Is Mackenzie Shirilla Seeking an Appeal? 'I Think She's Done' Says Expert (Exclusive)
Mackenzie Shirilla is featured in Netflix's new documentary, The Crash. The now-21-year-old is serving time in prison after she was convicted of murdering her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, and a friend, Davion Flanagan, on July 31, 2022, in Strongsville, Ohio.
Shirilla was driving a vehicle at a high rate of speed when the car slammed into a brick building, killing Russo and Flanagan on impact. Shirilla, who was 17 at the time, was severely injured in the crash, but survived. She claims that she doesn't recall what happened in the moments before her car hit the building.
Months into the investigation, Shirilla was arrested on murder charges. After hearing the evidence and testimony, a judge found Shirilla guilty and sentenced her to 15-years-to-life in prison, making her eligible for parole in 2037.
Shirilla has tried to appeal the ruling three times-twice in Cuyahoga County Court and once in the Eighth District Court of Appeals-but all three attempts have been denied, according to People magazine.
Parade reached out to Josephine "Jo" R. Potuto, a renowned University of Nebraska law professor, for some insight. Potuto doesn't think that a court will approve any additional appeals-though Shirilla may still try.
"I think she is done," Potuto says. "The Ohio Supreme Court is very unlikely to hear her case, despite her recent appeal. She could go into federal court if she has a constitutional claim, such as ineffective assistance of counsel -- as her legal team missed the filing date on post- conviction and who knows what else."
Shirilla is currently serving two concurrent prison sentences at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville, Ohio.
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This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 11:29 AM.