Newly released bodycam footage has shed light on the surprising behavior of Mackenzie Shirilla, the Ohio teen convicted of intentionally crashing her car into a wall at 100 mph, resulting in the tragic deaths of two passengers.
In the early hours of July 31, 2022, Shirilla, then 17, was captured on surveillance footage driving her 2018 Toyota Camry at an astonishing 100 mph in Strongsville before crashing into a brick building. Under the influence of marijuana and THC, and allegedly embroiled in a fight with her boyfriend, Shirilla’s actions were described as “literal hell on wheels” by Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Nancy Margaret Russo during her 2023 conviction, reported by Fox News.
The crash killed Shirilla’s boyfriend, Dominic Russo, 20, and their friend, Davion Flanagan, who was in the back seat. Both were found dead at the scene. Shirilla, unconscious and not breathing, was trapped inside the car and had to be rescued. She was convicted on all 12 charges, including murder, aggravated vehicular homicide, and drug possession, and was sentenced to life in prison in August 2023. She will be eligible for parole after 15 years.
The bodycam footage released by the Strongsville Police Department shows Shirilla’s dramatic arrest. In the video, Shirilla is seen sitting in the back of a police SUV, wearing a tank top with a jacket pulled down across her back. An officer introduces himself and informs her that she is under arrest for aggravated murder, to which she reacts in shock. As the officer prepares to switch her handcuffs, Shirilla pleads, “Could you please be careful taking this one off so it doesn’t break the bracelet, please?” to which the officer agrees, saying, “You got it.”
After entering the police vehicle, Shirilla looks into the interior camera and tries to fall asleep. Authorities later discovered that she had been smoking marijuana with her friends before the crash, and that THC levels in her system exceeded the legal limit for driving. Additionally, Shirilla’s fuzzy Prada slipper was found stuck to the gas pedal.
Prosecutors emphasized that the crash was intentional. “The intent was obvious upon seeing that video… there was no attempt to slow down or stop,” said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley. “It was full speed into a building and tragically it cost two people their lives”, 3News reported. O’Malley also suggested that Shirilla intended to end her turbulent relationship with Russo, stating, “She took everybody that was in the car with her.”