Mackenzie Shirilla, a woman convicted of murder in a 2022 crash that killed her boyfriend and his friend, is seeking a retrial and has shared a new prison photo, according to her supporters.
Shirilla's legal team had a motion for post-conviction relief denied due to a deadline technicality, her supporters stated Monday on Instagram. They emphasized that the decision was not based on the merits of the case but on the inability to review the filing.
"Mackenzie is trying to do better every day and holding on to hope," her support team wrote, sharing the prison photo. They added, "Her post conviction relief was denied due to a deadline technicality. The decision has nothing to do with the contents of it, it was unable to even be reviewed."
On July 31, 2022, Shirilla, then 17, was driving a Toyota Camry with her boyfriend Dominic Russo, 20, and Davion Flanagan, 19. Prosecutors stated that after driving at a controlled speed, she accelerated to 100 mph before crashing into a brick building, killing both passengers. Investigators found that Shirilla intentionally pressed the accelerator to its full extent and did not apply the brakes. The investigation also revealed no vehicle defects that contributed to the crash, and psilocybin mushrooms were found in Shirilla's possession.
Shirilla's defense attorneys argued that she suffered from POTS, a blood pressure disorder that can cause blackouts. In 2023, she was found guilty of four counts of murder, two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, and one count of drug possession. She received a life sentence with the possibility of parole after 15 years.
Shirilla's legal team has filed a motion for reconsideration with the Ohio Supreme Court, even after the justices declined to hear the case. Her supporters claim that her appellate lawyer missed a filing deadline by one day due to a leap year, constituting ineffective assistance of counsel. They are urging the public to sign and share a petition for a fair retrial, asserting that Shirilla did not receive adequate representation.
"Keep sharing everything you can and Please sign and share this petition for a fair re-trial," the post continued. "We ALL deserve fair representation and once you review her case you’ll agree she did not get that."