The Crash, Netflix: Killer Mackenzie Shirilla makes wild claim from prison, according to reports
Mackenzie Shirilla has reportedly made a chilling confession from behind bars that casts fresh doubt on her version of events, after the viral success of Netflix documentary The Crash.
Convicted murderer Mackenzie Shirilla has allegedly made a series of disturbing claims from behind bars, with a former inmate alleging the young murderer confessed she deliberately killed her boyfriend and his friend, despite publicly insisting the crash was not intentional.
The shocking allegation comes as renewed interest in the case surges following Netflix’s documentary The Crash, in which Shirilla claims she feels remorse and insists she is “not a monster”.
Anastasia, a former inmate at the Ohio Reformatory for Women, told Daily Mail she was left “deeply disturbed” after spending time with Shirilla in prison.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“She said she was suicidal, but she almost looked as though she was enjoying (telling the story) - like she was amused by it,” Anastasia said.
According to the former inmate, Shirilla, who was jailed over the deadly crash that killed her boyfriend Dominic Russo and his friend Davion Flanagan, made chilling remarks about the incident.
“She said the devil made her do it,” Anastasia claimed.
“She said the devil was pressing on her foot... She wanted to make it sound like she was a little devil girl, and that this is what she intended to do. Like there was a reason that Dom had to die.”
Shirilla was just 17 when she drove a 2018 Toyota Camry at 160km/h into a brick building in Strongsville, Ohio, killing Russo and Flanagan instantly. She was the sole survivor.
In 2023, she was found guilty of multiple charges including murder and aggravated vehicular homicide, and is now serving two concurrent sentences of 15 years to life.
The reported claims from inside prison starkly contrast with Shirilla’s recount in The Crash, where she expresses remorse and denies intending to kill the two men.
In the days after the crash, and before her arrest, Shirilla publicly mourned the victims, even posting emotional tributes online.
“You had such a perfect life ahead of you,” she wrote.
“I miss your laugh, your perfect smile. I feel your energy around me everyday i just wish it was physical. God u are the last person to deserve this. You had such a perfect life ahead of you... I wish I told you all this more. Please wait for me.”
The posts painted the picture of a grieving girlfriend, but investigators later uncovered a far more volatile relationship.
Friends told police Shirilla was “disrespectful”, frequently accused Russo of cheating after he was unfaithful at the start of their relationship, and often threatened to end the relationship.
Newly released text messages also reveal exchanges between the pair in the weeks before the crash.
“Do you think I would have my car started with you in it knowing that you just tried to kill me,” Shirilla allegedly wrote to Russo, according to TMZ.
The outlet also alleged that Shirilla sent a series of alarming messages, similar to ones highlighted in the documentary, including: “I’m gonna kill someone,” and “I j (sic) want to bang my head on the wall till I’m dead.”
“I f...ing hate myself… Now I’m at your f...ing house breaking down on your floor.”
Further insight into Shirilla’s mindset behind bars has emerged through recorded prison calls.
In one conversation with her mother, Natalie Shirilla, which was published by TMZ, the pair dismissed rumours circulating about their family.
“Everyone’s making s... up. Then they were saying that you just got done breaking into a church and you spray-painted and broke everything … like, what?” her mother said. “The rumour mill is strong.”
“Damn, Strongsville people are so sad and depressing. Like, they really have nothing credible,” Mackenzie responded, with her mother adding: “This is the saddest f...ing town ever.”
In another call, Shirilla complained about the slow passage of time in prison.
“Like it’s only 3.30, how is it only 3.30?” she said. “For real I did not even know it was 3.30 I thought it was like 5. It’s 3.30.”
The resurfaced claims and recordings have reignited debate over Shirilla’s motive and whether her version of events, as told in the Netflix documentary, can be believed.
