A new Netflix true crime documentary, The Crash, revisits the shocking case of Mackenzie Shirilla, an Ohio teenager who deliberately drove her car into a brick building at 100 mph, killing her boyfriend and a friend. The documentary explores the volatile relationship at the centre of the case and the investigation that proved the crash was premeditated murder.
The crime and sentence
On July 31, 2022, 17-year-old Mackenzie Shirilla was driving at 100 mph when she slammed into a brick building in Strongsville, Ohio. The crash killed her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, 20, and friend Davion Flanagan, 19. Initially believed to be a tragic accident, detectives soon uncovered evidence that the crash was intentional. Shirilla claimed she had no memory of the moments before impact, but prosecutors successfully argued she deliberately crashed the car. She was found guilty on all counts, including murder.
Judge Nancy Russo sentenced Shirilla to two concurrent terms of 15 years to life in prison, calling her “literal hell on wheels.” The judge stated: “This was not reckless driving. This was murder.” Concurrent sentences mean Shirilla serves both life terms simultaneously rather than one after the other, potentially reducing the total time served compared to consecutive sentencing.
Parole eligibility
Shirilla is currently serving her sentence at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville. Because there is no fixed release date, she could potentially spend the rest of her life in prison. However, she will become eligible for parole after serving at least 15 years. That date falls in October 2037, when Shirilla will be 33 years old.
In an emotional statement to the court, Shirilla said: “I am so deeply sorry. I hope one day you can see how I’d never let this happen or do it on purpose.” The documentary The Crash is now streaming on Netflix, delving into the details of the case and the relationship that led to the tragedy.
