Teenage driver Mackenzie Shirilla, convicted of killing her boyfriend Dominic Russo, 20, and their friend Davion Flanagan, 19, in a horrific 100mph crash, made a series of self-centered and fame-seeking demands while detained in Cuyahoga County Jail, Cleveland, ahead of her sentencing. Known as the 'Hell on Wheels' driver, Shirilla was held after the July 31, 2022 collision, which prosecutors argued was intentional.
Jailhouse Phone Calls Reveal Priorities
During multiple phone calls to her mother, Natalie Shirilla, the teenager appeared more concerned about her image than the charges she faced, according to reports. In an early call, when her mother asked how she slept, Shirilla admitted she had been awake most of the night and immediately begged for her iPad back. 'I really want my iPad, though,' she said, pleading with her mother to ask prison staff when she could access it. When her mother explained that such requests were treated as special, Shirilla responded angrily: 'Why the f***, man?'
Complaints About Jail Life
In other early calls, Shirilla complained about the jail food. As weeks passed, the conversations shifted from grievances to discussions about media frenzy and potential fame. Her mother once told her, 'Kenzie, it's on the Today Show,' but later clarified it was an online article, leaving Shirilla silent. Her mother then suggested she write a memoir, and in a later exchange, Shirilla referenced a murder suspect who became a model, asking about starting a Hollywood career. Her mother encouraged her, saying, 'See, now he was arrested for murder, he probably didn't do anything.'
Social Media Manipulation From Behind Bars
Shirilla, who had been gaining a social media following before the crash, asked her mother to change her Instagram bio. Despite hesitation, her mother agreed, adding 'Free Kenzie' and hashtags 'Free Kenzie' and 'innocent.' However, trial evidence showed Shirilla had previously threatened to kill her boyfriend, and surveillance footage revealed she did not brake before crashing into a building. The judge called her actions 'controlled, methodical, deliberate, intentional, and purposeful,' ruling she intended to kill the young men.
Conviction and Sentence
Shirilla was convicted on multiple counts, including aggravated vehicular homicide and felonious assault, and sentenced to 15 years to life at the Ohio Reformatory for Women. Her case gained national attention, renewed by the Netflix documentary 'The Crash.'
Continued Behavior Behind Bars
In a recent jailhouse call, Shirilla and her mother laughed about her behavior, with Shirilla speculating that Kim Kardashian might take up her case. The call angered Russo's family, with his sister Christine calling it 'sickening.' She has launched a petition to update Ohio's Son of Sam law to prevent Shirilla from profiting from the crime through modern platforms like social media, merchandise, or paid interviews.
