Mackenzie Shirilla’s father is defending her innocence after her conviction in a deadly 2022 crash that killed her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, 21, and their friend Davion Flanagan, 19. Steve Shirilla said he does not believe his daughter intentionally drove her Toyota Camry into a brick wall at more than 100 mph in Strongsville, Ohio, while the two passengers were trapped inside. He argued that if she had wanted Russo dead, she could have acted in other ways, and said Flanagan would not have been in the car if she meant to kill only Russo.
Mackenzie Shirilla was 17 at the time of the crash on July 31, 2022. She is now serving two concurrent sentences of 15 years to life after being convicted in August 2023 of murder, aggravated vehicular homicide and related charges. She has consistently claimed that a medical emergency caused her to lose control and slam into the building. Her father said he believes that account and stated that he has asked her directly whether the crash was intentional, receiving a no in response.
Steve Shirilla also said the murder theory does not make sense to him because Russo’s home reportedly had guns available, suggesting there were other ways to harm him if that had been her goal. While he acknowledged his daughter had a role in the deaths, he said the murder charges were too severe and argued the case should have been handled as juvenile vehicular homicide.
Prosecutors portrayed the crash as a deliberate act and said the evidence pointed to a failed murder-suicide attempt. They highlighted the troubled relationship between Shirilla and Russo, including threatening text messages sent in the weeks before the crash. The couple had been arguing for months, and Russo had recently ended the relationship by text.
One exchange from July 17 showed escalating tension, with Shirilla texting Russo that she feared he would “end my life” during arguments. Russo replied that she was “tripping” and accused her of threatening his life repeatedly. Shirilla then sent messages suggesting Russo was the one trying to control the steering wheel and “end” her life, adding that “nobody does that to somebody they love.”
On the night of the crash, Shirilla drove into a building in the Cleveland suburb of Strongsville in the early hours of July 31, killing both passengers. Responding firefighters and paramedics found the vehicle split in half, with Shirilla trapped near the driver’s side. Russo and Flanagan were pronounced dead at the scene.
At sentencing, the judge said the evidence showed the crash was not reckless driving but murder, describing it as a mission carried out with precision. The case has remained controversial, with the defense insisting the tragedy was caused by something no one fully understands, and the prosecution maintaining that the fatal crash was intentional.
