A Netflix true crime doc has shown how online posts became a significant part of a murder case.
The Crash, begins in the immediate aftermath as a car carrying three young adults slams into a brick building at around 100 miles per hour. Officers attend the scene to find two lives are already lost and the sole survivor is seriously injured.
17-year-old Mackenzie Shirilla was driving her boyfriend Dom Russo and his friend Davion Flanagan home from a party. But the unthinkable happened in the early hours of July 31, 2002.
As police assist and Mackenzie is sent to hospital they begin an investigation that would uncover something much more sinister. Mackenzie would eventually be arrested, charged and convicted of the murder of both victims.
She seemed like a typical teen with an active social media presence but her posts would contribute to her prosecution. So after being found guilty of murder, does Mackenzie still have social media accounts? Here’s all you need to know.
View 2 ImagesShe is serving 15 years to life(Image: Youtube/WKYCChannel3)
Following the crash, Mackenzie maintained a presence on social media. She even publicly paid tribute to her boyfriend online.
She posted that he was “the last person to deserve this.” She also shared photos of them both on his obituary page, adding that she missed his “laugh” and “perfect smile”.
View 2 ImagesHer accounts seem to have disappeared(Image: Netflix)
However, some of her posts on social were used as evidence by the prosecution during her trial in 2023. Strongsville PD detective Zaki Hazou uncovered several videos of what he claimed was distracted or reckless driving on Shirilla’s social media accounts. This included footage shared in the Netflix doc of her driving while smoking.
It was also revealed that before her arrest she shared an image on TikTok that said: “I’m just one of those girls that can do a lot of drugs and not die.” She also shared pictures of herself and friends during Halloween immediately after the crash, where she was dressed up ‘as corpses’.
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In the Netflix documentary, one of her friends being interviewed claims they are actually dressed in the same way as rapper Playboi Carti, but this did not prevent the victim’s families from showing concern over the images.
In the aftermath of her conviction, sentencing and the increase in media attention, her social media accounts were hidden or deactivated.
There are pages and groups on Facebook and Instagram that state they are ‘Free Mackenzie Shirilla’ support pages, but she does not appear to have any active accounts that can be found on these platforms.
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The Crash is streaming on Netflix from May 15.