What did Mackenzie Shirilla do?
In 2022, then-17 year old Mackenzie Shirilla deliberately drove her car at a speed of 100mph and crashed into a wall at 5.30am.
Under the influence of marijuana they smoked earlier in the day, that crash killed her boyfriend Dominic, and his friend Davion Flanagan, who were both in the same car.
The crash was spotted by a passer-by 45 minutes later and by the time officials arrived on the scene, the two men were pronounced dead. Shirilla was unconscious and not breathing. She underwent multiple surgeries and recovered.
Shirilla insisted afterwards that the crash was an accident, but surveillance footage proves overwise. She accelerated her car to crash, and the two men in the car looked terrified.
As a result of this, Mackenzie was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years to life in prison for the murders.
Dominic’s father believes life imprisonment is too harsh a punishment for what he deems a “stupid thing”. He was quoted as saying:
“She did a damn stupid thing but now her parents are destroyed, her family’s destroyed too. I wish there was a way she could get some kind of help, some kind of treatment.”
What was Mackenzie Shirilla’s childhood like?
Mackenzie Shirilla’s childhood shows nothing out of the ordinary. However, it’s reported that her mother, Natalie Shirilla, testified that Mackenzie was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
This disorder can cause an individual to pass out if their hydration and sodium levels are too low. She argued this in court but it didn’t affect the trial in any way.
What happened during the trial?
The trial began around the one-week death anniversary of Dominic and Davion. At the sentencing, Dominic’s father spoke about his son, pointing out that he was going to open his own clothing line and was a “go-getter”.
The Judge had a very straightforward interpretation of this crime, believing that Mackenzie: “had a mission, and she executed it with precision. The mission was death,”
Crucial surveillance footage showed the two victims shocked and fearing for their lives as Mackenzie crashed into the wall.
Before the sentencing, the prosecution also presented TikTok videos showing Shirilla at a concert and celebrating Halloween after the crash.
The judge said in her verdict that Shirilla was “literal hell on wheels”; she intentionally drove at an hour when not many witnesses would be around, on a path she didn’t use often.
The prosecutors also argued that Mackenzie and Dominic’s relationship had become rocky and she had threatened her boyfriend. It’s unclear whether this is linked, but prosecutors believe she crashed in order to end their relationship.
Did Mackenzie Shirilla intentionally crash her car?
Given the overwhelming amount of evidence, it’s safe to say Shirilla did definitely crash on purpose. Two weeks before the crash, Mackenzie allegedly threatened to crash when she was driving with Dominic because she was upset over a disagreement.
Dominic called his mum and asked to be picked up, and a friend ended up retrieving him.
In a phone call, that same friend allegedly overheard Shirilla say, “I will crash this car right now.”
The month of the crash, Mackenzie also “made multiple threats” toward Doninic. Videos recovered from his phone reveal an altercation in which she was heard “repeatedly degrading Dominic and threatening him.”
Part of those came from threatening to key his car and break the handle off a door after Dominic refused to let her into his home.
All of this, coupled with the acceleration and chilling surveillance footage, show that Mackenzie intentionally crashed her car.
Where is Mackenzie Shirilla now?
Following a bench trial, a Cuyahoga County judge found 19-year-old Mackenzie Shirilla guilty of multiple charges, including two counts of murder, aggravated vehicular homicide and felonious assault. She was handed two concurrent 15 years to life sentences in a court in Ohio.
Her sentence is similar to what life imprisonment equates to in the UK, meaning she will be eligible for parole in 15 years.
For now though, Mackenzie Shirilla will serve her time behind bars.
