00:00Welcome to the Deep Dive. Today we're plunging into, well, a really tragic and perplexing case.
00:07It involves a high-speed car crash, two young lives lost, and ultimately a shocking murder conviction.
00:14Yeah, it's a tough one. We're talking about Mackenzie Shirella. She seemed like a pretty ordinary teenager,
00:19but her life took this incredibly devastating, fatal turn.
00:24So our mission for this Deep Dive is to try and pull back the layers on this because it's incredibly complex, isn't it?
00:29It really is. We're going to sift through the sources. We have everything from the relationship dynamics that were reportedly going on before the crash,
00:37right up to the forensic evidence, the judge's decision, and, you know, the questions that still linger.
00:41The idea is to help you understand not just what happened, but hopefully get a sense of the different perspectives on why it might have happened and the impact it's had.
00:49Okay, let's unpack this. Let's start with the people involved.
00:51Mackenzie Shirella, she was born August 2004, raised in Strongsville, Ohio.
00:56At the time of the crash, this was July 2022, she was 17, still a student at Strongsville High School.
01:02And then there was Dominic Russo. He was her boyfriend. They had been together about four years, apparently.
01:07Right.
01:08He's a bit older, 20, already graduated from Strongsville High, had his own business.
01:13Okay.
01:13But the crucial thing here, I think, is the background of their relationship, especially in the months leading up to the crash.
01:21It was allegedly quite turbulent.
01:23Turbulent. How so? What did the sources say?
01:26Well, Dominic's mother, Christine, described the six months before the crash as being filled with fighting, arguments, disagreements, breakups, even threats, she said.
01:39Wow.
01:39Yeah. And Christine apparently felt Mackenzie had become more possessive during that time.
01:45It paints a picture of, well, a pretty intense emotional landscape.
01:48That definitely sets a troubling stage. And there were specific incidents mentioned, right? Things that maybe highlighted this intensity.
01:54There were. Our sources describe one alleged incident. This was just weeks before the crash in July 2022.
02:01Dominic called his mother, apparently saying he was in a bad situation with Mackenzie.
02:05So a family friend, Christopher Martin, who was actually with Christine, drove to pick Dominic up.
02:11And he overheard something.
02:12Reportedly, yeah.
02:13Yeah.
02:13Martin claimed he heard Mackenzie say, I'm going to wreck this car right now.
02:17And he also said he saw her, like, swinging her hands at him as Dominic was getting out of the car.
02:23That's pretty specific and alarming.
02:26It is. And then there was also video footage found later, also from July 2022, where Mackenzie was apparently recorded threatening to break into Dominic's home.
02:34So these alleged threats, this pattern of behavior, how did investigators piece this together with the crash itself?
02:42Was this a big part of the prosecution's case later on?
02:45Oh, absolutely. This alleged pattern became really a key pillar for the prosecution when arguing intent.
02:51It provided context for what they believed happened that night.
02:54OK, so with that context now, let's trace their final hours.
02:57This is July 30th, 2022, leading into the early morning of the 31st.
03:02Right. So Mackenzie, Dominic, and their friend Davion Flanagan, he's the third person involved here, they first went to a graduation party.
03:08This was at Kelly Vraja's house around 10.15 p.m.
03:11OK.
03:12Then later, around 11 p.m., they moved on to another friend's place, Paul Burlinghouse's home.
03:17And what was the atmosphere there? Any sign of trouble?
03:21Well, Burlinghouse testified later that everything seems fine between Mackenzie and Dominic at his house.
03:27They were listening to music. Apparently, some people smoked marijuana. Pretty standard gathering, it seems.
03:33Until they left.
03:33Until they left, yeah. They stayed there quite late, leaving around 5.30 in the morning on July 31st.
03:39So just minutes after leaving that friend's house, what happened?
03:44Just minutes later, Mackenzie's car, a 2018 Toyota Camry, crashed.
03:49And not just crashed, but just slammed into a brick building at this just astonishing speed.
03:54And estimates put it upwards of 100 miles per hour.
03:56100 miles per hour. The consequences must have been immediate and devastating.
04:00Horrific. Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan were both pronounced dead right there at the scene.
04:05Mackenzie herself was found unconscious, she wasn't breathing, and she had very serious injuries.
04:10And there was that chilling detail about the time delay.
04:13Yeah, that's something the sources really emphasize.
04:15It was a full 45 minutes before anyone even found the crash site.
04:18A passerby finally saw it and called 911.
04:2145 minutes. Just awful.
04:23Yeah. So the immediate question for investigators must have been huge.
04:27Was this a terrible, tragic accident or something else?
04:31Exactly. Was it intentional? That became the central question.
04:34And it led to a really extensive investigation.
