Mackenzie Shirilla’s bid for a fresh trial has been dealt another blow, with the Ohio Supreme Court rejecting her latest appeal.

The court declined to hear the case after finding the application had been lodged outside the required time frame, effectively shutting down her most recent attempt to overturn her convictions.

Shirilla is serving two concurrent sentences of 15 years to life for the 2022 murders of her then-boyfriend Dominic Russo, 20, and his friend Davion Flanagan, 19. She was the sole survivor, and was 17 at the time.

In 2023, she was found guilty of multiple charges including murder and aggravated vehicular homicide.

Prosecutors said she deliberately drove her Toyota Camry into a brick wall at speeds of up to 160km/h.

Throughout her trial and time behind bars, Shirilla has maintained her innocence, claiming a medical condition caused her to lose consciousness at the wheel. Her legal team has continued to pursue appeals in an effort to secure a new trial.

Under Ohio law, convicted defendants have 365 days from the filing of trial transcripts to challenge their conviction. In this case, transcripts were filed on 23 October 2023, but Shirilla’s appeal was not submitted until 24 October 2024, which is one day past the deadline.

A subsequent appeal filed in April argued a separate transcript had been lodged weeks later, but the court dismissed that claim, stating “that the trial court correctly determined it was without jurisdiction to consider the petition”.

Following the decision, Dominic Russo’s sister Christine took to Instagram to share her reaction.

Posting a screenshot of the rejected appeal, she wrote: “Appeal denied. #sorrynotsorry you are STILL a murderer. Not surprised at all.”

Christine has been an outspoken critic of coverage surrounding the case, previously calling out the “lies” in The Crash, the Netflix documentary examining the incident.

She has also launched a petition pushing for “Dom’s Law”, aimed at preventing convicted offenders from profiting off their crimes once released from prison.

In the Change.com petition, Christine said the documentary had forced her family to relive the tragedy “again and again”.

“What hurts even more is seeing how modern social media culture allows violent offenders to gain attention, followers, donations, publicity, and influence from the crimes that destroyed families like mine,” she said.

“I started this petition to call on lawmakers to modernise these laws for the digital age and close the loopholes that allow convicted violent offenders to turn tragedy into personal gain.”

Earlier this month it was revealed Shirilla allegedly made a series of disturbing claims from behind bars, with a former inmate alleging the young murderer confessed she deliberately killed her boyfriend and his friend, despite publicly insisting the crash was not intentional.

Anastasia, a former inmate at the Ohio Reformatory for Women, told Daily Mail she was left “deeply disturbed” after spending time with Shirilla in prison.

“She said she was suicidal, but she almost looked as though she was enjoying (telling the story) - like she was amused by it,” Anastasia said.

According to the former inmate, Shirilla, who was jailed over the deadly crash that killed her boyfriend Dominic Russo and his friend Davion Flanagan, made chilling remarks about the incident.

“She said the devil made her do it,” Anastasia claimed.

“She said the devil was pressing on her foot... She wanted to make it sound like she was a little devil girl, and that this is what she intended to do. Like there was a reason that Dom had to die.”

The reported claims from inside prison starkly contrast with Shirilla’s recount in The Crash, where she expresses remorse and denies intending to kill the two men.

In the days after the crash, and before her arrest, Shirilla publicly mourned the victims, even posting emotional tributes online.

“You had such a perfect life ahead of you,” she wrote.

“I miss your laugh, your perfect smile. I feel your energy around me everyday i just wish it was physical. God u are the last person to deserve this. You had such a perfect life ahead of you... I wish I told you all this more. Please wait for me.”

The posts painted the picture of a grieving girlfriend, but investigators later uncovered a far more volatile relationship.

Friends told police Shirilla was “disrespectful”, frequently accused Russo of cheating after he was unfaithful at the start of their relationship, and often threatened to end the relationship.

Newly released text messages also reveal exchanges between the pair in the weeks before the crash.

