Mackenzie Shirilla, a murderer currently serving two concurrent 15-year sentences, reminds her former inmate of the antagonist in the 2004 film ‘Mean Girls’. Kat Crowder, who teaches alongside Shirilla at the Ohio Women’s Reformatory in Marysville, told NewsNation that Shirilla models herself after the film’s character Regina George.According to reports, Crowder and Shirilla are not behind bars side by side, with their conversations being “limited.” However, Crowder gained attention on social media after the release of ‘The Crash’, a Netflix documentary that revisits Shirilla’s case.
Mackenzie Shirilla’s behavior in prison mirrors that of Regina George
“I say she wanted to be like Regina George. I mean, the way she did her makeup, I mean, it was like she was going out to a club or something,” says Crowder.In an interview with PEOPLE, Crowder explains why Mackenzie Shirilla reminds her of Regina George. “She wore make-up every day, every day,” he explains of Shirilla. “She would accessorize her prison uniform. Make jewelry, customize shoes/hats, individualize it. Mind you, she had nowhere to go but the prison yard.”Crowder also says that Mackenzie Shirilla often looks down on other inmates who she feels are “less than,” describing her attitude as superior.
Convictions and Sentencing of Mackenzie Shirilla
Mackenzie Shirilla, 21, is serving time in 2023 after being convicted of 12 counts of murder, aggravated vehicular homicide and more. He will be eligible for parole in 2037.The charges relate to the July 2022 deaths of her 20-year-old boyfriend, Dominic Russo, and the couple’s friend, 19-year-old Davion Flanagan. Prosecutors argued at his trial that he crashed his sedan into a brick wall in Strongsville, Ohio, at about 100 mph, killing his two passengers after leaving a party in the early hours of the morning. The tensions in her relationship with Russo are said to motivate her actions.
The Netflix documentary ‘The Crash’ focuses on the case of Mackenzie Shirilla
Since the May 15 release of a documentary revisiting Mackenzie Shirilla’s case, Crowder’s videos of their time together in prison have gone viral on TikTok, where they now have 150,000 followers.The project includes interviews with Mackenzie Shirilla’s family, loved ones of the victims, and Shirilla herself speaking from prison. Shirilla also reviews allegations of bullying by classmates, including that she allegedly told a student to end her life, and cites school records showing she has been disciplined for bullying.
Crowder contrasts this with the documentary’s portrayal of prison behavior
In his interview, Crowder notes that the “documentary version” of Mackenzie Shirilla is someone he’s “never seen.” “Because of the way she sat at that table, the way she talked and the way she looked,” he explained, adding that the two “were never friends in prison, but I saw her for hours every day. She was very girly and light and [in] the documentary [she] It was very dark and neat.”In the documentary, Shirilla talks about her experience from prison. “Every day is very difficult here,” he says. “I try to wake up and be the best person I can be every day, stay out of trouble. There’s not a moment that goes by when I’m not thinking about it. [Russo and Flanagan].”
Mackenzie Shirilla’s account of the incident
Shirilla says she has no memory of the moments leading up to the fatal crash, saying she lost consciousness due to postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a chronic medical condition. However, no medical documents or expert testimony confirming this diagnosis were presented at the trial.
