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Published 10:42 25 Jun 2026 GMT
Mackenzie Shirilla's latest attempt to overturn her murder conviction has been rejected after the Supreme Court of Ohio declined to hear her appeal, the third unsuccessful challenge to her case since she was found guilty in 2023.
Shirilla, now 21, has pursued multiple appeals through the courts following her conviction over the crash that killed her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, 20, and their friend, Davion Flanagan, 19, four years ago. Her appeals in both the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court and the Eighth District Court of Appeals were ultimately unsuccessful.
The case has recently attracted renewed attention following the release of Netflix's documentary The Crash, which features Shirilla speaking publicly about the incident for the first time since her conviction.
In her most recent appeal, filed on April 27, Shirilla's lawyers raised a new argument concerning her health at the time of the crash.
The filing stated: "There is medical evidence that Mackenzie Shirilla suffered from a pre-existing medical condition that could have caused her to black out while driving."
Her legal team argued that a petition for post-conviction relief had been dismissed on procedural grounds after being submitted past the filing deadline.
However, the court concluded that the petition was filed too late because of a calculation error involving the leap year.
According to court documents: "The trial transcripts were filed in her direct appeal on October 23, 2023, triggering the 365-day statutory clock to file the petition."
The ruling continued: "Shirilla filed her petition on October 24, 2024, which is the same day that many of her exhibits were notarized."
Because 2024 contained an extra day, the court determined the filing missed the deadline.
The judgment stated: "Because 2024 was a leap year, Shirilla's petition was late by one day. The trial court properly denied her petition as untimely."
Shirilla was convicted after prosecutors successfully argued that she intentionally drove her vehicle into a brick building in Strongsville, Ohio, at around 100mph without braking, killing both her boyfriend and his friend.
When delivering her verdict in August 2023, Judge Nancy Margaret Russo rejected claims that the collision was accidental.
She told the court: "This was not reckless driving - this was murder."
The judge added: "She had a mission, and she executed it with precision. The decision was death."
Shirilla is currently serving two concurrent sentences of 15 years to life at the Ohio Reformatory for Women and is expected to become eligible for parole in September 2037.
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Published 11:40 21 May 2026 GMT
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Published 08:44 01 Jun 2026 GMT
There's been a big update on Mackenzie Shirilla's parole after the release of her Netflix documentary.
Shirilla was 17 years old when she tragically killed Dominic Russo, 20, and Davion Flanagan, 19, after driving her Toyota Camry into the Plidco Building in Ohio at upwards of 100 mph on July 31, 2022.
Russo, who was Shirilla's boyfriend of four years, and Flanagan, the couple's friend, both died at the scene, while Shirilla suffered life-changing injuries.
During her 2023 trial, the now-21-year-old was declared guilty of all 12 charges against her, including murder, aggravated vehicular homicide, felonious assault, and drug possession.
She is now serving 15 years to life in prison at the Ohio Reformatory for Women.
The crash has remained the subject of fierce debate, with some convinced it was a deliberate act while others believe it was a devastating accident.
Throughout the trial, Shirilla claimed she could not remember what happened.
Her defense team argued she may have experienced a medical emergency linked to postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a chronic condition that can affect heart rate and blood pressure.
However, according to PEOPLE, no medical records or expert testimony confirming the diagnosis were ever presented in court.
Prosecutors instead argued Shirilla intentionally caused the crash to end what they described as a "toxic relationship" with Russo.
According to Law&Crime Network’s On The Case with Chris Stewart, footage shown during the trial allegedly captured Shirilla arguing with Russo and saying: "You lied... This is your last chance to open the door, or you are not coming out of this house all night [because] I will not leave."
In addition to this, court documents tied to one of Shirilla’s unsuccessful appeals also alleged she had previously driven the same crash route just days before the collision.
Since premiering on Netflix on May 15, The Crash has quickly climbed to the top of the platform’s charts, becoming its most-watched movie and sparking online debate about what really happened that night.
Criminal defense attorney and Goodman Law Group founder Ross Goodman spoke to The Mirror about Shirilla’s future and the possibility of parole after her 2037 hearing.
"Mackenzie Shirilla is well-positioned to be granted parole, given she was a youthful (teenager) and first-time offender," Goodman revealed, "Mackenzie will also need to document that she is remorseful and accepts responsibility.
