A convicted teenager who became one of Ohio’s most controversial true crime figures could now be facing a second battle over her future, as the family of one of her victims warns she is allegedly attempting to transform her notoriety into fame.

Mackenzie Shirilla was 17 years old when she drove her vehicle into a brick building in Strongsville, Ohio, an impact that killed her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, and their friend, Davion Flanagan. Prosecutors later argued the crash was intentional, while Shirilla has maintained her innocence.

Now serving two concurrent sentences of 15 years to life following her 2023 conviction, Shirilla’s case has returned to public attention after the release of a new Netflix documentary. But according to the sister of one of the victims, the renewed spotlight has opened old wounds and raised fears that Shirilla is seeking to profit from the tragedy.

The victim’s sister, Christine Russo, says her family is deeply disturbed by what she describes as Shirilla’s alleged attempts to build a public profile around the case. She claims jail calls and documentary-related attention suggest Shirilla is already thinking about life beyond prison in terms of fame and influence rather than remorse.

“A few weeks ago, after hearing the jail calls where she boasts about getting famous, I sat down and thought: over my dead body will I allow her to be the next Gypsy Rose,” Christine said, referring to high-profile true crime figures whose cases have drawn massive media attention.

“She wants to get out, get rich, and get famous off of this tragedy,” she added.

The comparison reflects a broader cultural trend in which convicted offenders, particularly in high-profile cases, become subjects of documentaries, podcasts, and dramatizations. Christine argues that this cycle risks overshadowing victims and allowing offenders to shape the narrative of their crimes.

Shirilla’s case has drawn widespread attention partly due to its dramatic circumstances and the viral success of true crime storytelling. In interviews featured in the documentary, Shirilla has insisted she is innocent, a claim that has divided public opinion. However, prosecutors pointed to evidence including surveillance footage and vehicle data suggesting sustained acceleration leading up to the fatal crash.

The case has been repeatedly compared to other controversial criminal cases that later became media phenomena, including that of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, who was convicted in 2015 in the killing of her mother and later released on parole in 2023. Her case inspired documentaries, dramatizations, and intense public debate about abuse, responsibility, and media ethics.

Christine says the comparison is exactly what concerns her family. While she acknowledges public interest in true crime, she argues that offenders gaining notoriety can retraumatize victims’ families and distort how the public remembers the victims themselves.

“My brother is not a storyline,” she said. “We are constantly forced to defend him, and that should never be the case.”

She also described how ongoing online attention has affected her family’s ability to grieve privately. According to Christine, relatives of both Russo and Flanagan continue to face messages from strangers, some supportive and others abusive, as the case trends again across social media platforms.

“I see it online, but I’m not paying attention anymore,” she said. “There are people behind keyboards saying the most disgusting things. But we know what happened, and that’s what matters.”

Christine says she has now turned part of her focus toward advocacy work, hoping to redirect the attention surrounding the case into something constructive. Through her podcast, she plans to speak about teen relationships, warning signs of domestic conflict, and the emotional aftermath of violent loss.

However, her most ambitious effort is a proposed piece of legislation she calls “Dom and Davion’s Law.” The initiative, which she is promoting through a public petition, aims to close what she describes as legal loopholes that allow convicted offenders to benefit financially or socially from their crimes.

The proposal would expand existing “Son of Sam” laws, which were originally designed to prevent criminals from profiting from books or media deals about their crimes. Christine argues that those laws are outdated in the digital era, where social media monetization, crowdfunding platforms, and indirect revenue streams can still generate income tied to criminal notoriety.

Under the proposed framework, any earnings linked to crime-related publicity would be frozen or redirected into victim compensation funds. It would also restrict monetization through sponsorships, fan donations, merchandise sales, and third-party accounts operating on behalf of offenders.

“It only covered books and media before,” Christine said. “Now we have social media, GoFundMe, livestreams. There are too many loopholes.”

She emphasized that her goal is not censorship but prevention of profit. “It’s not about taking away freedom of speech,” she said. “It’s about stopping people from making money off of killing someone.”

Christine also expressed frustration that some individuals connected to the documentary have publicly supported Shirilla or attempted to frame her in a more sympathetic light. She says this has intensified the emotional strain on her family, who feel they are constantly fighting to preserve the memory of the victims.

“We know she’s guilty, the judge knows it, and that’s what matters,” she said. “It doesn’t matter what strangers online think.”

Despite her anger, Christine says she believes continued public discussion can be redirected toward awareness and prevention rather than sensationalism. She hopes to use the attention surrounding the case to educate young people about unhealthy relationships and the early warning signs of emotional manipulation or control.

She also credited the documentary’s creators for handling the subject matter responsibly, even if she feels some details were missing due to time constraints. According to her, the format inevitably leaves gaps, but she believes the core evidence and outcome of the case speak for themselves.

“They didn’t have to add anything extra,” she said. “Just showing her own words was enough.”

As Shirilla continues her prison sentence, her case remains a flashpoint in broader debates about crime, media, and the ethics of storytelling. For the families of Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan, however, the focus remains fixed on loss, memory, and the ongoing struggle to ensure their loved ones are not defined by the actions of others.

And as renewed attention builds around the case, Christine says her message remains unchanged: the victims should never be overshadowed by the person responsible for their deaths.