An Ohio judge found a teenager guilty of murder, ruling she intentionally drove her car into a brick building at 100 mph to kill her boyfriend and another passenger.On Monday, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Nancy Margaret Russo found Mackenzie Shirilla, 19, of Strongsville, guilty on all 12 charges she faced including murder, aggravated vehicular homicide, felonious assault and drug possession for a 2022 crash that killed her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, 20, and a friend, Davion Flanagan, 19, according to the prosecutor’s office.The conviction carries an automatic sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 15 years,Cleveland.comreports.WKYC Channel 3/YoutubeShirilla sobbed uncontrollably as the judge addressed the court,3Newsreports.“This was not reckless driving,” Russo said just before she handed down her verdict Monday, 3News reports. “This was murder.”“She had a mission and she executed it with precision,” said Russo, who is not related to the victim. “The decision was death.”According to Strongsville Police, in the early morning hours of July 31, 2022, Shirilla was driving a 2018 Toyota Camry with Russo in the front seat and Flanagan in the back seat.Dominic Russo.GoFundMeThe three had allegedly been smoking marijuana at a friend’s home before she got behind the wheel, Cleveland.com reports.Shirilla allegedly had THC in her system that exceeded the legal limit in Ohio, Cleveland.com reports.She was not charged with driving under the influence, but with murder.According to surveillance video prosecutors showed in court, Shirilla was seen driving on Progress Drive in the Progress Drive Business Park at a normal speed.When she turned onto Alameda Drive, she became “literal hell on wheels,” the judge said.Shirilla was seen accelerating before jerking the wheel to the right and left before slamming into a brick building at 100 mph, leaving her and her passengers trapped in the twisted metal wreckage.Her fuzzy Prada slipper was stuck to the gas pedal, Cleveland.com reports.Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.“The intent was obvious upon seeing that video that there was only one goal, and the computer demonstrated that there was no attempt to slow down or stop — that it was full speed into a building and tragically it cost two people their lives,” Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley said after the verdict came down, 3News reports.Prosecutors maintained that Shirilla wanted to end her turbulent relationship with Russo, 3 News reports.“There is no doubt that this happened because of the relationship with Dominic and the defendant’s intent was clearly to end that, and she took everybody that was in the car with her,” O’Malley said, 3News reports.Russo and Flanagan were pronounced dead at the scene. Shirilla was unconscious and not breathing when she was found trapped inside the car with the others, 3News reports.Shirilla’s attorney James McDonnell could not be reached for comment. But in court, he said prosecutors never proved that she intentionally crashed the car and that she could have lost control of the vehicle. “It’s not clear, it’s not explicit to draw the inference that she acted purposely,” McDonnell told the judge,Fox 8 reports.Shirilla’s mother said her daughter will appeal her conviction.GoFundMe accounts were started in memory of Flanagan andRussoafter their deaths.
An Ohio judge found a teenager guilty of murder, ruling she intentionally drove her car into a brick building at 100 mph to kill her boyfriend and another passenger.
On Monday, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Nancy Margaret Russo found Mackenzie Shirilla, 19, of Strongsville, guilty on all 12 charges she faced including murder, aggravated vehicular homicide, felonious assault and drug possession for a 2022 crash that killed her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, 20, and a friend, Davion Flanagan, 19, according to the prosecutor’s office.
The conviction carries an automatic sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 15 years,Cleveland.comreports.
WKYC Channel 3/Youtube
Shirilla sobbed uncontrollably as the judge addressed the court,3Newsreports.
“This was not reckless driving,” Russo said just before she handed down her verdict Monday, 3News reports. “This was murder.”
“She had a mission and she executed it with precision,” said Russo, who is not related to the victim. “The decision was death.”
According to Strongsville Police, in the early morning hours of July 31, 2022, Shirilla was driving a 2018 Toyota Camry with Russo in the front seat and Flanagan in the back seat.
Dominic Russo.GoFundMe
GoFundMe
The three had allegedly been smoking marijuana at a friend’s home before she got behind the wheel, Cleveland.com reports.
Shirilla allegedly had THC in her system that exceeded the legal limit in Ohio, Cleveland.com reports.
She was not charged with driving under the influence, but with murder.
According to surveillance video prosecutors showed in court, Shirilla was seen driving on Progress Drive in the Progress Drive Business Park at a normal speed.
When she turned onto Alameda Drive, she became “literal hell on wheels,” the judge said.
Shirilla was seen accelerating before jerking the wheel to the right and left before slamming into a brick building at 100 mph, leaving her and her passengers trapped in the twisted metal wreckage.
Her fuzzy Prada slipper was stuck to the gas pedal, Cleveland.com reports.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
“The intent was obvious upon seeing that video that there was only one goal, and the computer demonstrated that there was no attempt to slow down or stop — that it was full speed into a building and tragically it cost two people their lives,” Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley said after the verdict came down, 3News reports.
Prosecutors maintained that Shirilla wanted to end her turbulent relationship with Russo, 3 News reports.
“There is no doubt that this happened because of the relationship with Dominic and the defendant’s intent was clearly to end that, and she took everybody that was in the car with her,” O’Malley said, 3News reports.
Russo and Flanagan were pronounced dead at the scene. Shirilla was unconscious and not breathing when she was found trapped inside the car with the others, 3News reports.
Shirilla’s attorney James McDonnell could not be reached for comment. But in court, he said prosecutors never proved that she intentionally crashed the car and that she could have lost control of the vehicle. “It’s not clear, it’s not explicit to draw the inference that she acted purposely,” McDonnell told the judge,Fox 8 reports.
Shirilla’s mother said her daughter will appeal her conviction.
GoFundMe accounts were started in memory of Flanagan andRussoafter their deaths.
source: people.com