04:36What was Mackenzie's public reaction initially?
04:39Well, initially, she publicly mourned Dominic online.
04:47Grastically. Months later, after the investigation had progressed, she was arrested.
04:51The charges were incredibly serious. Aggravated murder by two.
04:55Two counts of murder.
04:56Yes. And she was held on a $500,000 bond.
04:59So that shift from someone seemingly grieving to being accused of murder, it really highlights how much the evidence must have pointed towards intent, at least in the eyes of the investigators.
05:09Okay, so let's talk about the trial. It was a bench trial in 2023, meaning a judge decided, not a jury.
05:15Correct. Judge Nancy Margaret Russo presided.
05:17And the prosecution's argument was clear.
05:20They accused Mackenzie Schirrilla of intentionally crashing the car.
05:25Their theory was she wanted to kill Dominic, essentially, to end this relationship they described as toxic.
05:31That was the core argument.
05:32So what was the key evidence? What did the investigation uncover that led them to that conclusion?
05:37A lot rested on the forensic details, particularly from the mechanical expert, Mark Sargent.
05:43He analyzed the car's EDR, the event data recorder. Think of it like the car's black box.
05:49Right. It records what the car was doing.
05:51Exactly. And Sargent found that in the seconds just before impact, the accelerator pedal was pushed all the way down, fully depressed.
05:58Okay. And the brakes?
05:59No brake application at all. Zero. Just seconds before hitting the building.
06:05That's crucial, deliberate acceleration, not trying to stop.
06:08What about that detail with her slipper? I remember reading about that.
06:12Yeah, her fuzzy slipper was found trapped between the gas pedal and the floor mat.
06:16The defense might try to use that, you know, suggest accidental acceleration.
06:19But Sargent had an opinion on that.
06:21He did. His expert analysis concluded it could not have been caught in such a way that it caused unintended acceleration.
06:28Basically, the slipper wasn't forcing the pedal down. The driver input was.
06:34So the data pointed to deliberate actions. Anything else from the EDR?
06:37He also noted a hard steering input, a turn to the right, just before impact.
06:41And the vehicle shifted between neutral and drive in those last moments, too.
06:46Why exactly that happened? Well, there's some uncertainty there.
06:49But critically?
06:50Critically, Sargent found no indication of any pre-crash mechanical or electrical failure.
06:56The car didn't malfunction.
06:57So mechanical failure rolled out.
06:59Points back to the driver.
07:01What else came out about McKenzie's state or actions?
07:04Well, Detective Zaki Hazu's part of the investigation added more pieces.
07:08He revealed she was under the influence of marijuana.
07:11Okay.
07:11And also, they found psychedelic mushrooms, psilocybin, in her possession at the time of the crash, which are known for altering perception.
07:19Right. And her driving history.
07:22The detective uncovered over 100 instances on her social media that he described as distracted or reckless driving.
07:29Things like driving while smoking, stuff like that.
07:32It suggested a pattern, perhaps, of risky behavior behind the wheel.
07:36And McKenzie's response to all this evidence.
07:39Throughout it all, her position was consistent.
07:43She claimed she had absolutely no memory of the moments leading right up to the crash.
07:47Complete amnesia for that critical period.
07:50So the prosecution presents this picture.
07:52Turbulent relationship, threats, drugs, reckless driving history, and then the car data showing deliberate acceleration, no braking, no malfunction.
08:01It seems like a strong case for intent.
08:03It was definitely a compelling narrative presented by the prosecution.
08:06But with her claiming no memory, did the defense offer any counter narratives or focus on raising doubt about that intent?
08:14They certainly emphasized the amnesia.
08:17And later, in appeals, they brought up other points.
08:19But in the trial itself, the judge had to weigh that claim against the physical evidence.
08:23And the judge, Judge Nancy Margaret Russo, she weighed it and came to a decision.
08:28She did.
08:29In August 2023, she found McKenzie Schirrilla guilty.
08:34Not just of one charge, but of all 12 counts against her.
08:37All 12, including the two murder charges.
08:39Yes, murder, aggravated vehicular homicide, felonious assault, drug possession, the works.
08:47And the judge's words at the verdict were quite striking, weren't they?
08:49Extremely powerful.
08:51Judge Russo stated,
08:53She even referred to Schirrilla as hell on wheels.
09:00Very strong language, leaving no doubt about her interpretation of the evidence.
09:04So with that conviction, what was the sentence?
09:06McKenzie Schirrilla received two concurrent prison terms of 15 years to life.
09:11Concurrent meaning they run at the same time.
09:12Correct.
09:13So she becomes eligible for parole after serving 15 years.
09:16Her driver's license was also permanently suspended.
09:18Did McKenzie say anything at the sentencing?
