The fallout from a devastating 2022 high-speed crash continues to ripple through the lives of those connected to it. In the latest development, the father of convicted double-murderer Mackenzie Shirilla has been sidelined from his teaching position following his controversial appearance in a newly released Netflix documentary.
Steve Shirilla, an art and digital media teacher at Cleveland’s Mary Queen of Peace School, has been placed on administrative leave. The disciplinary action, first reported by local outlets 19 News and WKYC, comes on the heels of public backlash over comments and choices he made in the true-crime documentary The Crash, which debuted on Friday, May 15.
The school, a Catholic institution serving students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, moved quickly to distance itself from the controversy. In an email dispatched to parents, administrators disclosed that a faculty member had been placed on leave following allegations of “poor judgment.”
“We want every parent and family to know that the safety, wellbeing, and trust of our students remain among our highest priorities,” the school’s administration stated in the letter, adding that they are committed to responding “promptly and responsibly” to any community concerns. Requests for further comment from Mary Queen of Peace School went unanswered at the time of publication.
The Crash That Started It All
To understand the school’s swift reaction, one must look back to the early morning hours of July 31, 2022. Mackenzie Shirilla, then 17, slammed her vehicle into a brick building in Strongsville, Ohio, at a staggering speed of nearly 100 miles per hour.
The violent impact instantly killed her 20-year-old boyfriend, Dominic Russo, and their 19-year-old friend, Davion Flanagan.
While the incident was initially treated as a horrific traffic accident, investigators soon uncovered a more sinister reality: Mackenzie had deliberately accelerated into the wall. Arrested in November 2022, she faced a barrage of charges, including multiple counts of murder and aggravated vehicular assault.
In August 2023, a judge sentenced her to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 15 years, ordering two life terms to be served concurrently. Despite her legal team launching two separate appeals—one in September 2023 and another in April 2025—both attempts to overturn the conviction were flatly denied.
A Father’s Defense Sparks Outrage
It was against this grim backdrop that Steve Shirilla chose to publicly defend his daughter in The Crash. His commentary, however, struck a nerve with viewers and parents alike.
In the documentary, Steve openly dismissed concerns regarding his daughter’s lifestyle choices prior to the crash. “I don’t have a problem with her smoking dope,” he stated on camera. “If you’re going to smoke a drug, that’s the one I believe you should take.”
Furthermore, Steve and his wife, Natalie Shirilla, used the platform to push back against allegations from Mackenzie’s former peers, who claimed she was a severe bully who had once even told a classmate to end their life. Their defense stood in stark contrast to school records cited in the documentary, which verified that Mackenzie had indeed been disciplined for bullying behavior.
Beyond his words, Steve’s wardrobe choice drew heavy fire from an outraged audience. For his sit-down interview, the middle school teacher wore a shirt emblazoned with the word “BOOM”—a detail many viewers condemned as jarringly insensitive given the explosive nature of the fatal collision.
The Aftermath in the Community
Speaking with 19 News, Steve Shirilla confirmed his administrative leave pending an internal investigation. While he expressed frustration with how the documentary was edited, he stood firm in his conviction, reiterating his belief that his daughter is innocent.
Within the school community, the reaction is mixed with grief, defense of a well-liked teacher, and anger over outside harassment. One parent, speaking anonymously, noted that students genuinely liked and respected Steve as an educator, arguing that the school could never have predicted this storm.
“No amount of background checks on Mr. Shirilla will show something that his daughter will do two years after he is hired,” the parent told the outlet, pleading for the public to leave the school out of the crosshairs. “As a parent of a student who attends there, it is not fair for our school, staff, children or families to receive hate and threats because of third-hand actions… There is no reason to be threatening an elementary school.”