"This will be the biggest challenge for someone who believes she suffered a medical condition resulting in an accident," he added.
In the documentary, Shirilla gave her first interview from prison and denied intentionally causing the crash.
"I’ve never spoken before, and I’ve never told my side of the story. I understand there’s many different sides to the story and different perspectives, but I just wanna say my truth. I just know myself, and I know I’m not a monster," she said.
"I just want to make sure I’m big on the no intent," she continued. "There was no intent whatsoever. I have excessive amounts of remorse for Dominic, Davion, both of their families.
"This was not intentional, and I will do everything I can to prove that to the world and the families,” Shirilla added.
The Crash is available to watch on Netflix now.
Published 13:27 28 May 2026 GMT
Mackenzie Shirilla's murder case has been thrust into the spotlight in recent weeks following the release of Netflix's The Crash true crime documentary.
It covers the investigation into the deaths of Dominic Russo, 20, and Davion Flanagan, 19, who were passengers in a car that crashed into a brick wall at over 100 mph (160 km/h) in July 2022.
Mackenzie, 17 at the time, was behind the wheel and would be found wedged between the seat and door by first responders.
While the group were at a party prior to the crash in the early hours of the morning, toxicology tests ruled out drug and alcohol impairment, and Mackenzie would be found guilty of killing the two men in 2023.
The judge determined it to be a premeditated murder, Mackenzie was convicted of 12 felony charges and sentenced to two concurrent life sentences, with the possibility of parole in 2037.
Mackenzie and her parents believe that a medical condition caused her to crash, resulting in the deaths of her ex-boyfriend Dominic and his friend, Davion.
They believe it to be a tragic accident and not murder, despite prosecutors presenting evidence that the judge agreed showed that it was intentional.
Uncovered text messages reveal that Mackenzie and Dominic had a tumultuous relationship to say the least, with prosecutors using this point in their arguments.
The convict claimed publicly and again in the doc that she does not remember the crash, as her defense attorney argued that she may have had a medical emergency and passed out due to postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a chronic medical condition.
No medical records confirmed this diagnosis.
Mackenzie's parents, who appeared in the documentary, denied that Mackenzie's actions were intentional, claiming that POTS was the cause of the crash.
Speaking during the trial, her mother claimed that "she’s not a murderer" in a long victim statement, which the judge interrupted to point out: “I’m hearing an awful lot about your daughter; I’m not hearing much about the two dead people.”
Natalie was questioned on the stand about allowing her daughter to get a driver's license after allegedly being diagnosed with the condition.
Her parents dispute claims that Mackenzie had been acting erratically in the weeks leading up to the crash, threatening to crash her car with her boyfriend inside, with Dominic's mother reporting this account of events to police.
Instead, they showed alleged messages that show Mackenzie telling Dominic's mother that her boyfriend was “trying to end my life.”
Speaking to 3News in May 2025, Natalie said: "We gave her attorney the text messages, we gave her attorney the medical records, we gave her attorney the car expert."
The Crash states that her family "continues to fight her conviction."
A text message obtained by TMZ shows Dominic speaking to Mackenzie roughly four weeks before the crash, pointing out that life is short.
He wrote: "Kenzie u know i love u but i dont think we should be together at this point there isnt very much time on earth."
Dominic goes on to speak about their fights and their on-again, off-again relationship, telling her how he feels.
He wrote: "I dont want u to think im abandoning u i wish it could work but i dont think its going to at this point especially with the threats we should just breakup so we can both fimd happiness somewhere else."
The text was sent on July 2, 2022, which was 29 days before the car crash that ended his life.
Speaking in the Netflix doc, Mackenzie, now 21, claims she is not a "monster," explaining that it is "really hard every day" for her behind bars, despite claims from former inmates.
"I try to wake up and be the best person I can be every day, stay out of trouble. There's not a moment that doesn't pass where I don't think about [Russo and Flanagan]," she claimed in the doc.
Speaking during the sentencing, the judge said that the teen's actions were "controlled, methodical, deliberate, intentional, and purposeful," and that she wanted to kill the men.
