Schabusiness gets trial date for Green Bay man’s murder and dismemberment

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - A Brown County judge ruled that a woman charged in a gruesome murder in Green Bay will go to trial.

Taylor Schabusiness, who turns 25 this week, is charged with murdering and dismembering Shad Thyrion last February.

Shortly after Brown County Judge Thomas Walsh entered the courtroom Tuesday afternoon, he wasted no time asking Schabusiness’s defense attorney, Quinn Jolly, about the competency report filed last Friday, Nov. 18.

“Your honor, we’re going to ask the court to allow us to retain an expert. Take a look at Schabusiness. My concern is, the three doctors that have evaluated Ms. Schabusiness all work for the same unit, and I know doctors that worked for the same unit rarely, in my experience, give different views than the other doctors,” Jolly said.

Jolly asked for another competency report in October after telling the court he saw a dramatic decline in his client’s ability to assist and understand the case against her. He says Schabusiness’s brother died in July and she has been on suicide watch for two months, which has made it difficult for him, or anyone, to see his client.

“We’d like a chance to have our doctor take a look at her. I did reach out to a couple of doctors today,” Jolly said.

Caleb Saunders in the Brown County District Attorney’s Office responded, “I don’t know if there’s anything to doubt the opinions that the doctors are forming, or at least on the basis of, ‘We’re part of the same unit so that guides my decision.’”

Judge Thomas Walsh said on the basis of the sealed competency report, he is moving forward with a trial starting March 6 next year. The trial is scheduled to last 5 days.

“Certainly either side can choose to get whatever evaluations they want to provide. They get them in a timely fashion. Because the reality is we could just continue to do evaluations for months, months and months, and I’m disinclined to do that,” Judge Walsh said.

The judge added, “Mr. Jolly, I guess what I would indicate to you is, you have an absolute right to pursue what you’re looking to do, and that’s in conversation with your client how you want to proceed, should you do that.”

Schabusiness is next due in court on January 9. Judge Walsh said if a hearing is necessary before that date, he’ll make time for it.

Schabusiness remains in custody in lieu of $2 million cash bail.

ORIGINAL REPORT

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - A woman accused of committing a grisly murder in Green Bay is set to appear in court Tuesday for a competency hearing.

Taylor Schabusiness, 24, is charged in the February killing of Shad Thyrion. She’s charged with 1st-Degree Intentional Homicide, Mutilating a Corpse, and 3rd Degree Sexual Assault.

Schabusiness is pleading not guilty by reason of insanity. That requires a psychologist examination of the defendant. The court is expected to hear details of the report Tuesday. The hearing is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

In October, attorney Quinn Jolly requested the report, saying he had seen a dramatic decline in his client’s ability to assist and understand the case against her. He says Schabusiness’s brother died in July and she has been on suicide watch for two months, which has made it difficult for him, or anyone, to see his client.

The court ruled Schabusiness competent to face trial back in May after listening to four hours of testimony from prosecution and defense experts. It was one of those experts that Judge Thomas Walsh quoted in reaching his decision.

“In reviewing the report,” Judge Walsh said, “I note, the end of the report, on page 7 of the court-appointed evaluator, it indicates from a broader clinical perspective I would encourage court officers to remain sensitive in the event of any signs of significant fluctuations in Schabusiness’s overall mental status or behavioral stability. Such changes may signal fluctuation in competency and warrant a re-examination.”

In the criminal complaint, Schabusiness is quoted telling police she blacked out during part of the sex and just went “crazy” and started strangling Thyrion. She said she didn’t mean to kill him but enjoyed choking him and continued doing it. The sexual assault charge is for acts that happened after the victim was dead. She then found knives in the kitchen to put his body parts in bags.

Jolly says Schabusiness has been treated for mental health issues since she was in 7th grade, including a number of hospital stays, and she’s been diagnosed as bipolar and psychotic.

Schabusiness is being held on a $2 million cash bond.

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