Taycheedah prison murder; inmate sentenced to life, no parole eligibility

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Taylor Sanchez

FOND DU LAC COUNTY, Wis. - An inmate at the Taycheedah Correctional Institution said she stopped taking her medications, was hearing voices, and killed her cellmate because she thought the victim was using her toothbrush to scrub the toilet.

29-year-old Taylor Sanchez of Trevor pleaded no contest to one count of 1st-degree intentional homicide on June 30.

On July 28, 2025, a judge sentenced her to life in prison with the eligibility for parole denied.

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Sanchez initially pleaded not guilty due to insanity. Online court records show she changed the plea in June to no contest, a legal construct in which defendants choose not to fight the charges against them but don't admit guilt. The plea results in a conviction the same as if the defendant had pleaded guilty or been found guilty by a jury.

What they're saying:

Judge Tricia Walker stated during the sentencing hearing that "this was an attack that was wholly vicious" and denied eligibility for release, citing the brutality of the homicide.

Fond du Lac County District Attorney Toney stated, "Every victim matters, regardless of their status or if they are serving a criminal sentence. This defendant brutally murdered her cellmate and created dangerous risks for other inmates and correctional officers. We will continue to protect our correctional officers and all those within our community, regardless of where they reside. We hope this sentence sends a strong message to inmates that there are consequences for committing crimes in our prisons."

Original reporting (January 2025)

The backstory:

According to the criminal complaint, on July 19, 2023, staff responded to cell 410, where Schulz-Juedes, 68, was found in a pool of blood. Only her and Sanchez were in the cell. A prison sergeant asked Sanchez what happened, and she said "I was hearing voices telling me to kill her," the complaint states.

Taylor Sanchez (Courtesy: FDLCDAO)

Investigators also reviewed the recording of call Sanchez made to her mother after the incident.

"At 3:55 mom asks Taylor, "What happened, why did you beat somebody up"? Taylor says, "Um, I don't know". She adds, "I stopped taking my meds and I started hearing voices again." Taylor adds, "I thought she was using my toothbrush to scrub the toilet" and says, "I thought she was using my stuff to wipe the floor with and I thought she was messing with me." Sanchez’s mom responded is, "Oh, God!"," the complaint states.

Cindy Schulz-Juedes (Photo courtesy Marathon County Sheriff's Office)

According to the autopsy, Schulz-Juedes had "skull fractures too numerous to count," along with 34 rib fractures, bruises on arms, chest and abdomen, and other injuries, the complaint states.

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Schulz-Juedes was convicted in Marathon County of her husband's 2006 murder in October 2021. In June 2022, she was sentenced to life without eligibility for parole.