Shirilla was sentenced to life in prison for intentionally causing the 2022 crash that killed Russo and their friend.

The Crash subject Mackenzie Shirilla’s texts to boyfriend reveal toxic relationship before deadly car crash

Shirilla was sentenced to life in prison for intentionally causing the 2022 crash that killed Russo and their friend.

By Marina Watts

Marina Watts

Marina Watts is a news writer for with seven years experience covering entertainment, pop culture and celebrity news. Her previous work appears in PEOPLE, Bustle and Newsweek.

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May 27, 2026 3:27 p.m. ET

Mackenzie Shirilla; Dominic Russo. Credit:

- Text messages between Mackenzie Shirilla and Dominic Russo reveal a toxic relationship before Shirilla intentionally caused a car crash that killed Russo and their friend.

- The former couple allegedly made violent threats against each other.

- The crash and criminal investigation are featured in the Netflix documentary *The Crash*.

Newly revealed text messages between Mackenzie Shirilla and former boyfriend Dominic Russo indicate a toxic, volatile relationship leading up to the 2022 car crash that killed Russo and a friend.

The details of the car crash and Shirilla's subsequent criminal trial are the subject of the Netflix documentary *The Crash*.

On July 31, 2022, then 17-year-old Shirilla drove her 2018 Toyota Camry into a brick wall in Strongsville, Ohio, at nearly 100 mph. Passengers Russo and their friend Davion Flanagan died at the scene, while Shirilla sustained several injuries and was taken to the hospital. Shirilla was found guilty of murder in August 2023 and was sentenced to two concurrent life sentences with the possibility of parole after 15 years when a judge concluded that she intentionally caused the fatal crash.

According to text messages obtained by PEOPLE from the Strongsville Police Department in Ohio this month, Shirilla and Russo had a mercurial relationship. They began dating in 2018 and were on-again, off-again throughout their four-year relationship. The obtained text messages were exchanged from January 2020 to July 30, 2022, the day before Russo died.

'The Crash' subject Mackenzie Shirilla heard speaking to mom in secret language on recorded jail call

Mackenzie Shirilla's ex-girlfriend speaks out about split

In January 2020, Shirilla asked Russo for a ride to school one morning. When Russo said no, Shirilla became angry. "I'm so f---ing mad," she said in one text, followed by other messages: "I'm gonna kill someone" and "I'm mad as f--- rn [right now]."

Later that same day, she and Russo engaged in an argument. "I F---ING HATE MYSELF IM UGLY AND YOU J[UST] ADD ON TO IT AND MAKE ME FEEL EVEN UGLYER," Shirilla wrote in a text followed by, "YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE IM WORTHLESS I DO SO MUCH S--- FOR YOU."

Russo reassured Shirilla that she didn't "have to do anything for me and id probably be happy."

"Now I'm at your f---ing house breaking down on your floor," Shirilla texted back. "Like you cause pain to me for no reason and then you wonder why I'm so stressed. I'm trying so hard to please you but it's never enough."

Dominic Russo and Mackenzie Shirilla in 'The Crash'.

In another exchange, Russo and Shirilla discussed taking a break. "Kenzie i think we should take a break again itll be good for both of us," Russo wrote in March 2020. "We havent been getting along and u need to make some friends," he added in another text, along with, "I think it will be good for both of us." Shirilla responded, "No NO NO."

Shirilla acknowledged the toxic nature of their relationship in an exchange from September 2021.

"Like I did break up with you but then you bought me a purse and yes it did fix the problems for a couple days but they just came back worse," she said. Months later, in January 2022, Russo wrote to Shirilla, "U cant go a day without threatening to breakup w me."

Mackenzie Shirilla in 'The Crash'.

One exchange dated August 2021 showed Shirilla allegedly threatening Russo following a disagreement. "Thsts my bad but u did threaten to stab me in the eye," he wrote, and she responded, "Yeah idc [I don't care]."

In a message a few minutes later, Russo repeated the allegation, saying she "threaten[ed] to stab my eye or pour water on me."

"Maybe if u just had my back u wouldn't be threatened," Shirilla wrote back. The exchange concluded with Russo telling her, "Just dont threaten to kill me then I'll probably dip to palm bay."

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Russo made other accusations against Shirilla, in March 2022, claiming that she grew violent with him following an argument. "[You] didnt let me out the car and then hit me and pulled the s--- out of my hair then tried to throw a rock at me and threaten to call the cops on me and key my car," he wrote to Shirilla, who later that same day asked him to stop texting her.

Russo said he wouldn't "unless u show me that cops will never be involved, u wont try to ruin my life, key my car, or f--- up my house or somethin Or throw a rock at me."

Shirilla responded, "If you didn't take a video or a photo of me freaking out I would not have thrown the rock or anything. I pulled your hair because you were trying to open my mothers car door and make it hit a f---ing stop sign."

In another interaction that March, the former couple blamed one another for having a "temper" and "anger issues."

"If im being totally honest its your temper thats the main problem u cant act on me hotheaded and then expect me not to react like if u controlled your temper we wouldnt be in any of this," Russo texted Shirilla, who replied, "Obviously I have anger issues I've been working on in my whole entire life I need somebody that's going to be there for me and D escalate my situation‘s when I'm going through a manic episode and you never do that you choose to escalate the situation all the time."

Mackenzie Shirilla and Dominic Russo in 'The Crash'.

In another exchange that month, Shirilla accused Russo of cheating on her.

"You can't even prove to me that you're not a cheater because you know deep down that it's still in you and always will be," she wrote. In response, Russo said he was sorry but noted that he was "changing."

"You are not sorry you are trying to manipulate me and lie to my face you know you do not care," Shirilla responded, adding in other messages, "Anything that comes out of your mouth is a guarantee lie" and "Like you are a straight liar a pathological manipulator."

Weeks before the car crash in July, Russo sent Shirilla a text message imploring her once more to take a break.

"Kenzie u know i love u but i dont think we should be together at this point there isnt very much time on earth," the message said, according to *TMZ*.

Perhaps the most haunting exchange between Russo and Shirilla happened two weeks before Russo's death, when Shirilla accused Russo of trying to kill her in a car crash.

"The fact that my boyfriend of four years just tried to end my life by steering me off of the highway that's how I know you're not in love and you never were somebody who loves me would never do this to me," she wrote.

Russo denied her allegations. "I'm already nervous driving in the rain as it is and the fact that you would even try to steer me off of the road and make my car spin out," Shrillia later replied, adding, "I absolutely cannot believe you just tried to end my life."

*The Crash *is available to stream on Netflix.

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