The Crash: Remembering The Victims of MacKenzie Shirilla

The Crash on Netflix highlights MacKenzie Shirilla, 17 at the time she crashed into a brick wall, killing her boyfriend Dominic Russo and friend Davion Flanagan. This week seemed like a good time to remember the victims who died in July 2022.

Remembering the Victims

Ahead of the weekend on Brian Entin Investigates, the investigative journalist, recognized for his ethics, raised the subject of Russo and Flanagan.

While the podcast mostly focused on Shirilla’s father and his claims that his daughter is innocent, Entin started by asking his viewers to pause.

The case is currently all over social media and focuses mainly on MacKenzie Shirilla, jailed for the murder of the two young men.

While he admitted that his own coverage spent a lot of time on Shirilla, he made a point of saying their names out loud: Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan.

Two Young Men

True crime cases often focus on the arrest, the pre-trial hearings, the trial and the conviction. The attention bleeds into legal commentary about sentencing and appeals.

And in a way, as Brian pointed out, so often the victims get lost along the way.

Bear in mind, Dominic Russo was just 20 years old, and Davion Flanagan was 19.

Two young lives. Promising futures. Dead because, according to the court, in a fit of blind rage, MacKenzie slammed her foot on the accelerator and smashed into a brick wall.

Russo Was Moving On?

There’s been a lot of talk about the bench trial for Shirilla and whether it was a bad outcome for her because of that. But the fact is that death came for Russo and Flannagan.

Did you know that Dominic Russo had six siblings? Per People, one of them claimed that Russo and Shirilla had “broken up many times” over the four years they dated.

Ahead of the crash, the young man, with a love for music, sport and business, allegedly planned on a permanent split.

Flanagan Got A Ride

Flanagan was adopted at age eight by Jaime and Scott Flanagan. Like Davion’s friend, he also loved sport and seemed quite good at football when he attended Strongsville High School.

In fact, per The Root, “Flanagan hitched a ride back home with the couple after they all spent the night at another friend’s house.”

So, his dreams and aspirations died quite needlessly. If you don’t know, he was a youth swim coach and planned to attend Allstate Hairstyling & Barber College in Cleveland.

Netflix and the Case

In the Netflix documentary, The Crash, there’s a lot of coverage about MacKenzie Shirilla. And many true crime followers saw the evidence that led to her conviction.

Prosecutors argued she deliberately drove at high speed, ramped a curb and hit a brick wall. The car’s black box showed no attempt to brake.

Shirilla was only 17 at the time of the crash. Because Ohio law automatically transfers murder charges to adult court, she faced a bench trial with no jury.

The judge decided she acted with intent, handing down two life sentences. She may be eligible for parole after 15 years.

Viewers Speak Out About the Victims

In the comments section, many people felt grateful that Entin took the time to remember Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan.

One of them wrote: “Remembering the victims is very important.”

Here are a few more responses from the discussion:

• It bothers me that the innocent friend is rarely mentioned. The victims usually get less mention than the aggressor. Disgusting.
• What I appreciate about Brian is he does not sensationalise stories and he is very empathetic.
• Thank you for your comment about remembering the victims. It often seems like perpetrators get so much air time because of their incomprehensible behaviors. They are the perpetrator of the crime… they are not the victim.
• I’m so fed up of the Shirillas, all of them. She is where she belongs. RIP Dominic & Davion.
• My condolences to the loved ones of these two young men.

What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below, and remember to come back here often for all your true crime news and updates. Remember, we also have a crime channel on TikTok that you can follow.