The release of Netflix’s The Crash has reignited one of America’s most controversial true crime cases, and Mackenzie Shirilla’s father is still firmly standing by his daughter. Nearly four years after the devastating 2022 crash that killed Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan, Steve Shirilla continues to insist that his daughter never intended to kill anyone. Speaking on the True Crime This Week podcast following the release of Netflix’s documentary, Steve argued that one key detail has never made sense to him.
“If Mackenzie was really angry enough to intentionally kill Dominic, why would Davion be in the car?” he questioned.
The case shocked the country when Mackenzie, then 17, crashed her vehicle into a brick building in Strongsville, Ohio, at speeds reportedly reaching 100 miles per hour. Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan were killed instantly, while Mackenzie survived.
In 2023, a judge convicted her on all 12 charges, including murder, aggravated vehicular homicide and drug possession. She is currently serving two concurrent life sentences with the possibility of parole after 15 years.
However, her parents remain convinced that the crash was not intentional.
According to Steve, there are unanswered questions about what happened inside the vehicle during the moments leading up to the crash.
“Something happened in that car. No one’s ever going to know,” he said during the podcast interview.
Netflix’s The Crash explores both the prosecution’s argument and the defense’s position, while also featuring Mackenzie’s first on-camera interview since her conviction.
One of the documentary’s most debated aspects is the toxic relationship that allegedly existed between Mackenzie and Dominic before the fatal incident. Text messages, witness statements and courtroom testimony painted a complicated picture of their relationship, which prosecutors argued helped establish motive.
The documentary also revisits evidence showing that THC was found in Mackenzie’s system at the time of the crash. Marijuana use became a major talking point during the trial, though Steve Shirilla has repeatedly stated that he never believed it played a significant role in the tragedy.
Following the documentary’s release, public opinion remains deeply divided.
Some viewers believe the evidence presented at trial justified the murder conviction, while others argue that the case should have been treated as a reckless driving incident rather than a deliberate act.
For Steve and Natalie Shirilla, however, the focus remains on their daughter’s state of mind in the aftermath.
Steve described watching Mackenzie grieve for Dominic following the crash, claiming she spent months crying, revisiting photos, videos and memories of her boyfriend.
According to him, her reaction was not consistent with someone who had intentionally planned a murder-suicide.
“She has remorse. She was upset,” he said. “If you would have heard her when she found out that Dom died, it would have crushed you.”
The documentary has once again placed the tragedy under a national spotlight, forcing audiences to grapple with difficult questions about intent, teenage relationships, mental health and accountability.
Whether viewers come away believing Mackenzie Shirilla is guilty as charged or deserving of another look at her case, The Crash succeeds in reopening a conversation that many thought had already reached its conclusion.
Years later, the pain remains very real for everyone involved, from the families of the victims to the parents still fighting to prove their daughter’s innocence.