Mackenzie Shirilla, the convicted murderer currently serving two concurrent sentences of 15 years to life, reminds her former fellow inmate of the antagonist from the 2004 film ‘Mean Girls’. Kat Crowder, who spends six months at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville alongside Shirilla, tells NewsNation that Shirilla appears to model herself after the film’s character Regina George.According to reports, Crowder and Shirilla are not close while behind bars together, with their conversations being “limited.” However, Crowder gains attention on social media following the release of ‘The Crash’, the Netflix documentary revisiting Shirilla’s case.
Mackenzie Shirilla’s prison behaviour mirrors Regina George
“I do say that she wanted to be like Regina George. I mean, just the way that she did her makeup, the way that she, I mean, it was like she was going out to a club or something,” Crowder says.In a follow-up interview with PEOPLE, Crowder expands on why Mackenzie Shirilla reminds her of Regina George. “She would do her makeup each and every day,” she explains of Shirilla. “She would accessorize her prison uniform. Make jewellery, customize shoes/hats to make them individualized. Mind you, she didn’t have anywhere to go but the prison yard.”Crowder also claims Mackenzie Shirilla often looks down on other inmates she feels are “less than” her, describing her attitude as superior.
Mackenzie Shirilla’s convictions and sentence
Mackenzie Shirilla, 21, is currently serving her sentences after being convicted in 2023 of all 12 charges against her, including murder, aggravated vehicular homicide and more. She becomes eligible for parole in 2037.The charges relate to the July 2022 passings of her 20-year-old boyfriend, Dominic Russo, and the couple’s friend, 19-year-old Davion Flanagan. Prosecutors argue during her trial that she intentionally crashes her sedan into a brick wall in Strongsville, Ohio, at around 100 mph, causing the passings of her two passengers after leaving a party in the early morning hours. They claim that tensions in her relationship with Russo motivate her actions.
‘The Crash’ Netflix documentary brings attention to Mackenzie Shirilla’s case
Since the May 15 release of the documentary revisiting Mackenzie Shirilla’s case, Crowder’s videos about their time together in prison go viral on TikTok, where she now has 150,000 followers.The project includes interviews with Mackenzie Shirilla’s family, the victims’ loved ones, and Shirilla herself speaking from prison. It also revisits allegations that Shirilla bullies classmates, including claims that she tells one student to end their life, and references school records reportedly showing that she has been disciplined for bullying.
Crowder contrasts prison behaviour with documentary portrayal
In her interview, Crowder states that “the documentary version” of Mackenzie Shirilla is someone she has “never seen.” “From the way she sat down at that table, the way she spoke and the way she looked,” she explains, adding that the two “were never friends in prison, but I saw her for hours at a time each day. She was very girly and light and [in] the documentary [she] came off as very dark and smug.”In the documentary, Shirilla speaks from prison about her experience. “It’s really hard everyday in here,” she says. “I try to wake up and be the best person I can be everyday, stay out of trouble. There’s not a moment that doesn’t pass where I don’t think about [Russo and Flanagan].”
Mackenzie Shirilla’s account of the incident
Shirilla maintains that she has no memory of the moments leading up to the fatal collision, saying she loses consciousness due to postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a chronic medical condition. However, no medical records or expert testimony confirming such a diagnosis are presented at trial.
