A TEENAGE girl who killed her boyfriend and friend in a 100-mph suicide-murder mission has made a last-ditch attempt at freedom just three years into her life sentence.
Mackenzie Shirilla, who was 17 at the time of the crash in July 2022, was jailed the following year after the deaths of her partner, Dominic Russo, 20, and their pal, Davion Flanagan, 19, in Ohio.
Mackenzie Shirilla looked stunned in court as the verdict was read out in 2023 Credit: WKYC
Photographs show the horror wreckage from the crash on July Credit: WKYC
She sobbed in court after being found guilty of four counts of murder, four counts of felonious assault, and two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide.
Under Ohio law, prosecutors can file multiple legal theories of murder for the same victims.
The U.S. Sun can reveal Shirilla is now begging for a new trial yet again after a legal blunder saw a previous appeal tossed out for being just one day late.
The 8th District Court of Appeals upheld the lower court ruling that denied her request, claiming her legal team waited too long to file and missed the 365-day legal deadline.
Mackenzie Shirilla’s boyfriend, Dominic Russo, was killed in the accident, along with their friend Credit: A. Ripepi and Sons
Mackenzie Shirilla was 19 when she convicted and burst into tears in court Credit: WKYC
A new filing lodged on April 27 shows Shirilla is now fighting the judgment to try and escape life in prison.
Her lawyers claim, “This appeal arises from a felony case that presents substantial constitutional questions and matters of great public and great general interest.”
The move comes as the story will be revisited in a new Netflix documentary, The Crash , which airs on Friday.
The 90-minute film features new interviews, police bodycam footage, and other never-before-seen evidence in the case.
Shirilla, who a judge previously dubbed “hell on wheels,” maintains her innocence after investigators said the crash was an attempt at murder-suicide to prevent Russo from breaking up with her.
Shirilla’s attorneys are demanding a new trial based on new medical evidence suggesting she suffered a “medical episode” (specifically a seizure related to nervous system disorder) rather than intentionally crashing, and that her trial attorney failed to present this evidence.
The team previously claimed the petition was filed late due to 2024 being a leap year, and argued that the term “trial transcript” was vague and led to miscalculation.
The State of Ohio pushed back Thursday, filing a formal request for the Supreme Court to reject the appeal.
Documents seen by The U.S. Sun reveal the state’s stance: the 365-day filing window is a “jurisdictional” rule with no exceptions for attorney blunders or fairness.
To underscore the gravity of the case, they also said, “Her vehicle’s data recorder showed that Shirilla drove more than 95 mph in a 35 mph zone, with the accelerator pedal 100 per cent depressed, never applying the brakes.”
The filing also highlights that Shirilla had previously threatened to crash her vehicle while her boyfriend was inside.
The Supreme Court of Ohio will now decide whether to accept the case for review.
The trailer for the new documentary opens with police racing to the scene, as an officers says, “This is the worst crash I’ve ever seen.”
A panicked official then explains, “Three occupants, 17-year-old female, still breathing.”
Shirilla, who drove head-on into a commercial building in Strongsville, a suburb of Cleveland, was rushed to hospital after being found unconscious with her foot on the gas.
The convicted killer, now 21, suffered severe injuries, including broken bones, a lacerated liver/kidney, and broken ribs, and had to undergo multiple surgeries.
Dominic and Davion were killed instantly and all three youngsters had marijuana in their system at the time of the crash.
In the trailer, harrowing video surveillance footage shows the car speeding along the road before smashing into the building with a bang.
Shirilla’s former friends are also seen talking about how a split-second decision changed their lives forever – just after they graduated high school.
Social media content from her accounts shows her pouting, wearing large sunglasses , and smoking in her car, declaring in one clip, “You can go f*** yourself.”
Texts are also featured from one friend telling Shirilla, “Kenzie this isnt right and u know it.”
Prosecutors previously claimed social media content after the crash showed she had “no remorse” following the deaths of Dominic and Davion.
The pictures and video included a concert she went to, along with TikTok clips of Shirilla and her friends getting ready for Halloween.
She and Dominic lived together and had been dating for four years at the time of the crash.
But their relationship was described by friends as “toxic” and they were often fighting.
These fights allegedly involved Shirilla threatening and hitting Russo, according to court documents.
Judge Nancy Margaret Russo told the court that she believed the crash was no accident, and video showed that plainly.
“Her actions were controlled, methodical, deliberate, intentional, and purposeful,” she explained.
“This was not reckless driving. This was murder.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
I'm dedicated to creating high-quality content that informs, inspires, and delights. If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to get in touch. Happy reading!
