An Ohio teen has been found guilty of murder, with the verdict ruling that she intentionally crashed her car into a brick wall at 100 mph, killing her boyfriend and another passenger.
The crash happened on July 31, 2022, in Strongsville, Ohio. Her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, was 20 and the other passenger, Davion Flanagan, was 19. On Monday, 19-year-old Mackenzie Shirilla was found guilty on all 12 charges, which included murder, aggravated vehicular homicide, felonious assault, and drug possession.
The conviction means Shirilla could be sentenced to life in prison, with possibility for parole in 15 years. Her sentencing hearing is set for August 21, 2023.
Moments before the crash, Strongsville Police reported that the teen, her boyfriend, and the other passenger, had been smoking marijuana at a friend's house before they got into the vehicle.
The amount of THC in Shirilla's system exceeded the legal limit. She was driving, while her boyfriend was in the passenger seat and Flanagan in the back. Video shows the teen go from normal driving to excessively speeding down a street.
"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. "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.”
More from LittleThings: Woman Who Found Nudes Of Herself On Former Stepdad's Computer Is Convicted Of Killing Him
James McDonnell, Shirilla's attorney, says prosecutors never proved she intentionally crashed the car, adding 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,” he said.
Her mother also believes that the guilty verdict is wrong, and says her daughter will appeal the conviction.