09:21She did.
09:22She gave a tearful statement, speaking directly to the families of Dominic and Davian.
09:26She said,
09:27I'm so deeply sorry.
09:29I hope one day you can see how I'd never let this happen or do it on purpose.
09:33I wish I could remember what happened.
09:34I'm just so sorry.
09:35I'm heartbroken.
09:36So where is she now?
09:37And is this legally settled?
09:39She's currently serving her sentence in an Ohio women's prison in Marysville.
09:43But legally, it's not entirely settled in the sense that appeals are ongoing.
09:49Her conviction was upheld on an initial appeal.
09:51Okay.
09:52But her legal team and her parents, Steve and Natalie Schirrilla,
09:56they're continuing to fight.
09:57They filed further appeals and post-conviction relief petitions.
10:01And on what grounds?
10:02What are they arguing now?
10:03They claim primarily that two key pieces of evidence were ignored or not given enough weight
10:09at the trial.
10:10First, they point to health data from a neurologist, Dr. Kamal Kamali.
10:14What did that data suggest?
10:15They argue it suggests McKenzie might have experienced a loss of consciousness or some kind of medical
10:20event right before the crash.
10:22Their argument is, you know, if that happened, it wasn't intentional.
10:25A medical episode rather than a deliberate act.
10:28Precisely.
10:29And the second piece is text messages.
10:32Apologetic texts reportedly from Dominic Russo, which the parents show he was the one who often
10:37instigated their fights, trying to reframe that relationship dynamic.
10:41I see.
10:41So challenging both the physical actions intent and the relationship narrative.
10:46Exactly.
10:47Her father, Steve Schirrilla, put it very forcefully, saying something like,
10:50show me one piece of evidence, one that says she did this on purpose, but there isn't any.
10:56Clearly, they strongly believe in her innocence of intent.
10:59Of course, this tragedy had a devastating impact on the victim's families, too.
11:02What have they said?
11:03Understandably, profound grief.
11:05Dominic Russo's sister said, nothing can make this better.
11:09There's a huge hole in us all.
11:10We will never be whole again.
11:12Heartbreaking.
11:12And she expressed real concern about the parole eligibility, saying, you know, my brother's life
11:17and Davion's life was completely stolen.
11:19They don't get out in 15 years.
11:21That sense of the sentence perhaps not matching the finality of their loss.
11:26That's a powerful perspective on justice and time served.
11:30It is.
11:30But then what's really quite fascinating and adds another layer of complexity is the perspective
11:35from Dominic's father, Frank Russo.
11:37What'd he say?
11:38He expressed this desire for Mackenzie's rehabilitation alongside his grief.
11:43He said something to the effect of, I lost my son.
11:47It's harder on our family, but I don't want the rest of her life ruined, too.
11:50And isn't going to make me feel any better.
11:52Wow, that's remarkable empathy.
11:55Isn't it?
11:56He continued, saying, she's just a little kid.
11:59She effed up.
12:00She did a damn stupid thing, but now her parents are destroyed.
12:04Her family's destroyed, too.
12:05I wish there was a way she could get some kind of help, some kind of treatment.
12:10That's such a complex mix of acknowledging the act, but also seeing the person and hoping
12:14for, well, something other than just punishment.
12:17Exactly.
12:18It really highlights how differently people, even within the same grieving family, can
12:23view justice and the path forward after such a tragedy.
12:26This deep dive really just lays bare a devastating story, doesn't it?
12:30So many conflicting narratives, so much heartbreaking loss.
12:32The legal system reached its verdict based on the evidence put before it.
12:36Right, based on the standard of proof in court.
12:38But for the families involved, the pain obviously continues, and these fundamental questions about
12:42why, about intent, and about what happens next, they just remain.
12:47Yeah, this case really forces you to confront the just immense complexities of relationships,
12:53especially young relationships.
12:54And the terrible, unforgiving nature of split-second decisions or actions behind the wheel.
13:00And the ripple effects.
13:01The lasting impacts of tragedy, absolutely.
13:04And as we saw with the families, it really brings up different ideas of what justice even
13:08means.
13:08Is it punishment?
13:09Is it rehabilitation?
13:10Is it answers?
13:11So, as you, the listener, reflect on this case, maybe consider how much we can ever truly
13:18know what happened in a situation like this, especially when intent is the core question
13:23and the person convicted claims they don't remember the key moments.
13:26Yeah, and what does accountability look like in that context?
13:29It also makes you think about how our whole understanding of an event can shift, sometimes
13:34dramatically, depending on which perspective you hear or which pieces of evidence you prioritize.
13:38It's a lot to think about.
13:40After hearing all of this today, what's the one thing that really stands out most to
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