Former Inmate Challenges Netflix's 'The Crash' Portrayal of Mackenzie Shirilla

Netflix recently released The Crash, which is a true crime documentary about Mackenzie Shirilla and a car crash she was responsible for that killed two of her classmates and resulted in her being sent to prison.

However, a former inmate who served time at the Ohio Reformatory for Women is speaking out, saying that the way Shirilla is depicted in the documentary is nothing like what she experienced while serving time with the 21-year-old.

When speaking with The New York Post, Mary Katherine Crowder revealed that her "jaw literally dropped" when she saw Shirilla in the documentary because "her demeanor and the way that she looked was nothing like the person I was in there with."

"When I was in there with her, you'd look at her and she had her makeup done every day, she was very well put together - almost like preppy," Crowder added. "But in the documentary, she did not look like that at all - she almost looked like she was conforming to the people that have been there for a while.

"Even the way she talks is completely different - she talked like a Valley girl when I was in there with her. Her voice was very happy-go-lucky and high-pitched, but now she has an edge to her voice... This character in the documentary is nothing like who I saw in there at all, and it was shocking."

Crowder explained how Shirilla was the "Regina George of prison," walking around with her makeup and hair always done. She added that she never saw Shirilla cry.

Crowder also shared her experiences with Shirilla on TikTok.

The crime occurred in 2022 when Shirilla intentionally crashed her car, driving 100 miles per hour. The crash claimed the lives of her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, and his friend Davion Flanagan. She was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after serving 15 years.

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This story was originally published May 20, 2026 at 10:30 PM.