- Mackenzie Shirilla, serving 15 years to life for a 2022 crash, is appealing her conviction for the second time.
- The Ohio Supreme Court declined to review her latest appeal, citing a late filing.
- Sharilla's prison photo on social media drew backlash from victims' families questioning her online presence.
- The crash killed her boyfriend and a friend, with prosecutors alleging it was intentional driving.
- Her case gained renewed attention from a Netflix documentary, while victims' families continue to grieve.
OHIO — Months after an Ohio man was sentenced to prison for the fatal shooting of his girlfriend, another Ohio case involving a deadly relationship tragedy is back in the spotlight. Mackenzie Shirilla’s lawyers are asking the Ohio Supreme Court to reconsider her latest appeal effort, while a new prison photo posted by her support team has drawn criticism from the family of one of her victims.
Shirilla, now 21, is serving 15 years to life for the 2022 crash that killed her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, 20, and their friend, Davion Flanagan, 19.
Lawyers Ask Court to Reconsider
The Ohio Supreme Court declined to review Shirilla’s latest post-conviction appeal on June 23.
The court found that the petition had been filed late and that the trial court did not have jurisdiction to excuse the delay.
Shirilla’s attorneys later filed a motion asking the justices to reconsider.
Her legal team argued that the filing deadlines were confusing and inconsistent, and said the case should still be reviewed on its merits.
As of the latest reports, the Ohio Supreme Court had not yet ruled on the reconsideration request.
Prison Photo Draws Backlash
The new legal filing came as Shirilla’s support team posted a new photo of her from prison on Instagram.
The post said Shirilla would continue trying to have the merits of her appeal heard.
The photo quickly drew criticism from Dominic Russo’s sister, Christine Russo.
She said it was heartbreaking to see someone convicted in connection with her brother’s death appear to have a social media presence while her family continues to suffer.
Christine Russo also said she believed prison officials should investigate whether Shirilla had improperly accessed social media while in custody.
Victim’s Sister Questions Online Attention
Christine Russo said it was painful to see Shirilla appear in prison photos with makeup while the victims’ families continue living with the loss.
She also criticized online attention surrounding Shirilla and asked people to report influencers who allow Shirilla or her supporters to appear in livestreams.
Russo said victims’ families should not have to watch the person responsible for their loved one’s death seek online attention while they continue grieving.
Earlier Article Focused on Prison Claims
The case had already returned to public attention after a former inmate, Shyann Topping, claimed she had briefly dated Shirilla in prison.
Topping claimed Shirilla told her other inmates had given her the nickname “Shirilla the killa.”
She also described Shirilla as demanding during their short relationship and claimed Shirilla talked about life after prison, including travel, concerts, becoming an influencer, and writing a book.
Those claims came from former inmates and have not been tested in court.
Crash Killed Two Young Men
The fatal crash happened in Strongsville, Ohio, on July 31, 2022.
Shirilla was 17 at the time.
Prosecutors argued that she intentionally drove her car into a building at nearly 100 miles per hour, killing Russo and Flanagan.
Shirilla survived the crash.
At trial, prosecutors said the crash was deliberate. Shirilla’s defense has maintained that the crash was not intentional.
Conviction and Sentence
Shirilla was found guilty in 2023 of charges connected to the deaths of Russo and Flanagan.
She was sentenced to two concurrent prison terms of 15 years to life.
She remains at the Ohio Reformatory for Women.
Her first parole hearing is expected in 2037.
Case Renewed by Documentary and Appeals
The case has received renewed national attention after the Netflix documentary The Crash.
In the documentary and through her supporters, Shirilla has continued to maintain that she did not intentionally kill Russo and Flanagan.
Her lawyers have continued pursuing appeals, including the latest request for the Ohio Supreme Court to reconsider its decision not to review her post-conviction case.
For the victims’ families, the renewed attention has brought more pain as they continue grieving Russo and Flanagan.
To view more cases involving deadly crashes, relationship violence, and shocking prison claims, check out our video here:
