Mackenzie Shirilla, the Ohio teenager dubbed “Hell on Wheels” has been handed two concurrent 15 year sentences for the intentional crash of her car at 100 mph that killed her boyfriend and his friend in July 2022. After a bench trial last week, 19-year-old Shirilla was found guilty of 12 counts, including murder.
The fateful crash occurred in the Cleveland suburb of Strongsville, with Mackenzie screaming and driving without brakes into a brick building. Dominic Russo, 20, and Davion Flanagan, 19, were declared dead at the scene.
At her sentencing hearing on Monday, Judge Nancy Margaret Russo contemplated whether to give Shirilla consecutive or concurrent sentences. She eventually decided to go with the latter and Mackenzie was also granted credit for time served. Her driver’s license has been permanently revoked and she will now serve her sentence consecutively.
At her sentencing hearing on Monday, Mackenzie Shirilla was offered no leniency by the court. “The pain in this room wants me to impose the harshest sentence,” the Chief Judge admitted; yet, she believed such a sentence would be unfair given Shirilla’s youth and unlikely future parole.
Addressing the court with audible anguish, Shirilla tearfully responded to the families of Dominic and Davion who had asked for the severest punishment possible. “I’m so deeply sorry… I wish I could remember what happened,” she sobbed, “but we were all friends, and Dom was my soul mate.” She thanked her family for their love and support.
Christine Russo, Dominic’s mother, appeared unmoved by the plea but showed a degree of understanding when she said: “Mackenzie, going to prison because you did this, be thankful you’re still alive and have a future, whatever that may be.” Despite such remarks from the victims’ families, the Judge ruled that Mackenzie deserved mercy as she had no prior criminal record.
The family of Dom and Davion Flanagan, whose lives were tragically ended in a car crash caused by driver Mackenzie Shirilla, have been left devastated. Davyne Flanagan, Dom’s sister, discussed her grief and anger at the loss of her brother and cousin. Citing Shirilla’s supposed lack of remorse in the form of various TikTok videos in which she was seen attending a concert and celebrating Halloween after the crash, Davyne requested the longest possible sentence for Shirilla.
In her statement on behalf of her family, Davyne said: “We already know God will have mercy on her soul, but we hope justice will be served with the longest possible sentence. Mackenzie took an unbearable toll on our family – she robbed Dom and Davion of their life, hopes and dreams – there was no mercy here.”
At a hearing in court this week, Natalie Shirilla, mother of the accused hit-and-run driver, pleaded for leniency for her daughter. She said that the 20-year-old had recently made a friend, Davion, and lamenting that her daughter “had been holed up in her room crying next to a shrine she made of Dominic Russo for months.”
However, her comments drew sharp rebuke from the judge who questioned her insinuation that “the life of the victim was worthless” leading her to make an apology to the victim’s family. Despite enduring the tragedy of losing a son, Frank Russo, father of Dominic, showed his mercy to the accused and spoke to NBC News last week saying: “I don’t want the rest of her life ruined too” indicating his acceptance and forgiveness. Will justice show compassion towards the accused or will it demand an eye for an eye? Stay tuned to discover what comes next.
The courtroom was tense last week as Judge Russo delivered her blistering judgement on Shirilla’s horrific crime. “She had a mission, and she executed it with precision. The mission was death.” On the morning of July 31, 2022, at 5:30 A.M., Shirilla drove her Toyota Camry with deadly intent into the Plidco Building in the Cleveland suburb of Strongsville.
When the police arrived at the scene about 45 minutes later, they declared Russo and Flanagan dead, and Shirilla was hospitalized for her injuries.” Judge Russo resolutely declared that Shirilla was ‘literal hell on wheels’, having visited the building days before and carefully chosen an early hour with few potential witnesses. Authorities argued that her escalating turmoil and threats against her boyfriend had resulted in a deadly crash meant to end their relationship.