Find us on Twitter | Instagram

“This is the worst crash I’ve ever seen.”

That’s how one first responder described the scene in Strongsville, Ohio, where a car had slammed into a building at devastating speed. Two young men were killed instantly. The only survivor was the seventeen-year-old driver, Mackenzie Shirilla. The victims were later identified as her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, 20, and their friend, Davion Flanagan, 19.

Directed by Gareth Johnson, the 2026 Netflix documentary “The Crash” follows the investigation into the case, and how the evidence gradually suggested that the collision wasn’t a tragic accident caused by alcohol or drugs, but a deliberate act of murder.

At around 90 minutes long, “The Crash” features interviews with almost everyone you’d expect to hear from in a case like this, including the families of Mackenzie, Dominic, and Davion, as well as investigators, prosecutors, and Mackenzie herself. At the time of filming, she was serving her prison sentence at the Ohio Reformatory for Women.

Tim Troup, the assistant prosecuting attorney on the case, takes viewers through the crash scene and the investigation that followed. Among the most compelling pieces of evidence is CCTV footage which, according to the prosecution, suggests that the driver remained in complete control of the vehicle until the very end. The documentary also examines the events leading up to the crash, revealing that Mackenzie, Dominic, and Davion had attended a house party that night, while recordings and testimonies from the days beforehand suggest that all was not well between Mackenzie and Dominic.

That, in turn, raises the documentary’s central question. If the driver knew exactly what they were doing, why did the crash happen? Did Mackenzie Shirilla plan it beforehand as part of a murder-suicide plot to stop Dominic Russo from breaking up with her, or was it a reckless, spur-of-the-moment act fueled by anger? The footage appears to show the car slowing for a turn before accelerating moments later into the fatal impact.

Shirilla’s conduct in the days after the crash also becomes a major talking point in the documentary, while interviews also try to established her character in general. Just two days later, she was allegedly seen reaching out to brands on social media in search of sponsorship deals, while also posting lighthearted content with friends. The prosecution used this online activity to portray her as someone who showed little remorse over the deaths of Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan. While it is undoubtedly unsettling, one can’t help but wish the documentary had also sought the opinion of a behavioral psychologist. A teenager immediately slipping back into familiar online habits, however insensitive they may seem, is not, by itself, proof of murder.

As a viewer, I, too, found myself instinctively questioning Shirilla’s innocence while watching these sequences. But that’s precisely why a more balanced perspective would’ve been valuable. Ironically, the interviews that raise the most compelling questions about the crash aren’t Shirilla’s own, but those of her parents, who appear to have excused or overlooked some of her more troubling behavior, potentially fostering a sense that she rarely had to face meaningful consequences for her actions.

Regardless of where one lands on Shirilla’s guilt, “The Crash” is a sobering reminder of how social media validation can distort priorities, especially during adolescence. It’s difficult to watch some of Shirilla’s post-crash online activity without wondering whether platforms encourage young people to view every major life event as content. It also makes it easier to understand why countries such as Australia have moved toward restricting social media access for younger users, even if the effectiveness of such policies remains open to debate.

If you aren’t familiar with the case and are interested in true-crime documentaries, “The Crash” is an easy watch that forces viewers to question just how damaging social media obsession and over-indulgent parenting can become when left unchecked.

Watch ‘The Crash’ on Netflix.

Read Next: Mary Shelley Vs del Toro’s Frankenstein – 12 Differences (Audio Version Below)