Published 16:27 27 May 2026 GMT
Messages sent by the young woman at the center of the new Netflix crime documentary, The Crash, to the mother of her boyfriend, whom she has been convicted of killing, have been revealed.
Mackenzie Shirilla, 21, is currently serving two sentences of 15 years to life imprisonment after she was convicted of killing two young men intentionally in a car crash.
In July 2022, she drove her Toyota Camry into the Plidco Building in Ohio at upwards of 100 mph, as, according to the court, part of a premeditated murder plan prompted by a highly toxic, volatile relationship with her boyfriend.
Her boyfriend of four years, Dominic Russo, 20, and his friend Davion Flanagan, 19, were declared dead at the scene.
At the time of the crash, it was treated as an accident, but prosecutors argued that it was a failed murder-suicide attempt triggered by a toxic, on-and-off relationship between Shirilla and Russo.
Allegedly, after surviving the crash, Shirilla told police and other officials that she had no memory of what had happened.
Shirilla was arrested four months later and convicted of murder, aggravated vehicular homicide, and several other offenses in August 2023.
According to a 2024 Ohio Court of Appeals opinion upholding Shirilla's conviction obtained by PEOPLE, Shirilla texted Russo’s mother, Christine Russo, at some point in the months following the fatal crash. In the messages, Shirilla claimed that she still had no memory of the fateful night and was considering undergoing hypnosis to recover her memories.
She wrote: “I remember turning onto the street, and then my vision fades to black.
“It really kills me not to be able to remember anything. I promise you I would tell you. I’ve been asking my therapist why I don’t remember, and she said it’s because of trauma. I’m gonna try to get myself hypnotized and make myself remember.”
Christine Russo allegedly told investigators that her son’s relationship had been strained in the six months prior to the crash. Recalling frequent arguments between the young couple, she said that Shirilla had become “possessive” of Dominic.
Also, in the weeks running up to the crash, a friend of the Russo family testified that he witnessed Shirilla threaten to crash her car with Dominic.
However, in the recent Netflix documentary, Shirilla’s parents, Natalie and Steve, disputed this claim and said that texts from Shirilla to Christine proved Dominic was the one who made the alleged threat.
Published 09:05 25 May 2026 GMT
Kim Kardashian has seemingly responded after Mackenzie Shirilla suggested she might be able to help with her case.
As previously reported, Shirilla was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison after her Toyota Camry slammed into a brick wall at more than 100 mph, killing her boyfriend, 20-year-old Dominic Russo, and friend, 19-year-old Davion Flanagan.
The now-21-year-old is the subject of the new Netflix documentary, The Crash, which explores the circumstances around the car accident as well as the aftermath.
Shirilla was 17 at the time of the crash and survived with serious injuries, before being convicted on all 12 charges against her in 2023, including murder, aggravated vehicular homicide, felonious assault, and drug possession.
The case has continued to divide opinion, with some people convinced the crash was intentional while others believe it was a tragic accident.
After finding out she could spend the rest of her life behind bars, Shirilla reportedly hoped that Kardashian, 45, might be able to help her case.
The reality star turned criminal justice reform advocate has helped several people who were wrongfully convicted have their sentences lessened, by using her profile as well as her recent training in law.
According to reports, the Ohio inmate was heard discussing the prospect in a phone call from jail, telling the person on the other end of the call - believed to be her mother, Natalie - to inform Kardashian that she "buys all her SKIMS and only wears SKIMS".
Shirilla, who is currently serving time at the Ohio Reformatory for Women, was jailed by Judge Nancy Russo in August 2023, after being sentenced to two concurrent sentences of 15 years to life for "deliberately" causing the deadly crash.
She will be eligible for parole in 2037, and said in The Crash that she finds it "really hard every day" to be in the facility, adding: "I try to wake up and be the best person I can be every day, stay out of trouble.
"There's not a moment that doesn't pass where I don't think about [Russo and Flanagan]."
Shirilla said in the call, per People: "Well maybe Kim Kardashian's seen," to which the person on the other end of the call responded: "Yeah, maybe Kim will, now that it's, like, all over. I was like, I mean, that's the only thing that might be good about the whole media thing. Maybe Kim will see it."
Shirilla then said: "I don’t know. You have to figure out because I’m real nervous and I want Kim Kardashian to be my lawyer."
