Ohio corrections official issues update after Mackenzie Shirilla's behind-bars photos spark backlash
Topics: Mackenzie Shirilla, True crime, Netflix, Social Media
Kiesha Dosanjh
Featured Image Credit: @mackenzieshirilla/Instagram
Topics: Mackenzie Shirilla, True crime, Netflix, Social Media
Ohio prison authorities have spoken out after a new prison selfie of Mackenzie Shirilla was posted on her Instagram page.
Shirilla, 21 is currently serving two concurrent sentences of 15 years to life in the Ohio Reformatory for Women, after she was found guilty of intentionally crashing a car into a building, which killed her boyfriend Dominic Russo, and friend, Davion Flanagan in 2022.
The case has come to the spotlight once again, following Netflix's release of the documentary, The Crash.
On June 23, 2026, the Ohio Supreme Court declined to review Shirilla’s appeal case, as her lawyers missed the deadline for a post-conviction review by one day, due to the fact that 2024 was a leap year.
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This news was posted on her Instagram page, along with the selfie in question. The bio of the page states it's 'Run by Mackenzie’s Support Team'.
However, many were questioning how she had sent over the snap. Russo's sister, Christine told TMZ it was 'heartbreaking' to see Shirilla's social media presence, while she and her family grieve the loss of her brother.
She then went on to question whether 'whether rules regarding electronic devices had been violated', in the prison, asking people to reach out for them.
Now, the chief spokesperson for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction has spoken out.
As per TMZ, JoEllen Smith, says the felon sent photos of herself through the prison's tablet called ViaPeth. This is apparently for the inmates to 'stay connected to loved ones'.
It was then revealed by the Chief Inspector that the matter was reviewed, however, they came to the conclusion that the picture was not posted online by Shirilla as they 'do not have access to social media platforms on the ViaPath tablets,' the outlet reports.
She later added that it was acceptable for the inmates to 'send photos to family members using the tablet in compliance with the prison's rules and regulations'.
The post before that was posted to the page seven weeks ago, in which Shirilla looked like she was wearing the same outfit.
In the caption, a message was written 'from Mackenzie' claiming she 'was not perfect' and 'always loved Dom and would never do anything to hurt him'.
All three of Shirilla's attempts to appeal her murder case have been denied by the Supreme Court.
She will not be eligible for parole until September 2037.
Mackenzie Shirilla and her boyfriend Dominic Russo get into an argument. A friend overhears Shirilla tell him: “I will crash this car right now.”
Shirilla is driving Russo, 20, and their friend Davion Flanagan, 19, from Russo’s home to a friend’s house. At around 5.30am, she crashes the car into a Plidco Building in Strongsville, Ohio, travelling at 100mph without braking. Police arrive on the scene 45 minutes later. Russo and Flanagan are pronounced dead and Shirilla is transported to MetroHealth Medical Center.
200 people attend a vigil for Russo and Flanagan. Shirilla remains in critical condition. When a detective visits her in hospital, she is said to be speaking a ‘unique language’ similar to pig Latin.
Shirilla attends a Halloween party wearing fancy dress which resembles a corpse, which Davion’s father considers in very poor taste. He says in Netflix’s The Crash: “Dressing up as corpses three months after she killed two people, it just sickened us to the very core.”
Shirilla is arrested and faces 18 charges, including two counts of aggravated murder. She also faces charges for allegedly breaking into the Columbia Church of God in Columbia Station days before the crash, along with drug trafficking and possession charges.
Shirilla’s trial begins. Her defence team argue she may have passed out at the time of the crash due to postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), but no medical records or expert testimony confirms the diagnosis.
Shirilla is found guilty on all counts. Judge Nancy Margaret Russo calls her ‘hell on wheels’, and the court concludes she intetionally crashed the car in a premeditated act.
Shirilla is sentenced to two concurrent 15 years to life sentences. Her legal team later lose an appeal and relief petition. She remains incarcerated in Ohio Refamatory for Women.
Mackenzie’s parents insist that she’s innocent. Her father Steve tells WKYC: “Show me one piece of evidence - one - that says she did this on purpose. Show it to me, then she's right where she belongs and she's guilty of it. But there isn't any.” Her mother Natalie claims there are texts in which Shirilla says Russo was ‘trying to end her life’.
Netflix’s The Crash premieres. In it, Shirilla insists she is ‘not a murderer’ and has no memory of the crash, continuing to blame POTS.
Steve Shirilla is placed on administrative leave from his job as an art and digital media teacher at Mary Queen of Peace School in Cleveland following allegations he had ‘demonstrated poor judgement’. Viewers of Netflix’s documentary objected to his attitude towards Shirilla’s marijuana use and his dismissal of claims she told a classmate to end their life.
The Ohio Supreme Court declines to review Shirilla’s appeal case. Her lawyers missed the deadline for a post-conviction review by one day because 2024 was a leap year, and the court upheld an earlier decision that Shirilla’s conviction therefore could not be challenged.
This is when Shirilla will be eligible for parole.