Where Mackenzie Shirilla Is Now: Life, Conviction and Ongoing Appeals After the 100 MPH Crash

On the early morning of July 31, 2022, 17-year-old Mackenzie Shirilla crashed a 2018 Toyota Camry into a brick building at speeds estimated near 100 mph. The collision killed her boyfriend, 20-year-old Dominic Russo, and their friend Davion Flanagan; Shirilla survived with serious injuries. The deadly wreck and persistent questions about whether it was an accident or deliberate act are the subject of the Netflix documentary The Crash (premiered May 15, 2025) and continue to divide families and observers.

Background

Shirilla, born in August 2004 and raised in Strongsville, Ohio, had been in an on-and-off relationship with Russo for roughly four years. The couple lived together in a Russo family home by late 2021. Friends and relatives told investigators that the relationship became increasingly strained in the months before the crash, with reports of arguments and threats documented in Ohio Supreme Court filings.

The Night Of The Crash

On July 30–31, 2022, Shirilla, Russo and their friend Davion Flanagan attended multiple gatherings before leaving a house at about 5:30 a.m., according to phone-app data. Minutes into the drive, investigators say, the Camry accelerated sharply and struck a brick building. A passerby discovered the wreck about 45 minutes later and called 911. Russo and Flanagan were pronounced dead at the scene; Shirilla was found unconscious and transported to a hospital.

Investigation And Forensic Evidence

Forensic reconstruction and vehicle data played key roles in the prosecution. The vehicle's event data recorder showed the accelerator fully depressed seconds before impact and no brake application. A fuzzy slipper was found trapped near the gas pedal; experts who testified for the prosecution concluded the slipper did not cause unintended acceleration. Investigators also reported the transmission shifted between neutral and drive and that the vehicle experienced a sharp steering event in the moments before the crash.

Prosecutors presented additional evidence that Shirilla was under the influence of marijuana at the time and had psilocybin in her possession. Police also cited numerous social-media posts they characterized as examples of distracted or reckless driving.

Trial, Conviction And Sentence

Shirilla's case was heard as a bench trial in 2023. In August 2023, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Nancy Margaret Russo convicted her on all 12 counts, including murder, aggravated vehicular homicide, felonious assault and drug possession. The judge described the conduct as deliberate. Shirilla was sentenced to two concurrent terms of 15 years to life, received about a year of credit for time already served, had her driver's license permanently suspended, and was made eligible for parole after 15 years. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction lists her parole eligibility in 2037.

Appeals, Family Claims And Documentary Spotlight

Shirilla appealed the conviction; the first appeal was denied, and post-conviction relief petitions remain active. Her parents, Steve and Natalie Shirilla, have publicly argued that new medical evidence reviewed with neurologist Dr. Kamal Chemali is "consistent with loss of consciousness" and could point to a medical event before the crash. They also cite text messages and other materials they believe were not properly weighed at trial.

"Show me one piece of evidence — one — that says she did this on purpose... There isn't any," Steve Shirilla told reporters in 2025.

Family reactions have been mixed. Some relatives of the victims want harsher or consecutive terms; others, including Dominic Russo's father, have spoken about rehabilitation rather than permanently destroying a young person's life. The case and these unresolved questions are explored in the Netflix documentary The Crash, which includes interviews with family members, investigators and Shirilla herself.

Where She Is Now

As of 2025, Shirilla is incarcerated at a women's facility in Marysville, Ohio. She has described daily life behind bars as difficult and said she thinks often about Russo and Flanagan. Her legal team continues to pursue appeals and post-conviction relief, and the dispute over intent, possible medical causes and the completeness of the original investigation remains active.

Note: This article summarizes the publicly available facts, court findings and ongoing claims from both prosecution and defense. The legal process and appeals may yield further developments.