Mackenzie Shirilla’s trial and journey through the criminal system have been a big talking point recently, especially with that courtroom footage. What do you think of Shirilla’s case? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Hope she gets released soon I want to marry her
I’m not sure why more information is not out there on the other aspects of Mackenzie’s life that led up to – and contributed to – her decision to purposely crash her vehicle in order to kill her boyfriend and, I assume, herself, & without any consideration that an “innocent person” (who had nothing to do with her reason for doing this) was present & killed, also. It is reported that she was 17 years old & still in high school when she moved out of her family home to live with her boyfriend who was 3 or 4 years older than her. My first thoughts on that were: 1) wasn’t her boyfriend committing statutory rape? (not sure if she was 16 or younger when they started having sexual relations) and 2) why did her parents allow her to make that decision? I’m curious how hard they tried to either put their foot down and/or persuade her to not do so, or explain the reasons that would not be a good or responsible decision, etc. I know that a rebellious child will do what they want to do no matter how hard parents try to exert their parental control or make efforts to otherwise dissuade them. But from the one tidbit of information/insight into Natalie Shirilla’s (Mackenzie’s mother) actions/behavior that WAS disclosed – her seeming support (& encouragement??) of her daughter’s wild, selfish, self-indulgent, lifestyle – as documented by her in all the social media posts drug use, excessive partying, provocative dress, etc., which I say “seeming support” & possibly even “encouragement of” because it was also reported (& showed) that Natalie regularly “liked” many or all of her daughter’s social media posts – would seem to verify such a conclusion. What mature, wise, proper parent would “like” photos of their child(ren) depicting the above behavior??? Then, pleading for mercy on their daughter regarding her sentencing, & obviously attempting to minimize her mindset/behavior, incomprehensible. I know that NO parent wants to see their child get sentenced to prison time – especially a very lengthy one or “life” – but these parents CLEARLY lack INSIGHT into the fact that their daughter’s out-of-control life & lack of ANY kind of “accountability” (or even presence of) any “authority” in her life most assuredly played a part in the destructive path she was already on. We have no idea what (or if any) “guidance” they imparted to her or other efforts they made to try to get their daughter back on the right path for her life. To say nothing at her sentencing would have almost been better. We have no idea if either parent said to her, “I’m sorry & heartbroken to see you in this situation, but we all have to suffer the consequences of the wrong/poor decisions & choices we make”? I can’t recall if it was stated/mentioned in any of the articles I read online or during the one TV show I watched about this case, if her parents knew about the “threats” Mackenzie made to kill both herself & her boyfriend, which were not “isolated” or a one-time occurrence. Most people do not ever say – or even think in their minds – that they’re gonna kill themselves or a person they’re having an argument with (even a very heated one) or who has hurt them. People who do so have one or more “problems”: 1) mental illness/instability, 2) little-to-no self-control/self-discipline, 3) have lacking/insufficient or non-existent coping mechanisms. If her parents had no knowledge of her suicidal/homicidal ideations and/or actual verbal or written (via text messages or social media posts), why not?? Regarding that (if not), I also have to ask: why did no one who actually heard/overheard her verbalize such thoughts/threats (or heard about via a third party) not report it to either her parents or another responsible adult (their own parents, school counselor, etc.)? Especially the boyfriend she killed, whom she verbally made them to, on apparently multiple occasions? He obviously felt she was trying to make good on those threats on at least one occasion – when he even called his mother for help to either stop her car or otherwise get him out of her car because she was purposefully/intentionally driving erratically (I can’t recall if he actually stated to his mother at that time that she was trying to kill him or both him & herself). There were so many “red flags” that she was clearly a danger to herself & that boyfriend (and we subsequently learned, to others/anyone else/innocent bystanders – who might/would potentially be victims/“collateral damage” as a result of her emotional outbursts/fits of rage, in which, incidentally & interestingly enough, such a lack of care, empathy, sympathy or consideration for others is one of the glaring signs/symptoms of a psychopath/sociopath) that, in lieu of the many & frequent “red flags” it paints a picture that this tragedy might not have (or never would have) happened, if the people who saw them (or some of the people, oven just one of them) had done what we all should/must do when we become aware of either suicidal or homicidal threats or attempts made by a person. It’s sad & heartbreaking when a person of any age is suicidal or homicidal, but for some reason, seems