Mackenzie Shirilla’s mother tried to blame her fatal, intentional car accident on a condition that makes her dizzy, despite the fact that police found marijuana and magic mushrooms in her system at the scene, then put her head in her head in disbelief. hands when a judge found her guilty. .
Shirilla, now 19, was convicted this week of murdering her boyfriend Dominic Russo, 20, and his 19-year-old friend Davion Flanagan.
Last July, a then 17-year-old Shirilla drove her Toyota Camry into the side of a building in Strongsville, Ohio at 100 mph.
All three had smoked marijuana, and police also found magic mushrooms from the crime scene.
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Mackenzie Shirilla’s mother Natalie (seen gasping here, as she had been convicted of murder) told the court she believes an ailment that makes her dizzy may have caused the crash
Mackenzie and friend Dominic Russo. His family and friends testified that she was “unfair” to him and regularly threatened him
What was left of the Toyota Camry after Mackenzie plowed into the side of a wall at 100 mph. She miraculously survived
They say a black box from the car shows Mackenzie put her foot down while accelerating and made no attempt to brake.
Prosecutors argued, and a judge agreed, that it was a deliberate murder by Shirilla, who had a turbulent relationship and had been overheard threatening her boyfriend in the past.
She and her family insisted it was an accident and she lost control of the car.
Since Monday’s verdict, Shirilla’s attorney James McDonnell has repeatedly declined to comment.
Her mother, Nathalie, says she “completely disagrees” with the judge and hopes McDonnell will appeal on her daughter’s behalf.
At trial, Nathalie testified that Mackenzie suffers from postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, a condition that causes vertigo.
The condition, commonly abbreviated as POTS, is one of a group of conditions that reduce the volume of blood reaching the heart after a person stands up.
The most common symptom is light-headedness or dizziness.
When asked if that could have caused the crash, her mother said, “It could.”
Mackenzie’s aunt also testified in his defense.
She refuted Dominic’s family’s claims that the relationship was turbulent and instead told the court that the two youths were deeply in love.
In the months immediately following the crash, the Shirilla family left an emotional tribute to Russo through an online obituary.
‘She loved you, we loved you. My whole family loved you. Forever in our hearts… forever,” they wrote.
She also left her own tribute.
“I miss you nug. I still feel like you could (sic) walk through the door at any minute.
“I miss your smile, your perfect smile.
“I feel your energy around me every day, I wish it was physical.
Russo with Mackenzie and her family. They insisted all along that the crash was an accident
Shirilla’s friend Dominic Russo (left) was killed along with his friend Davion Flanagan (right)
Davion Flanagan was in the back seat of the car. His family said he was just looking for a ride home and was an “innocent passenger.”
After the crash, Mackenzie insisted it was an accident. She left emotional tributes to her boyfriend in an online obituary, as did her family
‘God you (sic) are the last person to deserve this, you had such a perfect life ahead of you. I wish I told you all this more. Please wait for me.’
It was another four months before Mackenzie was arrested and charged with murder, aggravated assault and aggravated vehicular manslaughter.
She was held on $500,000 bond until her bench trial, during which time the court heard previous recordings of her threatening to key into Dominic’s car.
The pair had become particularly bitter in the weeks leading up to the crash.
As for Flanagan, Dominic’s boyfriend who was also killed, prosecutors said he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Police said there was extensive evidence of reckless driving on Mackenzie’s social media pages, where she posed with cigarettes or alcohol behind the wheel.
The teenager will return to court on August 21 to be formally sentenced.
The charges carry an automatic life sentence with the earliest chance of parole at 15 years.
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Nancy Margaret Russo sentenced her Monday, calling her “literal hell on wheels” who was on a “mission of death”