What did Mackenzie Shirilla do? Verdict and charges explored as 19-year old is convicted in fatal 100 mph crash 

On Monday, August 14, Mackenzie Shirilla, 19, was found guilty of killing two men. According to Cleveland News, Shirilla is accused of intentionally driving a vehicle carrying her boyfriend and his friend into a building, killing them. Both males were found dead at the scene.

Trigger warning: This article concerns a double homicide case, the reader's discretion is advised

Mackenzie Shirilla was convicted in the Ohio court of multiple charges, including murder, felonious assault, and aggravated vehicular homicide. Dominic Russo, her boyfriend, and Davion Flanagan, Russo's friend, died in the collision. Prosecutors have not confirmed the alleged motive behind the deaths of the two men.

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The timeline of the allegations against Mackenzie Shirilla

The car accident that killed Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan occurred on July 31, 2022, when Mackenzie Shirilla was 17 years old. As reported by Cleveland News Shirilla, Russo, and Flanagan had smoked marijuana together on the night of the incident. As a result, the traces of THC in Shirilla's system exceeded the Ohio legal limit.

At approximately 5:30 am, Mackenzie Shirilla was driving through Strongville's Progress Drive Business Park. According to prosecutors, surveillance cameras indicated that she was initially driving normally. However, as she turned into Alameda Drive, she suddenly accelerated to a speed of 100 mph. She drove the car straight into the building, where the airbags were deployed.

Judge Nancy Margaret Russo, the official presiding over the case, said that the manner in which Shirilla accelerated showed that she intentionally crashed the car. Prosecutors also argued that while the car was speeding, it still appeared to be controlled.

Judge Russo said:

“She had a mission, and she executed it with precision. The decision was death. She morphs from responsible driver to literal hell on wheels."

At around 6:15 am, a bystander noticed the site of the accident. As they approached they discovered that Shirilla was severely injured and both male victims had died. According to reports, Shirilla was caught within the debris, and the fire department's first responders were able to save her.

Michael O'Malley, the prosecutor of Cuyahoga County, said that he believed the murder convictions are justified.

O'Malley said:

“When you drive for four or five seconds with the pedal all the way down until you hit 100 mph into a building, we felt the charge was appropriate."

As per UPI, many considered it strange that prosecutors pursued murder charges, instead of manslaughter and driving under the influence due to the amount of guilt the teen showed. However, Shirilla's defence team said that even if the convicted killer's actions were unintentional, the display of guilt could only be considered a natural consequence of being involved in the deaths.

The case's sentencing has been scheduled for Monday, August 21, at 1 p.m. The conviction against Shirilla carries an automatic life sentence. The teen could face a chance of parole when she is approximately 34, after 15 years in prison.