Phone Calls from Prison
Mackenzie Cirilla, 20, who is serving time for a fatal crash, recently expressed her dissatisfaction with life in prison. She missed her iPad, criticized the food quality, and lamented about wanting an easier life behind bars while speaking with her mother.
Cirilla ended up in jail after deliberately driving her car into a brick wall in 2023, which resulted in the deaths of her ex-boyfriend, Dominic Russo, and a friend, Davion Flanagan.
During a call from the Cuyahoga County Jail in Cleveland, she said, “But I really want an iPad,” revealing her desire for the device despite not knowing how to use it effectively.
While awaiting trial, Cirilla also complained about her inability to sleep and managed to convince her mother to inquire about the iPad by urging, “Can you call me and ask? Please, please.” However, she was informed that prison officials would consider it a “special request.”
“When you know, you’ll understand,” her mother, Natalie, replied, trying to address her daughter’s grievances.
Cirilla later yelled in frustration about the situation, asking, “Why that man?”
In another conversation, she expressed her discontent with the prison food, even going as far as to use her own money to pay for better options, as noted by her ex-girlfriend, Shan’ann Topping.
Cirilla garnered attention for her case, leading to a peculiar bond over phone calls with her mother. “Kenzie, you’re going to be on the show today,” Natalie mentioned, which surprised her daughter. However, Cirilla was let down when she found out her story would air online rather than on television.
The incident that led to her incarceration unfolded in July 2022 when Cirilla, then 19, was filmed crashing her Toyota Camry at a staggering 160 mph into a warehouse in Strongsville, Ohio. The crash resulted in the immediate deaths of Russo and Flanagan, while Cirilla was discovered unconscious, her fuzzy Prada slippers still on the gas pedal.
The tragic event is also covered in a Netflix documentary titled “The Crash.” Currently, Cirilla is serving two concurrent 15-year sentences at the Ohio Correctional Facility for Women in Marysville.
In later phone calls, she speculated about launching a career in Hollywood if released early, leveraging her notoriety. Additionally, she insisted her mother update her Instagram profile to read “#freekenzie” despite her mother’s reservations.
“And don’t forget to change my Instagram profile. Log in to that Instagram account and change my name,” she directed, showcasing a sense of entitlement even behind bars.
