Schabusiness' attorney asks for murder case to be dismissed
GREEN BAY (WLUK) – The attorney for murder suspect Taylor Schabusiness asked for the case to be dismissed, but rationale for the motion isn’t being made public – at least for now.
Schabusiness, 25, is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse and third-degree sexual assault for allegedly attacking Shad Thyrion last year. She has pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. She is scheduled to stand trial July 21.
In a motion filed Wednesday, defense attorney Christopher Froelich asked for the sexual assault charge to be dismissed, as well as filing a “Motion to Dismiss: Defective Complaint,” according to online court records.
However, FOX 11’s attempts to obtain a copy of the motions have been rejected, as the items were filed under seal, meaning they aren’t shared with the public.
A hearing on if the motions should be unsealed is scheduled for Wednesday.
FOX 11’s attempts to reach Froelich for comment or explanation have been unsuccessful.
District Attorney David Lasee’s office would not tell FOX 11 why the motion was filed under seal, only saying in a statement: “We anticipate filing a written response to the defendant’s motion and we believe the motion is without merit.“
Froelich has other motions pending before Judge Thomas Walsh, including requests to suppress statements she made to police, as well as evidence gathered from her residence and vehicle. Those are expected to be addressed at a June 13 hearing.
According to the criminal complaint, police were called to a residence on Stony Brook Lane early in the morning of Feb. 23, 2022. There, police found a severed head inside a bucket in the basement.
Schabusiness said she and the victim were using drugs, including meth, and engaging in sexual play, when the man was strangled. She then sexually abused him, dismembered the body and placed body parts in various locations in the home and a vehicle, the criminal complaint states.
"Schabusiness made the comment that at one point, she did get paranoid and lazy and that she thought it was the 'dope' that was making her paranoid," the complaint states.
Police say they took Schabusiness into custody later on Feb. 23 at an Eastman Avenue residence.
