lasts a long time, and she had mixed it with other drugs. Sleep wasn’t happening.

The next morning, she started what she called cleanup. She grabbed kitchen knives and began dismembering Shad’s body.

She cut off his head and used a bucket to catch the blood, then poured it down the shower drain. She removed his limbs, some organs, and even his genitals. Then she hid the parts throughout the basement in boxes, bags, and buckets. Like she thought no one would find them. She even took a few with her when she left.

Two days later, Shad’s mom, Tara, and her boyfriend came home. Tara went to the basement to check on him and saw a bucket with a towel over it. She lifted the towel and found her son’s head inside.

Her boyfriend called 911. Tara got on the line and said, “I’m pretty positive my son’s head is in the bucket.” When asked if she was sure, she replied, “I’m not looking at it again.”

The dispatcher was so shocked they asked if she might be hallucinating.

She wasn’t.

Officer Alex Wanish responded to the scene. He went down to the basement, lifted the towel, and confirmed what Tara had said. A human head, sitting in the bucket.

At first, he only saw some blood and what looked like bits of flesh. But as investigators searched the basement, they found the rest. Shad’s torso, organs, and a foot were stashed in bags and a large tote.

And it didn’t take long to figure out who had done it.

Taylor’s Arrest and Confession

After police found Shad’s body, they started looking for Taylor Schabusiness. They didn’t have to look far. She was still in Green Bay, parked in her minivan.

Inside the van was a crock pot box holding more of Shad’s remains. Taylor hadn’t changed clothes since the murder. They were still soaked in his blood.

She had scratches all over her body. Likely from Shad trying to fight back. Taylor claimed she did it to herself. Which tracks, if you’re trying to sound innocent while covered in blood.

When police asked what happened, she said, “That’s a good question.” Claimed she blacked out and didn’t remember. Then she immediately started offering details.

She told them they’d “have fun trying to find all the organs.” Like it was a game. Like this was some twisted scavenger hunt.

Eventually, she admitted to killing him. Said she went “crazy” during sex. She knew he lost consciousness while she was choking him, but she didn’t stop. She said she was enjoying it too much.

She never explained why she dismembered him. Or why she left his head in a bucket for his mother to find. She didn’t seem to think those parts needed an explanation.

The Trial and Taylor’s Obsession With Dahmer

On March 1, 2022, Taylor Schabusiness was formally charged with first-degree intentional homicide, third-degree sexual assault, and mutilation of a corpse. Her lawyer entered a plea of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.

From the start, it was clear this case was going to get messy.

In February 2023, things hit a new level of chaos. During a court hearing, her lawyer asked for more time to evaluate her mental health. Taylor didn’t like that. So, in front of the judge, she stood up and attacked him. Started swinging. Had to be physically restrained by a deputy. The court took a ten-minute break while they dragged her out.

After that, her attorney quit. Not exactly shocking. A new lawyer stepped in and immediately tried to get the judge kicked off the case, claiming he’d be biased after watching his client throw hands in the courtroom. The judge said no.

Then came the psychiatric evaluations.

Dr. Diane Lytton, a forensic psychologist, sat down with Taylor. The sessions didn’t go well. Taylor refused to talk about the murder. She threw a chair at Dr. Lytton during one of their meetings. And when she did speak, it was about weird stuff. Like how she claimed she “had a thing” with Jeffrey Dahmer. Not figuratively. She meant it literally. Like they were somehow involved. In 2023.

Dr. Lytton said Taylor was probably experiencing a psychotic break. She believed Taylor was hearing voices and having full-blown hallucinations. That didn’t stop the trial from moving forward.

The prosecution pointed to how methodical the murder was. Taylor planned to choke Shad. She brought the chain. She stayed after he died. She mutilated him and hid the body parts. That is not blackout behavior. That’s someone in control, even if they were high out of their mind.

On July 26, 2023, the jury didn’t hesitate. Taylor was found guilty on all charges.

Two months later, she was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

And even then, this story wasn’t over.

After Sentencing: The Chaos Keeps Going

You’d think life in prison would be the end of this story. But Taylor Schabusiness didn’t slow down after the trial. If anything, she got worse.

In July 2024, while serving her sentence at Taycheedah Correctional, Taylor attacked a prison nurse. It started over a medical staple. A sergeant stepped in, and Taylor picked up a metal tray and started swinging. She was charged with battery by a prisoner. Another court case. Another courtroom. Same behavior.

Then in April 2025, during a preliminary hearing for that battery charge, she lunged at her new attorney. Again. Mid-hearing. She was tackled by deputies and removed. The hearing continued without her, over Zoom.

Meanwhile, her appeal went nowhere. Her first post-conviction lawyer filed a “no-merit” brief in late 2024, basically saying there was nothing worth appealing. Taylor responded by firing him and trying to represent herself. She submitted a handwritten motion asking for more time, then missed her deadline. The court dismissed it. The appeal is dead.

At this point, she has no legal team. She’s facing a new trial in October 2025 for the prison assault. And she’s still behind bars, serving life with no chance of parole.

Taylor Schabusiness has become her own worst case study. A story that started with drugs and violence turned into something much bigger. Something relentless. And no matter how many times the system tries to close the book on her, she keeps ripping the pages back open.