Netflix’s The Crash is pulling viewers back into one of the most disturbing true crime cases in recent years — but some are now questioning whether the full story is being told.
The documentary revisits the 2022 crash involving Mackenzie Shirilla, who was convicted of killing her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, and his friend, Davion Flanagan, after driving into a brick wall at high speed.
While the film presents multiple perspectives — including Shirilla’s own claims that she doesn’t remember the crash — it’s also sparking debate over one key detail that wasn’t included.
The Case at the Center
On July 31, 2022, Shirilla, then 17, was behind the wheel when she accelerated to roughly 100 mph before crashing into a building, killing both passengers.
READ MORE: 25 True Crime Locations [Then and Now]
Investigators later said data showed the accelerator was pressed fully down with no sign of braking, leading prosecutors to argue the crash was intentional.
Shirilla was ultimately convicted and sentenced to two concurrent terms of 15 years to life in prison. She has continued to maintain that she has no memory of the crash, at times pointing to a possible medical episode.
The Chilling Detail Left Out
One of the most unsettling details surrounding the case — and one not explored in The Crash — involves what some believe could have been a “rehearsal.”
According to reports and accounts discussed outside the Netflix documentary, Shirilla had allegedly driven the same route just days before the fatal crash — despite it not being a road she typically used.
READ MORE: What Is Parricide? Inside One of the Rarest + Most Shocking Crimes
Some believe that detail could suggest planning, especially given the early-morning timing of the crash, when traffic would have been minimal.
For viewers on the fence about her guilt, that missing piece has become a major talking point.
Conflicting Perspectives
The Crash features interviews with classmates and friends, some of whom express support for Shirilla and question whether the crash was intentional.
Netflix / The Crash
However, others have shared a very different perspective outside the documentary.
In the series Mean Girl Murders, former friends alleged troubling behavior and suggested they believe the crash was deliberate.
“Mackenzie gets what she wants,” one former friend claimed. “And now… there’s nothing she or her family can do.”
A Debate That Isn’t Going Away
Since its release, The Crash has reignited intense online debate, with viewers split over whether Shirilla’s version of events raises reasonable doubt — or omits critical context.
With renewed attention on the case — and on what the documentary may have omitted — the conversation around Shirilla’s guilt or innocence isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
Stars Who Were Convicted or Charged With Crimes
Here are 25 celebrities who have been convicted or charged with crimes, ranging from minor felonies to serious offenses.
Gallery Credit: Claire Epting
