Mackenzie Shirilla’s alleged ex-girlfriend from prison says the convicted killer bragged about her “Shirilla the Killa” nickname behind bars, talked about future fame after release, and showed little remorse for the crash that killed her boyfriend and his friend.
In the early hours of July 31, 2022, Mackenzie Shirilla was behind the wheel of her Toyota Camry when the car tore down a quiet street in Strongsville, Ohio, before slamming straight into a brick wall at nearly 100 mph.
Inside the vehicle were Shirilla’s boyfriend, 20-year-old Dominic Russo, and their friend, 19-year-old Davion Flanagan. Neither survived the crash.
Prosecutors later argued the collision was not an accident, but a deliberate act carried out after growing tension between Shirilla and Russo.
Investigators pointed to messages, alleged threats, and videos recovered from Russo’s phone that reportedly captured explosive arguments between the couple in the weeks before the crash.
But Shirilla – days from turning 18 at the time of the crash and tried as an adult – maintained throughout the case that she could not remember the moments leading up to impact and denied intentionally driving into the wall.
Defense centered around POTS
As the trial unfolded, Shirilla’s legal team argued she may have suffered a medical episode connected to Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).
Her mother, Natalie Shirilla, defended that explanation while testifying in court.
“I always tell everybody that she has POTS,” Natalie said.
“POTS stands for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. It’s a blood pressure disorder. You can either get dizzy, lightheadedness, you can black out.”
Prosecution, however, pointed to surveillance footage and crash data that appeared to contradict the defense theory.
According to investigators, Shirilla looked alert and in control as she navigated winding roads moments before impact, while data recovered from the vehicle reportedly showed the accelerator remained pressed until the crash.
Reports tied to the Netflix documentary, The Crash, later stated that no medical records or expert testimony confirming a POTS diagnosis were presented during trial.
Crash was ‘intentional’
After reviewing the evidence, Judge Nancy Russo sided with prosecutors and rejected Shirilla’s claim that she blacked out behind the wheel.
“The [crash] video clearly shows the purpose and intent of the defendant,” the judge said, according to CBS affiliate 19 News.
As the verdict was delivered, Russo described Shirilla as someone who transformed from an ordinary teenager into “literal hell on wheels” before carrying out what she called a deliberate mission of “death and destruction.”
Then came the line that quickly spread across headlines covering the case: “This was not reckless driving. This was murder.”
According to People, the judge later described Shirilla’s actions as “controlled, methodical, deliberate, intentional and purposeful.”
Now 21, Shirilla is serving two concurrent sentences of 15 years to life at the Ohio Reformatory for Women. She could become eligible for parole in 2037.
Shirilla’s prison girlfriend
Years after the crash, new attention surrounding the case has come from 27-year-old Shyann Topping, who told The U.S. Sun she became romantically involved with Shirilla while they were locked up together.
“So I guess she seen me when I was coming down the stairs one day,” Topping told the outlet, explaining that Shirilla quickly started making demands of her new girlfriend.
“If we did argue, it’s because I didn’t come outside on time or didn’t come outside for that yard.
“And she’d like, ‘I was waiting for you. Where were you? Like, if this is how it’s gonna go, I just won’t talk to you,'” she said of her ex’s diva-like behavior.
No remorse
According to Topping, Shirilla – who spoke for the first time in The Crash – was confident about a quick prison release.
“She’s going with this POTS theory when everybody knows it’s not true,” Topping alleged of Shirilla, who she described as “pretty and bubbly.”
“And then she’s gonna say, go out there, appeal, appeal, appeal, appeal, going with that theory.”
“It’s not gonna work. You have to show remorse. You at least gotta tell the families what happened,” she said.
‘Throw up a big middle finger’
At first, Topping said she believed that the deadly crash had truly been an accident.
“I thought, okay, if this girl really is innocent, it would be an amazing story to get out, write a book and blow up off of that and even honor your boyfriend and his friend,” said Topping, who was released after serving time for drug-related charges.
“Then if she did blow up, okay, she could set the families off with her, what is it? Publishing money.”
‘Shrilla the Killer’
But after leaving prison and looking back on the relationship, Topping explained her perspective completely shifted of her ex, who boasted about her prison nickname: “Shirilla the Killa.”
“Now I’m thinking, okay, she was just trying to grab a piece of fame,” she claimed. “I don’t think she would do any of that for the families if she got out,” she said adding “she’s gonna get out and live it again.”
“I think she would throw up a big middle finger to them like, I got away with it.”
Prison farewell
The former inmate also described their relationship becoming serious quickly.
“Mackenzie was upset that I was leaving,” Topping said. “She would tell me all the time, ‘I wish we met sooner before you were about to get out. I wish you would have talked [to me] before this.’”
According to Topping, Shirilla told her “I love you” after only two weeks together.
The relationship later fell apart after Topping allegedly started pressing Shirilla for answers about the crash – questions that were answered after Topping watched The Crash documentary.
Now she calls her ex “sick” and “evil,” and questions why her parents continued to make excuses for their daughter.
“I could see why they’re like loving their daughter, but she does need to be held accountable for it [the deaths],” she said. “Just justifying everything your kid does just because they’re your kid is not okay.”
She added, “You can still love her and hold her accountable.”
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