In a highly emotional moment inside an Ohio courtroom, Mackenzie Shirilla broke down in tears as she delivered a heartfelt apology to the families of Dominic Russo and Davian Flanigan — the two young men who died in the 2022 crash she was convicted of causing.

Shirilla, now 21, was sentenced in August 2023 to two concurrent life sentences with the possibility of parole after 15 years for the deaths of her then-boyfriend Dominic Russo, 20, and their friend Davian Flanigan, 19. On Wednesday, during a hearing related to ongoing appeals and victim impact statements, she stood before the court visibly shaken and addressed the families directly.

With her voice trembling and tears streaming down her face, Mackenzie said:

“I am so sorry for the pain I caused your families. I think about Dominic and Davian every single day. I wish I could go back and change everything. I never wanted this to happen. I loved Dominic, and I’m devastated by what I took from all of you.”

Her emotional breakdown was so intense that the judge briefly paused proceedings to allow her to compose herself. Family members of the victims were present in the courtroom, some visibly emotional as they listened to her apology.

Dominic’s mother, Christine Russo, responded after the hearing, stating:

“An apology doesn’t bring my son back. Words don’t heal the hole in our hearts. We will never get justice until she serves the full sentence she deserves.”

Davian’s family also expressed mixed feelings, acknowledging the apology but emphasizing that nothing can replace their loved ones.

The hearing was part of ongoing legal proceedings as Shirilla’s legal team continues to explore appeal options, including claims related to her medical condition (POTS) and arguments about the severity of her sentence. Prosecutors have strongly opposed any reduction, citing the black box data showing full acceleration with no braking, prior threats, and other evidence presented at trial.

Mackenzie’s mother, Natalie Shirilla, also spoke briefly, asking the court and victims’ families for compassion while describing her daughter’s ongoing remorse and mental health struggles in prison.

The case gained renewed attention after the Netflix documentary The Crash portrayed Shirilla more sympathetically, prompting strong backlash from the victims’ families who felt the film minimized accountability.

As Mackenzie was led out of the courtroom, she turned one last time toward the victims’ families and mouthed the words “I’m sorry” again.

The emotional hearing has once again divided public opinion, with some expressing sympathy for Shirilla’s visible remorse while others insist that no apology can undo the loss of two young lives.

The court has not yet ruled on the latest appeal motions. Mackenzie Shirilla remains at the Ohio Reformatory for Women, where she will not be eligible for parole until October 2037.