Natalie Shirilla has become her daughter Mackenzie Shirilla‘s most vocal defender as the convicted killer serves two concurrent sentences of 15 years to life at the Ohio Reformatory for Women. In a string of recent interviews and podcast appearances, Natalie has detailed everything from her daughter’s claims of memory loss to the rumors swirling about Mackenzie’s prison relationships — and Us Weekly has rounded up everything she has shared.
Mackenzie was convicted in 2023 of intentionally driving her car at 100 mph into a brick building in Strongsville, Ohio, in July 2022. The crash killed her boyfriend, Dominic Russo and their friend Davion Flanagan. She was found guilty of 12 felony charges including murder, felonious assault and aggravated vehicular homicide. Despite the conviction — and the Ohio Supreme Court declining to hear her second appeal on June 23, 2026 — Mackenzie has maintained her innocence, a stance her mother has loudly echoed.
Natalie Shirilla Says Mackenzie Has No Memory of the Fatal Crash
During the June 25, 2026, episode of Chris Cuomo‘s “Crime Time” podcast, Natalie said her daughter is “trapped in a nightmare that she has no memory of.” The interview came just two days after the Ohio Supreme Court denied Mackenzie’s most recent appeal.
“She’s never seen the evidence. She’s never seen the discovery. She’s never seen anything,” Natalie said. “She’s almost trapped in a nightmare that she has. All she knows is that the boyfriend that she loved with her whole, whole heart is gone and Davion is gone and she was the driver in a car accident, and has no memory of it.”
Mackenzie’s attorneys have long argued that “there is medical evidence” she may have “suffered from a pre-existing medical condition that could have caused her to black out while driving.” Mackenzie was previously diagnosed with POTS, a condition that, per the Cleveland Clinic, causes symptoms including a fast heart rate, dizziness and fatigue when transitioning from lying down to standing up.
Natalie said Mackenzie still has unanswered questions about that day. “And like, ‘Where’s Dom?’ Like, ‘What happened and [to] Davion?’ It’s like so sad she’s literally trapped in this nightmare, and so she struggles mentally with that part and I feel bad for everybody,” she continued.
Natalie Shirilla Insists Her Daughter Still Loves Dominic Russo
Despite the conviction, Natalie has repeatedly pushed back on the narrative that Mackenzie wanted Russo dead. In an interview with The Daily Mail published on June 14, 2026, Natalie tried to dispel rumors that Russo had been trying to break up with her daughter before the crash.
“I loved Dom. I still love Dom. Mackenzie still loves Dom. She’s struggling. Dom was like part of our family,” Natalie said.
She also claimed Russo had struggled with his own mental health, alleging he was “bipolar” and had previously threatened suicide — including at one alleged incident at the Shirillas’ home. Natalie acknowledged the couple’s relationship was volatile and that they fought often but insisted Mackenzie was always by Russo’s side during his hardest moments. According to Natalie, Russo’s mother had even called Mackenzie on multiple occasions for help when Russo would begin to “hit his head against the wall.”
Natalie Shirilla Says Mackenzie Shirilla Has Gained Weight and Looks Healthier
On the physical side, Natalie said her daughter is faring better than expected behind bars. “She’s actually gained a little bit of weight, she looks healthier,” Natalie told The Daily Mail. Still, she added, “She’s still mentally struggling.”
Natalie said she isn’t worried about her daughter being targeted by other inmates. “I think some people get targeted at times but it’s not something she talks about. She’s not afraid to stand up for herself. We talk about how to navigate through those situations.” She also said she believes “the women really take care of each other” at the Ohio Reformatory for Women.
Mackenzie has kept busy with painting, drawing, music and movies on a controlled tablet that does not have internet access, her mother said. She also has access to a gym and fitness classes. Us previously reported that Mackenzie recently took a job as a food service worker at the prison — a position that, per a prison spokesperson, can pay inmates up to $24 per month.
Natalie Shirilla Defends Mackenzie Against Prison Hookup Claims
Mackenzie’s personal life behind bars has fascinated true crime fans, particularly after reports surfaced that she has racked up 36 misconduct tickets — many tied to alleged sexual activity with other inmates. Natalie addressed those claims in the same Daily Mail interview.
“A lot of the tickets she got were for stuff she wouldn’t even know were rules, like wearing her uniform,” Natalie claimed. As for the more eyebrow-raising infractions — including allegedly sexually explicit video calls with an ex-inmate — Natalie kept it brief.
“I mean, she’s in her 20s so…,” she said of her daughter’s alleged sexual activity. “I don’t know about that one. All I can say is Mackenzie is not violent or aggressive.”
Us previously reported the infractions included a 2025 NSFW video call in which Mackenzie allegedly showed her breasts to a visitor, more than 100 video visits in April 2025 with an “ex inmate that was released,” possession of four “nude magazine pictures” in October 2024 and a finding of “consensual sexual contact” with another inmate in August 2025.
A former inmate, Mary Katherine Crowder, has also publicly claimed Mackenzie had multiple girlfriends in prison and went to solitary confinement over the relationships.
Natalie Shirilla Says Mackenzie Shirilla Is Coping Through Her Art
Beyond the headlines about hookups and tickets, Natalie has painted a darker picture of how her daughter is processing her circumstances — particularly through her artwork. On Cuomo’s podcast, she described unsettling self-portraits Mackenzie has created at the Ohio Reformatory for Women.
“It’s so sad, and one of these days I’ll share it, but I’m not going to share it now for obvious reasons, but it’s really sad,” Natalie said. “She does self-portraits of herself where she has… like a rose of thorns around her neck or like her mouth is sewn shut and she’s got all these question marks around her head like, ‘Why, why, why?'”
With Mackenzie’s appeals exhausted at the state level for now, Natalie has made clear she has no plans to stop speaking publicly — even as she insists her daughter remains “trapped in a nightmare” with no answers in sight.
This story was compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists.
