- Mackenzie Shirilla, a 19-year-old, has been convicted of murder in relation to a fatal car crash that claimed the lives of her boyfriend and his friend.
- The judge has deemed the crash intentional, describing it as part of Shirilla’s “mission of death.”
- The father of the victims expressed his reluctance to support a life sentence for Shirilla, as he does not wish to see her life ruined as well.
The father of a teenager who caused a fatal car crash resulting in the deaths of her boyfriend and his friend believes she should not be sentenced to life in prison.
Mackenzie Shirilla, aged 19, was found guilty this week of four murder charges related to a 2022 car crash that killed her 20-year-old boyfriend, Dominic Russo, and his 19-year-old friend, Davion Flanagan.
Shirilla intentionally drove into a brick building at 100 mph, as ruled by the judge who described it as part of her “mission of death,” according to a report by NBC News.
Despite the tragic loss of his son, Frank Russo told NBC News on Friday that he does not support a life sentence for Shirilla.
He stated, “It’s a terrible situation for everyone involved. While it is difficult for our family having lost our son, I do not want her entire life to be ruined as well. It won’t make me feel any better.”
Russo expressed his sadness, saying, “The entire situation is just a tragedy.”
Regarding Shirilla, he empathized, “She’s just a young kid. She made a terrible mistake, but now her parents and family are also devastated. I wish there was a way for her to receive some kind of help or treatment.”
Remarkably, Shirilla survived the crash that occurred in a Cleveland suburb in Ohio at 5:30 a.m. on July 31 last year.
All three individuals were found unconscious and trapped in the vehicle. Shirilla was taken to the hospital, while Russo and Flanagan were pronounced dead at the scene, according to NBC.
Shirilla reportedly wept in court upon hearing the verdict earlier this week.
Following her conviction on a total of 12 counts, Shirilla will be sentenced on Monday, NBC reported.
During the reading of the verdict, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Nancy Margaret Russo declared, “This was not a case of reckless driving. This was murder.”
Prosecutors argued that Shirilla and Russo had a “toxic relationship” and that she had made multiple threats against him in the month leading up to the crash, as reported by NBC.
Prosecutors further alleged that Shirilla had previously threatened to crash her car following a disagreement with Russo. Videos recovered from Russo’s phone provided evidence of Shirilla repeatedly degrading and threatening him, as well as damaging his property, according to the prosecutors.
The judge characterized Shirilla’s actions as transforming from a responsible driver to a dangerous individual as she drove down the street.
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