Mackenzie Shirilla faced scathing five-word accusation from judge when sentenced to life in prison
Topics: Netflix, Ohio, True crime, Mackenzie Shirilla, Crime
Emily Brown
Featured Image Credit: Netflix
Topics: Netflix, Ohio, True crime, Mackenzie Shirilla, Crime
Mackenzie Shirilla, whose actions left her boyfriend and his friend dead in 2022, was told by a judge she'd chosen 'death and destruction' as she was handed two concurrent life sentences for their murders.
The case surrounding Shirilla is detailed in Netflix's new documentary, The Crash, which features interviews with those attached to the case which shocked the world in 2022.
Shirilla had been just 17 years old, driving home from a party with her boyfriend, Dom, and his friend, Davion, when she crashed her Toyota Camry at 100mph into a brick building in Strongsville, Ohio.
Dom and Davion did not survive, and the crash left Shirilla with serious injuries, including a lacerated liver and kidney, and broken ribs.
Advert
However, after investigating the scene and the black box that was in the car at the time of the crash, investigators came to believe Shirilla had crashed the car on purpose.
Netflix's new documentary assesses CCTV footage which appears to show the teenager turning carefully while driving prior to the crash - a move at odds with the loss of control it would take to crash a car at 100mph, with no use of the brake.
Shirilla was ultimately charged with murder, which led her to facing Judge Nancy Russo, a judge who described the teenager as 'literal hell on wheels'.
After reviewing the case, Russo accused Shirilla's actions of being five things: "Controlled, methodical, deliberate, intentional and purposeful.”
"This was not reckless driving. This was murder. The video clearly shows the purpose and intent of the defendant. She chose a course of death and destruction that day," the judge said.
Explaining her sentence of two 15 years-to-life sentences, Russo added at the time: "I understand that the pain in this room wants me to impose the harshest sentence, but I don't believe that would be the appropriate sentence, because I do believe that Mackenzie won't be out in 15 years."
The crash left two families without their sons, with Dom's father, Frank Russo, sharing in the Netflix documentary the last text he received from his son, at 2:53am the day he died.
"Love you dad," the text read.
Meanwhile, Davion's father Scott admits in The Crash that he has 'the capacity for forgiveness', but he just wants 'to know the truth of what happened that night'.
"I would be eternally grateful for (Mackenzie) to actually tell us how those last few moments were," he said.
For her part, Shirilla has maintained her innocence in the case.
Shirilla is currently serving 15 years to life in prison at the Ohio Reformatory for Women.
Shirilla and her legal team have attempted to appeal her conviction, but the 8th District Court of Appeals upheld the conviction.
“Mackenzie, going to prison because you did this, be thankful you’re still alive and have a future, whatever that may be,” Christine Russo, her boyfriend's mother, previously told the court.
“Dom and Davion were robbed of their futures, their hopes and their dreams. Mackenzie showed no mercy on Dominic, nor did she on Davion. Only God at this time can have mercy on her soul.”
The Crash is available to stream on Netflix now