Mackenzie Shirilla has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of her boyfriend Dominic Russo and her friend Davion Flanagan.
Horror transpired as a fatal car crash claimed the lives of two young passengers.
Following the tragedy, driver MacKenzie Shirilla faced charges related to the deaths of both Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan.
On August 2023, the young woman received her sentence and she remorsefully delievered a tearful message to her victim’s family. Read on for more
Who was Mackenzie Shirilla’s boyfriend, Dominic Russo?
Born on September 24, 2001, Dominic Russo was a 20-year-old resident of Strongsville, Ohio.
The late victim is survived by his parents Christine Agnello and Frank Russo.
Dominic is also survived by his older siblings Angelo, Christopher, Christine, Nicole, Michael, and Frank.
“He was always the one who made us smile, he always had the biggest smile on his face,” his brother Frank remembered to WEWS.
At the time of his death, he was romantically involved with MacKenzie Shirilla.
What did Mackenzie Shirilla do to her boyfriend Dominic Russo and friend Davion Flanagan?
On July 31, 2022, Dominic was pronounced dead at the scene of a fatal car crash.
That early Sunday morning, he was one of the passengers seated in a vehicle that was believed to be going 100 miles per hour when the car crashed in the northwest region of Strongsville.
The tragedy also claimed the life of 19-year-old Davion Flanagan.
On November 4 of the same year, driver MacKenzie Shirilla was arrested for aggravated vehicular homicide.
Last week, Judge 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.”
Prosecutors presented video of the July 2022 crash during the trial.
The footage starts by showing Shirilla driving at the time of the incident at a normal speed, until turning onto the next street.
From there, Russo described Shirilla as turning into “literal hell on wheels.”
The video reportedly showed the teen speeding at 100mph, before hitting a brick wall.
Both passengers died at the time of the incident, with Shirilla found unconscious in the wreckage.
What was MacKenzie Shirilla’s trial verdict?
On August 14, 2023, Shirilla was found guilty of all 12 charges brought against her from the incident.
She was convicted of aggravated vehicular homicide, felonious assault, murder, and drug possession.
“We are just thankful that we feel justice was served today,” Davion’s mother Jaime Flanagan told WKYC.
“There’s not a day that goes by that we don’t miss our son and justice was served for him today. But honestly there’s no winners here. There’s no winners here today.”
She also revealed she shared an emotional moment with Dominic’s mother, Christine.
Jaime explained: “We’re just hugging each other and we’re sorry that this happened. We’re sad, we’re sorry, but we’re thankful. We’re thankful.”
Upon the verdict’s announcement, the judge concluded: “This was not reckless driving, this was murder.
“She had a mission and she executed it with precision. The decision was death. She chose a course of death and destruction that day”.
“Mackenzie alone made the decision to drive the car, to drive an obscure route, a route she visited a few days before, and a route not routinely taken by her.
“Mackenzie alone chose a time to make the drive, early in the morning, when any reasonable person would expect a few people would be nearby to witness it or offer life-saving assistance.”
Where is Mackenzie Shirilla now?
On Monday, August 21, 2023, Shirilla was sentenced to two concurrent life sentences for the murders of Dominic Russo, 20, and her friend Davion Flanagan, 19. She will be eligible for parole after 15 years.
The teen was found guilty on all counts last week after video footage showed she planned to kill her her boyfriend and friend after crashing a car into a wall at 100mph.
Shirilla was hit with 15 years to life each for the murders of Dominic and Davion to be served concurrently with time served.
Shirilla’s driver’s license was also suspended for life.
Mackenzie Shirilla and her mother spoke at her final verdict
Posts that Shirilla shared on social media after the crash were used in court by the prosecution to argue that she showed “no remorse” following the deaths of Dominic and Davion.
The pictures and video included a concert she went to along with TikToks of Shirilla and her friends getting ready for Halloween.
Shirilla’s mother, Natalie Shirilla, addressed the court and the families of Dominic and Davion.
She claimed Shirilla had no memory of the crash, calling it an accident, and that she will never emotionally and physically recover from the loss of her boyfriend and friend.
“She would never, ever, ever murder the love of her life,” said Natalie Shirilla.
The mother explained she allowed Shirilla to celebrate Halloween after she spent “three months crying in bed” over Dominic.
“There was a shrine of (Dominic) next to her bed with photos and things that he liked,” she said.
“Her friends asked if she wanted to go trick-or-treating – for Halloween and she didn’t even want to go. She couldn’t even walk yet barely.”
Shirilla read a note to the court, calling Dominic her “soulmate” and said she was “so deeply sorry” for the crash.
What did Mackenzie Shirilla’s victims’ families say?
Davion’s mother, Jamie Flanagan spoke to the court during the hearing, saying that she was “devasted” by the loss.
“So many dreams shattered, a future stolen,” she tearfully said. “We will never get to see the amazing that he would surely be.”
Davion’s sister, with whom he was adopted by the Flanagan family with in 2012, asked the Common Pleas Court Judge Nancy Margaret Russo to give Shirilla the maximum punishment.
“Mackenzie Shirilla had a choice,” said Dominic’s mother. “Dom and Davion did not.”
Dominic’s sister, Christine Russo, shared photos of Dominic with a heartbroken emoji for the one-year anniversary of the crash.
“Wish July 31st never existed,” read the post. “Wish this was a long nightmare. I miss you dom. Your sister misses you a lot. I love you so much Nooch. One year without you down, a lifetime to go.
“And it’s gonna suck. It sucks so bad. You should be here.”
Russo shared another post, this time a video of the family performing a vigil for Dominic, releasing balloons with his name on them.
“One year without my brother, a lifetime to go. We miss you so much, Dom. We miss you so damn much.”
Davion’s parents shared a post following the end of Shirilla’s trial, featuring a drawing of Davion with angel wings.
“The closing arguments in the murder trial of our son Davion concluded yesterday. The case is now in the hands of the judge who will render her verdict on Monday,” read the post on August 11.
“I’d like to ask all of our family and friends to send us your kind thoughts, good vibes and heartfelt prayers that she comes to a verdict that is fair and brings peace to the families of Davion and Dominic.
“We do not seek vengeance, only justice for our son who was nothing more that an innocent passenger looking for a ride home.”