Mackenzie Shirilla remains in prison while her parents now claim medical issues caused the crash

Nearly four years ago, Mackenzie Shirilla tragically ended the lives of her boyfriend and friend in a high-speed incident, sparking extensive discussions about whether her actions were deliberate.

“I can forgive,” expressed Scott Flanagan, father of one of the victims, in the documentary The Crash, which debuted on 15 May on Netflix. “I just want clarity on that night's events, and I would be incredibly thankful if [Shirilla] could reveal those final moments to us.”

On 31 July 2022, Shirilla, then a 17-year-old student, had been dating Dominic Russo, 20, for about four years, according to his relatives. The couple was living together in one of the Russo family homes, but their relationship reportedly had its challenges. In the months leading to the disastrous crash, Russo's mother, Christine, noted that the couple frequently argued and threatened each other, according to Ohio Supreme Court documents.

On the night of the incident, Shirilla and Russo were accompanied by their friend, Davion Flanagan. Shirilla took the wheel in the early hours of 31 July — and moments later, she directed her 2018 Toyota Camry into a brick structure at 100 mph. Shirilla sustained severe injuries, while Russo and Flanagan were pronounced dead at the location.

A bench trial in 2023 led to Shirilla's conviction on all 12 charges, including murder, severe vehicular homicide, aggravated assault, and drug offences.

“Nothing will make this easier,” Russo's sister remarked to PEOPLE after the sentencing. “We can only hope and pray for even the slightest relief from our grief. We feel an immense void. Our family will never be the same.”

So, where is Mackenzie Shirilla now? Here's an update on her life three years following the catastrophic crash.

Who is Mackenzie Shirilla?

Shirilla was born in August 2004 and grew up with her parents, Natalie and Steve, in Strongsville, Ohio.

At the time of the crash, Shirilla was 17 and enrolled at Strongsville High School.

What was Shirilla's relationship with Dominic Russo like?

At the time of the crash, Russo was Shirilla's enduring boyfriend.

Recently graduated from Strongsville High School, he'd met Shirilla during their school years, per the Russo family. As an entrepreneur, he managed various ventures, including a fashion brand, and was a devoted uncle.

Documents from the Ohio Supreme Court reveal that while Christine mentioned Russo and Shirilla had been dating for about four years, Russo’s brother contended the pair frequently broke up. Despite reported strife, the couple cohabited towards the end of 2021.

Christine said she welcomed Shirilla as part of the family, but shared that her son's relationship with Shirilla appeared “strained” six months before the crash. She alleged witnessing “conflicts,” “disputes,” “separations,” “threats,” and sensing Shirilla's increasing possessiveness.

In a reported event in July 2022, Russo contacted his mother while with Shirilla, apparently in a “tough spot.” Family friend Christopher Martin, with Christine then, went to collect Russo, who was with Shirilla. Martin reportedly overheard Shirilla threatening, “I’ll wreck this car right now.” As Russo joined Martin outside the vehicle, he saw Shirilla “swinging her hands at him.”

Video from July 2022 later revealed Shirilla threatening to invade Russo’s home.

What occurred the night Russo and Davion Flanagan died?

In the hours preceding the heartbreaking car accident, Shirilla, Russo, and Flanagan attended several social gatherings. At about 10:15 p.m. on 30 July 2022, the group appeared at a graduation party at the residence of Shirilla's friend, Kellie Vraja. They spent less than an hour there.

The trio then visited their friend Paul Burlinghaus’ home. As stated in his testimony, they arrived near 11 p.m., shared music, with some partaking in marijuana. According to Burlinghaus, “everything seemed well” between Shirilla and Russo.

After he retired for the night at midnight, the group continued their time together until the early hours of July 31. Data from a mobile app showed Shirilla, Russo, and Flanagan departed around 5:30 a.m.

Initially, the drive seemed normal, but soon Shirilla accelerated without warning, leading to a high-velocity collision of her 2018 Toyota Camry into a brick building. It took 45 minutes for someone to discover the crash site and alert emergency services, as reported by the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.

Russo and Flanagan died immediately, while Shirilla was found unconscious and not breathing, as per Ohio Supreme Court records, and was rushed to a local hospital with severe injuries.

By May 2025, Shirilla’s parents, Steve, and Natalie, alleged they, alongside neurologist Dr Kamal Chemali, discovered evidence indicating Shirilla may have lost consciousness during the crash, according to 3News.

Steve and Natalie argue that their daughter suffered a medical incident just before the crash, denying the intent to harm her boyfriend and their friend.

How did the investigation into Mackenzie Shirilla's car crash unfold?

After the crash, an investigation was launched. Over several months, friends and family of Shirilla and Russo were questioned about the duo’s relationship to ascertain if the crash was accidental or deliberate.

