The Crash: The Mackenzie Shirilla case
It was a tragic accident that claimed the lives of two young men…or was it? In May 2026, a Netflix documentary called The Crash explores the case of Mackenzie Shirilla, Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan.
The story took the world by storm, as what seemed like a terrible accident soon became something much more sinister. Shirilla – who was 17 at the time – was thought to have accidentally caused a crash that took the lives of Dom and Davion. However, she was later accused of premeditated murder and sentenced accordingly.
Join us here at Crime+Investigation as we look into this case in a little more detail.
Who is Mackenzie Shirilla?
At the time of the incident, Mackenzie Shirilla was 17 years old and had recently graduated from Strongsville High School in Strongsville, Ohio. Mackenzie was known at school for being a clothing and lifestyle TikToker. She was also said to be a big fan of the Mean Girls character Regina George and would often act like her.
Who was Dominic Russo?
Dominic Russo was 20 years old and had also graduated. Dom and Shirilla had been dating for four years, though the two were very on-again, off-again. They lived together in 2021, but by 2022, their relationship seemed to be deteriorating again. Dom’s mother said that Shirilla was abusive, while a family friend claimed to have seen her screaming at Dom.
Who was Davion Flanagan?
Davion was 19 years old and was a friend to both Dom and Shirilla. He was an athlete in high school and had been adopted by a guardian at age eight.
The crash
Shirilla, Davion and Dom attended a graduation party on 30th July 2022. They weren’t there for long, spending under an hour at the party. They drove to another friend's house where they smoked weed until around 5:30am on 31st July. The crash occurred shortly after they left the house.
A CCTV camera showed Shirilla – who was driving – turning into Progress Drive from Pearl Road. She was driving responsibly, activating her turn signal before slowly turning right. However, only a minute after this footage, Shirilla’s car is seen speeding at more than 100 miles an hour. The vehicle then hits the side of a brick building. Emergency services didn’t arrive for another 45 minutes. Shirilla was in a critical condition, but she was alive. Dom and Davion were pronounced dead on the scene.
Suspicions arise
Shirilla had to have several surgeries after the crash, and she was said to have been inconsolable after discovering what happened to Dom and Davion. However, it didn’t take long before the authorities started to get suspicious. Shirilla’s behavior was disconcerting. She had been posting to her TikTok while in hospital and had attracted enough attention there to start receiving modeling agency offers. She attended concerts while in a wheelchair and even posted a picture of Dom and Davion dressed up as dead bodies for Halloween on social media.
A certified forensic mechanic was brought in to examine the vehicle when the police and the family of the deceased began to suspect that Shirilla had purposely caused the accident. The mechanic testified that the vehicle's accelerator pedal had been pushed down to its full extent and that there had been no attempt to apply the brakes. He also stated that the vehicle had not been tampered with in any way, as was initially thought.
The arrest
Evidence against Shirilla was gradually collected until she was arrested on 4th November 2022, not long after her discharge from the hospital. Cuyahoga County Court found her guilty of murder, drug possession (magic mushrooms were found on her person), criminal tool possession, felonious assault, and aggravated vehicular homicide.
The sentencing
Shirilla was sentenced on 21st August 2023. She received two life in prison sentences – one for Dom and one for Davion – with a chance of parole in 15 years. The terms will be served concurrently. Her driver’s licence was also permanently suspended.
The appeal
In September 2023, the legal team for Shirilla filed an appeal, arguing clerical errors and a lack of evidence. This attempt was denied, as was the second appeal attempt made in April 2025.
Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan had their young lives cruelly taken from them by one terrible, violent, selfish act. They are remembered by their friends and family. Davion’s family also set up the Davion Flanagan Memorial Scholarship Fund. This fundraiser is being used to create a memorial scholarship fund that will aid those on low incomes attempting to get into barber work – a dream Davion himself had.
Want to stay up to date on all of our content here at Crime+Investigation? Then be sure to subscribe to our newsletter. By doing so, you’ll get exclusive access to exclusive articles, interviews, and more.
