'Hell on wheels' teen murdered boyfriend and friend in crash

Mackenzie Shirilla ended her relationship with a devastating impact

- GAIL SHORTLAND

Those who had spent time with Mackenzie Shirilla and her boyfriend Dominic Russo knew their relationship was unpredictable.

It was 2022 and they had been together for a few years, but they had broken up many times along the way. Shirilla, then 17, and Dominic, 20, would argue, and then make up again. After a while, it’s what everyone expected of the tempestuous couple.

Shirilla would spend a lot of time at Dominic’s house, with his family. They’d hang out with friends or drive around the local area of Strongsville, Ohio. Dominic was well-liked.

He loved fashion, was always singing and was known for his big smile. He was determined to make something of his life and had plans to start a clothing line. Shirilla was a confident teen, who liked to post on social media.

On 30 July 2022, Shirilla spent the evening with her boyfriend and his friend, Davion Flanagan, 19. Gifted athlete Davion had been adopted by Scott and Jamie Flanagan when he was eight years old after a difficult start in life. He had been taken into foster care with his two younger sisters, as his biological parents were drug addicts. They’d spent years bouncing between foster homes.

Scott and Jamie had adopted all three of the siblings and they were thriving in their loving care. Davion had taught himself to cut hair and was going to attend barber college so he could open his own shop one day.

Davion, Dominic and Shirilla hung out together, and allegedly smoked marijuana. In the early hours of 31 July, Shirilla was driving Davion home in her Toyota Camry. He was in the back, with Dominic in the front. At around 5.30am, they were involved in a catastrophic car accident. The vehicle slammed into the side of a brick building on an intersection at the speed of 100mph.