even moreso when it’s a child/teenager or very young adult, for whom, in the majority of cases, have more people in their lives (their family & wider circle of social contacts outside the family) which provides not only “more people” to hear/become aware of actual verbal, written or behavioral signs/symptoms that fall into the “person at risk” category (or who can reasonably suspect this), but also have various levels of authority and/or provide a wider/more-varied types/range of influence & help to them, in their lives. And it’s a known fact that a minor/young person has a better chance of changing (& probably/possibly less-resistant to receiving help) than a person who is older & “set in their ways.” So I just wonder how this young woman “fell between the cracks” & carried on with no one to be concerned and/or report it to somebody – anybody- who could/would at least try to intervene & help her. And if her parents were, in fact, made aware, why the continued to turn a blind eye to their daughter’s obvious descent into a life clearly spiraling out-of-control & on a path to destruction leading nowhere, why they did nothing. Even if no one said anything to them, it’s blatantly obvious that they knew from their own first-hand, personal relationship & interactions with her that this, at some point, was more than just a normal teenage “phase” of rebellion & acting out in an attempt to experience some freedom & gain a measure of independence for herself, that she would outgrow. As parents, we of course slowly (incrementally) “loosen” the invisible “tether” we have on our kids – made up of our authority/rules which we enforce out of our love for them, to keep them safe, and which are enforced with love & not in anger, and our wise, understanding & mature “counsel” which we provide as often as we can, via a loving, caring, accepting, understanding, meaningful relationship with them – one that is developed & nurtured over time – so that our rules & counsel/advice/opinions are seen as reasonable, done out of our genuine love & accepted by them, & we don’t ever become or are accused of being mean, critical, complainers, control-freaks, etc. “Loosening our tether” – giving them more freedom & liberties – is done little by little & with the requirement that they earn those by obedience to the house rules, showing/displaying growth & maturity, etc. In my home growing up, privileges were earned or granted – they were not given, or were taken away, if we didn’t show/prove we could handle the increased freedom or hadn’t reached the required, reasonable level of maturity/good sense they required – my parents never rewarded disobedience, rebellion, inability or unwillingness to cooperate or follow rules/display proper conduct, fail to do well in school (they didn’t insist on As & Bs – just show/prove we were making the effort to do the very best we could & we’re capable of if we weren’t naturally academically inclined). I’m just curious why I can’t find anyone writing something (either a book or article, or including in either of those) as a case study about bad/faulty parenting, as well as society’s role/obligation to do something (reach out to someone else) to help/try to secure help when they see or become aware of someone – especially minors & young adults – who is clearly (or might possibly be) on a path to destruction & in danger of causing harm (whether physical or mental/emotional) to themselves or others. I know there are so many “lost” kids/teenagers/young adults whose parents encourage them to be popular/social media stars, let them do want they please & don’t make and/or enforce rules & boundaries, to confront wrong or questionable associates, behavior or words, don’t try to counsel & lead their kids on a right, successful, productive path in life, don’t teach their kids proper coping mechanisms for handling failure & disappointments in life (which are 100% unavoidable & they WILL personally experience, eventually, in their life). And there are many & varied reasons for failure of parents to grow up & man-up (or woman-up) & BE (BECOME, very quickly, upon learning they are pregnant/becoming parents in several months) – our children did not ask to be born & don’t deserve the handicap of being born to parents who are selfish, resentful (because they didn’t want – or expect – to have kids) & care more about their own romantic trysts & revolving door of live-in boyfriends/girlfriends, going out & partying & having fun, etc. My heart breaks for these kids & young adults.
Bill. From your reasoning, the reason he was saved maybe is because God wants him to pay for the crimes he committed.
That’s idiotic, Bill Smith. She was in the car and the only one with a seatbelt on. There is no god who chose to save her and kill those two boys. The reason she was spared is because she HAD HER SEATBELT ON! Just really stupid, man.
she was in the car also , she could have been killed too . it was a twist of fate that kept her alive . i am not sure if putting her away for life really solves the problem . if she had died with the other two , then there would be no one to gang up on . its not like she went to someones car , cut a brake line , and then watched from a distance as the driver pulls away and crashes . if god wanted to , he could have taken her also . she was spared for a reason . i just dont know what that reason is . we all may never know .