Mackenzie Shirilla sent Dominic Russo disturbing texts before fatal crash
Police have released the disturbing text messages that Mackenzie Shirilla sent her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, before the 2022 crash that killed him and his friend Davion Flanagan.
The messages resurfaced after the new Netflix documentary The Crash examined evidence prosecutors used to argue the 100mph collision was intentional.
On 31 July 2022, Shirilla, now 21, crashed her 2018 Toyota Camry at around 100 mph into a building wall in Ohio after a party. Russo, 20, and Flanagan, 19, died at the scene.
Shirilla, meanwhile, survived after being airlifted to hospital.
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She later told police she had blacked out due to Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), but investigators said evidence showed she deliberately drove into the wall.
In November 2022, Shirilla was charged with 12 counts, including murder and aggravated vehicular homicide. Judge Nancy Margaret Russo later sentenced her to two concurrent terms of 15 years to life, calling her 'hell on wheels'.
Texts obtained by PEOPLE from Strongsville Police this month appear to show a number of heated arguments taking place between Shirilla and Russo, which were sent from January 2020 to July 2022.
14 January, 2020 - Shirilla says she’s 'gonna kill someone' after Russo won’t give her a ride
After Russo told Shirilla he couldn’t pick her up, she became angry and texted him:
- “I'm so f***ing mad.”
- “I'm so mad.”
- “I'm gonna kill someone.”
- “I'm mad as f*** rn.”
Later that same day, the two argued again after Shirilla did not get a ride home from school from Russo. During the exchange, Shirilla sent multiple emotional messages:
- “I F***ING HATE MYSELF IM UGLY AND YOU J[UST] ADD ON TO IT AND MAKE ME FEEL EVEN UGLYER.”
- “YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE IM WORTHLESS I DO SO MUCH S*** FOR YOU.”
- “Now I'm at your f***ing house breaking down on your floor. Like you cause pain to me for no reason and then you wonder why I'm so stressed. I'm trying so hard to please you but it's never enough.”
- “I j[ust] want to bang my head on the wall till I'm dead.”
- “Treat the girl who would die for you a little better.”
March to May 2020 - Repeated arguments over 'taking a break'
In March 2020, Russo tried to pause the relationship and told Shirilla:
- “Kenzie i think we should take a break again itll be good for both of us.”
- “We havent been getting along and u need to make some friends.”
- “I think it will be good for both of us.”
Shirilla immediately responded:
- “No NO NO.”
Two months later, after Russo again referred to them as being 'on break', Shirilla replied:
- “F*** YOU WE NOT ON A BREAK.”
13 August, 2021 - Russo accuses Shirilla of threatening to 'stab' him
During an argument that began after Russo interrupted Shirilla and made a joke she disliked, Russo accused her of threatening violence toward him.
He texted:
- “Thsts [that's] my bad but u did threaten to stab me in the eye.”
- “Kenzie i made a joke and u threatened to stab me.”
- “U threatened to stab me in yhe [the] eye.”
- “Just dont threaten to kill me then I'll probably dip to palm bay.”
Shirilla responded:
- “Yeah idc.”
- “Maybe if u just had my back u wouldn't be threatened.”
September 2021 - Shirilla describes the relationship as 'very toxic'
While discussing their repeated breakups and reconciliations, Shirilla admitted the relationship had become unhealthy.
Referring to a breakup that was temporarily resolved after Russo bought her a purse, she wrote:
- “Like I did break up with you but then you bought me a purse and yes it did fix the problems for a couple days but they just came back worse.”
February to March 2022 - Arguments escalate into accusations of violence and reckless driving
On 28 February, 2022, Russo criticised Shirilla’s driving and texted:
- “And kenzie u drive like a maniac everyday.”
Weeks later, during another heated argument, Russo accused Shirilla of becoming physically aggressive inside a car. He claimed she prevented him from leaving, pulled his hair, threatened him, and threw a rock at him.
