THURSDAY 7/27/2023 3:35 p.m.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The trial of Taylor Schabusiness goes into day four as phase two gets underway, which is focused on her mental state at the time of the crime.
Local 5’s Samantha Petters is in the courtroom for Taylor Schabusiness’s trial. Schabusiness was found guilty of multiple charges including 1st-Degree Intentional Homicide on July 26.
July 27, 2023 (Day 4 of Trial)
- Goal of phase two is whether Schabusiness is responsible or not responsible by reason of mental disease or defect
- Questions for the jurors
- At the time of the crime, did she have a mental disease or defect?
- As a result of the mental disease or defect, did she lack the mental capacity in accordance with the law?
- Defense calls Schabusiness’s father to the stand
- Says that her mother died in her sleep, and the death took a toll on everyone in the family.
- Was just a ‘normal kid’
- He sent her to Texas to live with her grandparents in 2017 to get away from everything in Wisconsin.
- He took her to a psychiatric center, and he said he feared she might hurt herself.
- Dr. Diane Lytton called to the stand
- Lists Schabusiness’ prescription drugs
- Said that she had a hard time paying attention and was psychotic
- Had visual and auditory hallucinations
- State is expected to continue calling witnesses to the stand today.
- Could extend the trial for another day
On Wednesday, Schabusiness was found guilty on all counts. The jury deliberated for less than an hour.
This story will be updated with help from Local 5’s Samantha Petters who will be in the courtroom for each day of the trial.
Everything that happened in the previous days can be found below.
Updates From The Courtroom: Schabusiness doesn’t take the stand, sides make closing arguments on day 3 of trial
WEDNESDAY 7/26/2023 5:29 p.m.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The trial of Taylor Schabusiness continues as she is charged with the killing and mutilation of a man in Green Bay.
Local 5’s Samantha Petters is in the courtroom for Taylor Schabusiness’s trial. Schabusiness is facing multiple charges including 1st-Degree Intentional Homicide.
July 26, 2023 (Day 3 of trial)
- State played a video recording from the interview between police and Schabusiness on the day of February 23.
- Schabusiness described in detail what she did to the body
- State showed a photo of Schabusiness laying next to her phone showing a photo of Jeffrey Dahmer and smiling
- She reportedly found him fascinating and attractive
- Shad’s father takes the stand
- His understanding of Schabusiness and his son’s relationship was that they were friends from middle and high school.
- He described her as polite
- Photos showed depicting cuts on Schabusiness
- Detective Graff took the stand
- Saw dark-colored substances on her hands
- Interviewed Schabusiness over a six-hour period of time with multiple breaks in between
- Spoke with her again on February 28
- Defense tells the court that Schabusiness chose not to testify
- The evidentiary part concludes plan for the case moving forward is under review
- Court read through jury instructions and proceeded with closing statements
- Jury excused for deliberations to come up with a verdict
This story will be updated with help from Local 5’s Samantha Petters who will be in the courtroom for each day of the trial.
Everything that happened in the previous days can be found below.
Updates From The Courtroom: Schabusiness’s trial rolls into second day, new evidence presented
TUESDAY 7/25/2023 5:00 p.m.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The trial of Taylor Schabusiness continues as she is charged with the killing and mutilation of a man in Green Bay.
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Local 5’s Samantha Petters is in the courtroom for Taylor Schabusiness’s trial. Schabusiness is facing multiple charges including 1st-Degree Intentional Homicide.
July 25, 2023 (Day 2 of trial)
- Dr. Vincent Tranchida testified
- Gave a description of the autopsy and photographic evidence of Shad’s head was presented in court.
- A number of substances throughout the victim’s body were found. Dr. Tranchida said it was not a meth overdose, but agreed that he has seen strangulation deaths as the result of a sex act.
- Says the body was ‘eviscerated’ and the organs were removed.
- Talked about how his professional opinion is that the drugs did not affect Shad’s death.
- Police Officer takes the stand
- State presents a video recording of the officer’s bodycam footage handcuffing and arresting Schabusiness.
- Bloody footprints around the van, as well as blood on her hands, were seen.
- Cross-examination mentions that the blood can’t really be seen from the video but the officers can be heard noticing it.
- Judge allows a photo of the head taken during the autopsy to be shown.
- Was deemed helpful to the jury.
- Wisconsin State Crime Lab DNA Analyst talks about DNA testing
- Concluded that Schabusiness is the source of the major female contributor and Shad was the source of the minor male contributor.
- Police Lieutenant compared the arrest of Schabusines to a ‘deer in the headlights’ or a ‘child caught with their hand in the cookie jar’.
This story will be updated with help from Local 5’s Samantha Petters who will be in the courtroom for each day of the trial.
Everything that happened from day 1 can be found below.
Updates From The Courtroom: Everything that happened on day 1 of Taylor Schabusiness’s trial
MONDAY 7/24/2023 6:05 p.m. (Day 1 of the trial)
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The trial of Taylor Schabusiness is underway as she is charged with the killing and mutilation of a man in Green Bay.
Local 5’s Samantha Petters is in the courtroom for Taylor Schabusiness’s trial. Schabusiness is facing multiple charges including 1st-Degree Intentional Homicide.
The charges stem from an alleged incident on February 22, 2022, where Schabusiness allegedly killed Shad Thyrion. She is facing the following charges:
- 1st-Degree Intentional Homicide
- Mutilating a Corpse
- 3rd-Degree Sexual Assault
July 24, 2023 (Day 1 of trial)
- Judge reads through the purpose of having four extra alternates. These four will be excused and not participate in deliberations.
- Schabusiness has pleaded not guilty and not guilty by mental illness
- Phase 1 of the trial
- Question of whether Schabusiness committed the crimes and the lawyers make opening statements.
- Opening statements are not evidence
- Prosecutor’s opening statement
- Describes the scene and sets the stage of the crime
- Mentions all the charges Schabusiness is facing
- Defense’s opening statement
- Schabusiness is presumably innocent
- She and the victim were friends
- Describes the scene from the defendant’s standpoint
- Asks when considering all the facts, don’t jump to a conclusion
- There are always two sides to every story.
- Prosecutor calls first witness
- Played the audio recording of the 911 call from February 23
- Exhibit 2 is the bodycam footage of an officer at the residence where the alleged crime happened
- Multiple members of the Green Bay Police Department recalled the events of the morning of the alleged crime
- Cross-examination of Green Bay Police Officer
- Goes through step-by-step analysis of his arrival/walk-through of the crime scene
- The prosecution called 11 witnesses to the stand on day 1
- The witness list included the victim’s mother as well as the person who made the call to the Police Department
- Judge asks the council to arrive at 8:15 a.m. Tuesday and the jury is to return at 8:30 a.m.
This story will be updated with help from Local 5’s Samantha Petters who will be in the courtroom for each day of the trial.
