Sobbing teen murdered boyfriend in ‘deliberate’ 100mph ‘mission of …
Teen Mackenzie Shirilla was branded a “hell on wheels”[1] by a judge as the sobbing Ohio woman was found guilty[2] of murder.
Shirilla was 17 when she murdered her[3] boyfriend Dominic Russo, 20, along with his friend Davion Flanagan, 19 by slamming the car they were in into a wall at 100mph. Shrilla miraculously survived the crash, but now faces life in prison after she was found guilty of murder, aggravated vehicular homicide and felonious assault.
She drove her Toyota Camry into a corner of the Plidco Building in Strongsville, Ohio, in July 2022. Prosecutors said her relationship with Dominic was difficult. Shirilla was found guilty by a judge in a bench trial after horrific footage showed the car driving under the speed limit before suddenly accelerating to 100mph.
For all the latest news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US[4]
Shirilla sobbed as the verdict was read to her (
Youtube/WKYCChannel3)
Police said Shirilla planned her route before the crash as she and Dominic began arguing a lot including one incident in which friends had to lead Dominic away from his girlfriend’s car. His mother and brother testified against Shirilla and said she was “unfair” towards him.
One friend said they heard Shriialla threatening to key her partner’s car, while another said she said she would deliberately crash it with both of them inside. Friends also testified Shirilla, Dominic and Davion had smoked marijuana at a friend’s house on the night of the crash.
Russo’s family said Shirilla was ‘unfair’ to him (
Facebook)
Police said Shirilla planned her route before the crash (
Facebook)
Prosecutors said Davion was simply unfortunate to be in the car at the time of the incident. “He was friends with Dominic, and Davion was just cargo. He was just a suitcase in the backseat in the defendant’s mind,” said prosecutor Michael O’Malley.
In a statement before the verdict, Dominic’s family said they wanted “justice” not revenge for the murder. “This has been an absolutely devastating loss for our families. We feel that Mackenzie is a threat to both herself and the community if she were to be released,” Dominic’s mum said. Shirilla faces a life sentence and will not be up for parole until 2038. She is due to be sentenced on August 21.
One of Shirilla’s fuzzy Prada slippers was found stuck to the accelerator (
Youtube/WKYCChannel3)
Dominic’s dad Scott said: “We do not seek vengeance, only justice for our son who was nothing more than an innocent passenger looking for a ride home.”
Shirilla was not breathing when a passer-by discovered the car at the side of the warehouse building 45 minutes later. She was taken to hospital and fully recovered after a number of surgeries, but both men were declared dead at the scene.
Prosecutors said Flanagan, right, was simply unfortunate to be in the car at the time of the incident (
Youtube/WKYCChannel3)
“She had a mission, and she executed it with precision,” Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Nancy Margaret Russo said during the reading of the verdict, causing Shirilla to sob and look at her family in disbelief. “The decision was death.”
Supporters of the teen shouted that they loved her as she was taken out of the courtroom.
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley told reporters the surveillance footage was key to the arrest and charges, because Shrilla did not appear to brake as she sped towards the wall. “When you drive for four or five seconds with the pedal all the way down until you hit 100 mph into a building, we felt the charge was appropriate,” O’Malley said.
Surveillance footage was key, prosecutors said (
Youtube/WKYCChannel3)
“She morphs from responsible driver to literal hell on wheels,” the judge said of the footage. She added: “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.”
References
- ^ “hell on wheels” (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ found guilty (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ she murdered her (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ The Mirror US (www.themirror.com)