Shirilla publicly honoured her deceased boyfriend online, expressing that he was “the least deserving” of such a fate. She posted pictures of them together on Russo’s online memorial, mentioning how much she missed his “laughter” and “perfect smile.”

Several months following the crash, Shirilla was apprehended. In Strongsville Police Department recordings unveiled in 2025, footage showed Shirilla as she learned about her arrest for “aggravated murder x 2.” She was held on a $500,000 bond.

During her 2023 trial, prosecutors accused Shirilla of intentionally crashing her vehicle to end her allegedly volatile relationship with Russo. It was proposed that Shirilla deliberately drove into the brick structure’s wall at speeds over 100 mph.

As the trial proceeded, experts collaborated to reconstruct events prior to the crash since Shirilla claimed having no memory of events leading to the impact. Forensic mechanical expert Mark Sargent asserted, based on the car’s event data, that the accelerator was fully pressed with no brake application seconds before the crash.

This suggested Shirilla's foot was on the gas pedal during the collision, with her fuzzy slipper wedged between the pedal and the floor mat. While some hypothesised that her slipper might have inadvertently caused the acceleration, Sargent contested that such a slip could not have triggered unintended acceleration, according to Ohio Supreme Court records.

Just before impact, the car made a sharp right turn. Whether Shirilla attempted to regain control, a passenger’s intervention on the wheel, or a reaction to the vehicle going airborne and impacting the ground remains uncertain. Additionally, the car shifted between neutral and drive before crashing, the reason for which is unclear.

Sargent’s findings indicated “no signs of mechanical or electrical issues causing loss of control of the accelerator, brakes, or steering.”

Further investigations revealed Shirilla’s impairment from marijuana and possession of psychedelic mushrooms during the crash. Strongsville detective Zaki Hazou reported finding more than 100 instances of what was considered distracted or reckless driving on Shirilla’s social media, such as driving while smoking, as cited in Ohio Supreme Court records.

Was Mackenzie Shirilla charged with murder?

Since the trial was conducted without a jury, it was solely the judge’s decision. In August 2023, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Nancy Margaret Russo, unrelated to the victim, convicted Shirilla on all charges: murder, aggravated vehicular homicide, felonious assault, and drug possession.

“Her actions were deliberate and executed with intent,” the judge declared before passing her verdict, according to 3News. “Her choice was death.”

Labelled “hell on wheels” by Judge Russo, Shirilla received two concurrent 15-year-to-life sentences. She was credited with nearly a year in custody and is eligible for parole after 15 years, per NBC News. Her driver’s licence was revoked indefinitely.

“To the families of Dom and Davion, I am profoundly sorry,” Shirilla tearfully expressed during her sentencing, according to WKYC. “I hope you'll understand how I could never let this happen or willingly cause it. I wish I remembered what transpired. I’m truly sorry. My heart is shattered.”

Where is Mackenzie Shirilla now?

After her sentencing, Shirilla and her legal representatives appealed her conviction, though it was upheld according to WKYC Channel 3.

Although she may be released on parole at her eligibility, some of Russo’s relatives believe justice is incomplete if she’s freed so soon.

“I believe the sentences should be consecutive,” Russo's sister told PEOPLE in August 2023. “I dread the thought of Mackenzie’s potential release in 14 years.”

“My brother and Davion’s lives were robbed,” she added. “They won’t return in 15 years. There’s no second chance for them.”

Conversely, Russo’s father, Frank, seeks Shirilla’s rehabilitation.

“The loss of my son is devastating for us, but I don’t wish to see her life destroyed too. It won’t ease my heart,” he conveyed to NBC News after the sentencing. “She’s just young and made a foolish mistake. Now, her family is broken as well. I wish for a way she could receive help, some form of treatment.”

In May 2025, Shirilla’s parents, Steve and Natalie, publicly commented for the first time post-sentencing.

"Show me just one piece of proof—just one—that indicates she acted deliberately. Present it,” Steve challenged 3News. “If true, she deserves her fate. But no such evidence exists. No insight on what happened inside the car beyond the black box data.”

Shirilla is currently detained at a women's correctional facility in Ohio, located in Marysville.

"Life here is tough every day," she stated in The Crash. "Every day, I strive to be my best and steer clear of trouble. There isn't a moment I don’t reflect on [Russo and Flanagan]."

Meanwhile, her new legal team persists in filing appeals and post-conviction petitions. Her family and representatives claim two pieces of evidence were overlooked at the initial trial: medical data allegedly indicating a health crisis for Shirilla during the crash, and apologetic messages from Russo indicating he might have initiated their conflicts.

Although Shirilla’s initial appeal was rejected, “she and her family continue to challenge her conviction,” as shared in The Crash.