“Do you think I would have my car started with you in it knowing that you just tried to kill me,” Shirilla allegedly wrote to Russo, according to TMZ.

The outlet also alleged that Shirilla sent a series of alarming messages, similar to ones highlighted in the documentary, including: “I’m gonna kill someone,” and “I j (sic) want to bang my head on the wall till I’m dead.”

“I f...ing hate myself… Now I’m at your f...ing house breaking down on your floor.”

Further insight into Shirilla’s mindset behind bars has emerged through recorded prison calls.

In one conversation with her mother, Natalie Shirilla, which was published by TMZ, the pair dismissed rumours circulating about their family.

“Everyone’s making s... up. Then they were saying that you just got done breaking into a church and you spray-painted and broke everything … like, what?” her mother said. “The rumour mill is strong.”

“Damn, Strongsville people are so sad and depressing. Like, they really have nothing credible,” Mackenzie responded, with her mother adding: “This is the saddest f...ing town ever.”

In another call, Shirilla complained about the slow passage of time in prison.

“Like it’s only 3.30, how is it only 3.30?” she said. “For real I did not even know it was 3.30 I thought it was like 5. It’s 3.30.”

The resurfaced claims and recordings have reignited debate over Shirilla’s motive and whether her version of events, as told in the Netflix documentary, can be believed.

Mackenzie Shirilla timeline

July 17, 2022 — Mackenzie Shirilla and her boyfriend Dominic Russo argue. A friend allegedly overhears Shirilla tell him: “I will crash this car right now.”

July 31, 2022 — Shirilla is driving Russo, 20, and their friend Davion Flanagan, 19, from Russo’s home to a friend’s house. At about 5.30am, she crashes into the Plidco Building in Strongsville, Ohio, travelling at up to 100mph without braking. Police arrive 45 minutes later. Russo and Flanagan are pronounced dead, while Shirilla is taken to MetroHealth Medical Center.

August 2022 — Around 200 people attend a vigil for Russo and Flanagan. Shirilla remains in critical condition. When a detective visits her in hospital, she is said to be speaking a “unique language” similar to pig Latin.

October 2022 — Shirilla attends a Halloween party in a costume resembling a corpse, drawing criticism from Davion Flanagan’s father. He says in Netflix’s The Crash: “Dressing up as corpses three months after she killed two people, it just sickened us to the very core.”

November 4, 2022 — Shirilla is arrested and faces 18 charges, including two counts of aggravated murder. She is also charged over an alleged break-in at the Columbia Church of God days before the crash, along with drug possession offences.

August 7, 2023 — Shirilla’s trial begins. Her defence argues she may have lost consciousness due to postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), though no medical records or expert testimony confirm the diagnosis.

August 14, 2023 — Shirilla is found guilty on all counts. Judge Nancy Margaret Russo labels her “hell on wheels”, with the court finding the crash was intentional and premeditated.

August 23, 2023 — Shirilla is sentenced to two concurrent terms of 15 years to life. Subsequent appeals and a relief petition are unsuccessful. She remains in custody at the Ohio Reformatory for Women.

May 22, 2025 — Shirilla’s parents publicly maintain her innocence. Her father, Steve, tells WKYC: “Show me one piece of evidence - one - that says she did this on purpose. Show it to me, then she’s right where she belongs and she’s guilty of it. But there isn’t any.” Her mother, Natalie, claims there are messages in which Shirilla said Russo was “trying to end her life”.

May 15, 2026 — Netflix documentary The Crash premieres. In it, Shirilla insists she is “not a murderer” and says she has no memory of the घटना, continuing to blame POTS.

May 18, 2026 — Steve Shirilla is placed on administrative leave from his role as an art and digital media teacher at Mary Queen of Peace School in Cleveland amid allegations he demonstrated “poor judgement”. The move follows backlash to his comments in the documentary.

September 2037 — Shirilla becomes eligible for parole.