Netflix documentary did not include key proof Mackenzie Shirilla’s murder of boyfriend was intentional

Netflix’s new documentary The Crash takes a deep dive into the case of Mackenzie Shirilla, including her first-ever interview from prison as she continues to deny intentionally killing her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, and friend Davion Flanagan.

Shirilla was arrested in November 2022 and later convicted on two counts of murder after crashing her car into a wall at 100 mph, killing both passengers. Prosecutors argued that she deliberately drove into the wall to end her relationship with Dominic, which the documentary describes as “toxic.”

In the film, Shirilla insists there was “no intent” to kill Dominic or Davion and claims the crash may have been caused by a medical episode linked to POTS. The documentary also revisits major pieces of evidence used during the trial, including data from the vehicle’s black box showing she pressed the accelerator to 100% and never touched the brakes before impact.

The missing evidence not shown in the documentary

One detail heavily referenced in court proceedings was largely absent from the Netflix documentary, and prosecutors believed it strongly supported the argument that the crash was intentional.

The documentary shows Shirilla carefully turning onto the road where the crash happened and notes that her digital records showed she had visited the location days earlier. What it does not fully explore is the unusual route she took that morning.

Court documents released after Shirilla’s unsuccessful appeal stated that she “made the decision to drive a car, to drive an obscure route, a route she visited a few days before, and a route not routinely taken by her.”

The crash happened in the Progress Drive industrial area in Strongsville. Local Reddit users have described the road as a late-night cut-through route, but prosecutors argued the isolated location, combined with the early morning timing and her prior visit to the area, pointed to planning rather than an accident.

The court documents continued: “It is noted that Shirilla chose to drive early in the morning, when few people would be around to witness the accident or provide help. It concluded that Shirilla intentionally pressed the pedal to the floor, taking the car to nearly 100 mph and aiming the car at the brick wall.

“The court stated that it could only be speculated whether she intended to kill herself. But it concluded beyond a reasonable doubt that Shirilla acted purposefully and intentionally to kill Russo and Flanagan; her actions were ‘controlled, methodical, deliberate, intentional, and purposeful.’”

Backlash follows documentary release

The documentary’s release has also sparked criticism aimed at people close to Shirilla, including her father, Steve Shirilla.

Steve was reportedly suspended from his teaching job following allegations of “poor judgment” tied to comments featured in the documentary where he appeared to say he had no issue with marijuana use.

Speaking to TMZ, he claimed his comments were taken out of context, saying: “That is part of a longer answer... I can't remember what the question was because the documentary people had interviewed us for two days straight and then came back and did more interviews so there was a lot of questions answered.

"My answer wasn't in support of marijuana, it wasn't saying, I'm smoking marijuana. What I was saying was, who am I to say who can smoke and who can't smoke. I never allowed my daughter to smoke marijuana."

Rosie Graham, one of Shirilla’s friends who appeared in the documentary, also responded after receiving backlash online over comments some viewers interpreted as sympathetic toward Mackenzie.

Graham said Netflix condensed an eight-hour interview into only a few clips and argued her views were misrepresented. She said: “My interview lasted over eight hours, and I had no control over what portions would ultimately make the final cut. At no point was my intention to pick sides, defend anyone, or make light of the seriousness of the case.

“I was simply answering the questions I was asked based on my own experiences, knowledge, and what I personally witnessed.”

The Crash is available to stream now on Netflix.

Featured image credit: Ohio Reformatory for Women