Russo wrote:
- “[You] didnt let me out the car and then hit me and pulled the s*** out of my hair then tried to throw a rock at me and threaten to call the cops on me and key my car.”
- “unless u show me that cops will never be involved, u wont try to ruin my life, key my car, or f*** up my house or somethin Or throw a rock at me.”
- “I told u to stop the car and i tried to get out and u started driving like a maniac i thiught [thought] if i opened it u stop the car.”
Shirilla defended herself and blamed Russo for allegedly escalating the situation:
- “If you didn't take a video or a photo of me freaking out I would not have thrown the rock or anything. I pulled your hair because you were trying to open my mothers car door and make it hit a f***ing stop sign.”
Russo appeared to blame her temper for many of their arguments:
- “If im being totally honest its your temper thats the main problem u cant act on me hotheaded and then expect me not to react like if u controlled your temper we wouldnt be in any of this.”
Shirilla acknowledged struggling with anger issues and described experiencing 'manic' episodes:
- “Obviously I have anger issues I've been working on in my whole entire life I need somebody that's going to be there for me and D escalate my situation‘s when I'm going through a manic episode and you never do that you choose to escalate the situation all the time.”
14 March, 2022 - Shirilla accuses Russo of cheating, manipulation and lying
As trust issues and allegations of cheating resurfaced, Shirilla accused Russo of being dishonest and manipulative.
She texted:
- “You can't even prove to me that you're not a cheater because you know deep down that it's still in you and always will be.”
- “You are not sorry you are trying to manipulate me and lie to my face you know you do not care.”
- “Anything that comes out of your mouth is a guarantee lie.”
- “Like you are a straight liar a pathological manipulator.”
2 July, 2022 - Russo says he feels 'unappreciated' while trying to end the relationship
Just weeks before the fatal crash, Russo attempted to break up with Shirilla and explained why he felt the relationship could not continue.
He wrote:
- “Kenzie u said mean things to me and i felt unappreciated and mad.”
Shirilla responded by accusing him of making her feel unloved and isolated:
- “You say mean things to me all the time you never give me love you never give empathy you never make me feel cared for or loved You just let me feel alone all day and you make me feel ugly.”
17 July, 2022 - Shirilla accuses Russo of trying to kill her
Less than two weeks before the crash, Shirilla accused Russo of deliberately steering her car off the highway during an argument in the rain.
She texted:
- “Keep trying to blackmail me you know I can blackmail you 30 times harder.”
- “The fact that my boyfriend of four years just tried to end my life by steering me off of the highway that's how I know you're not in love and you never were somebody who loves me would never do this to me.”
- “The only reason it went this far is because you tried to end my life.”
- “I'm already nervous driving in the rain as it is and the fact that you would even try to steer me off of the road and make my car spin out.”
- “I absolutely cannot believe you just tried to end my life.”
Russo repeatedly denied the accusation, replying:
- “Kenzie i didnt.”
21 July, 2022 - Shirilla threatens to 'break s***' if Russo won’t let her inside
Ten days before the fatal crash, Shirilla became upset after Russo refused to let her into his house because of previous arguments.
She texted:
- “So you can be mature let your girlfriend in the house have a normal conversation with her that should only take a minute or two or you could just be done.”
When Russo referenced earlier threats to damage his belongings, Shirilla replied:
- “I'm only going to break s*** if you don't let me in.”
Crash footage and forensic evidence played a key role in the conviction, with investigators stating that Shirilla drove directly at the building without braking, while experts found the accelerator was pressed to 100 percent for several seconds before impact, with the car travelling at an average of 98.7mph.
Speaking from Ohio Reformatory for Women in the documentary, Shirilla said: “I know myself, and I'm not a monster.”
She added: “I'm not saying I'm innocent. I was the driver of a tragedy, but I'm not a murderer.”
Topics: Crime, Netflix, True Crime, US News, TV And Film
Rhiannon Ingle