The other person then replied: "We’re gonna have her get you out," to which Shirilla said: "Tell her I buy all her SKIMS and I only wear SKIMS."
However, it seems that Shirilla may be disappointed as sources close to the star seemed to rule out the possibility of the star getting involved in the case.
They told TMZ: "Kim advocates for criminal justice reform by supporting individuals she believes were wrongfully convicted, as well as people within the prison system who have demonstrated rehabilitation and deserve a fair second chance.
"This case does not fall within her focus."
In another of her jail calls, Shirilla was heard calling herself the "third victim" of the 2022 crash, and in March of this year, the Ohio Courts of Appeal upheld the decision to reject her appeal to be released after she missed her chance at appealing her conviction by just 24 hours in 2024.
The family of Davion Flanagan spoke out in the wake of the news, stating that Shirilla's appeals "put them through hell over and over again", adding: "One day, all her appeals will be exhausted and we can finally start the process of trying to accept this unimaginable loss without the constant threat of her release."
Interest in Mackenzie Shirilla's case has surged once again following the release of Netflix's true crime documentary The Crash, with newly released text messages between the convicted killer and her father now spreading rapidly across social media.
Shirilla, now 21, is serving two concurrent life sentences after being found guilty of intentionally crashing a car into a brick wall in Strongsville, Ohio, in July 2022. The collision killed her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, and friend Davion Flanagan, while Shirilla survived with severe injuries.
The renewed spotlight on the case has prompted the release of additional files from the Strongsville Police Department, including a series of personal text exchanges between Shirilla and her father, Steve Shirilla. The messages offer a glimpse into their relationship years before the fatal crash.
On July 30, 2022, Shirilla was driving a 2018 Toyota Camry after attending a graduation party and visiting a friend with Russo and Flanagan. Surveillance footage captured the vehicle accelerating into a brick wall at more than 100mph shortly after 5:30AM.
Russo and Flanagan were pronounced dead at the scene, while Shirilla was airlifted to the hospital with multiple fractures and serious injuries.
Four months later, she was arrested and charged with several offences, including two counts of aggravated murder and one count of drug trafficking. Following a bench trial, she was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 15 years. She remains incarcerated at the Ohio Reformatory for Women and is expected to become eligible for parole in late 2037.
Steve Shirilla has consistently maintained that his daughter did not intentionally kill Russo or Flanagan.
Appearing on the True Crime This Week podcast on May 27, he said his daughter showed remorse for the deaths and denied that she deliberately caused the crash.
“She was 17. She’s a dumb kid. She didn’t do it on purpose,” he told host James Renner.
“I’ve asked her…’Did you do this on purpose?’ And she’s going, ‘No’,” he alleged.
“And I would think if my daughter was that mad, that mad at that boy to want to kill him that way, Davion would have never been in the car [also]. … That makes no sense.”
Among the documents released are several messages exchanged between father and daughter in 2020.
According to The Tab, Steve texted Shirilla on March 23, 2020, writing: “I do love you, and I did not say anything about Dom when you were leaving with Mom. Please let them help you at the hospital.”
Two days later, he sent another message that read: “Come home, please. I love you. Your choice.”
On March 27, he again reached out, saying: “When are you coming home. You’re not going to be in trouble or get punished. Just come home.”
One exchange that has drawn particular attention online involved a request for warm milk.
“Will you make me warm milk?” Shirilla asked on April 2.
“Just saw this. Do you still want?” her father replied, later claiming his phone had been dead when the original message arrived.
Additional texts show Steve setting boundaries with his daughter in the months before the fatal collision.
On May 3, Shirilla asked if she could stay at Russo's house, explaining that she wanted “a night with friends” and to be “away from home”.
Steve rejected the request, replying: “No. Sorry, don’t argue about it, it’s a no.”
When Shirilla continued trying to change his mind, he responded: “Kenz, I’m not doing this with you. I’m sorry, the answer is no.”
The texts have become a major talking point online as viewers continue discussing The Crash, which premiered on Netflix on May 15, 2026.
In the documentary, Shirilla maintains that she is “not a murderer” and says she has no memory of the crash, continuing to attribute the incident to postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).
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