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‘Hell on wheels’ killer Mackenzie Shirilla, mom cackle over media attention, suggest Kim Kardashian will come calling in sick jail convo

Nypost · · 721 words · By Georgia Worrell
Lack of Remorse Celebrity Obsession criminal justice
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What to know about Lack of Remorse

‘Hell on wheels’ killer Mackenzie Shirilla, mom cackle over media attention, suggest Kim Kardashian will come calling in sick jail convo See more of our coverage in your search results.

Claims checked 10
Techniques found 3
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center67%
Right33%

3 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

‘Hell on wheels’ killer Mackenzie Shirilla, mom cackle over media attention, suggest Kim Kardashian will come calling in sick jail convo See more of our coverage in your search results.

Why it matters

Add The New York Post on Google“Hell on wheels” killer Mackenzie Shirilla and her mom cackled over the global attention surrounding the daughter’s double-murder case — and gleefully predicted they’d soon be rubbing elbows with A-listers, according to newly…

Common ground

The twisted exchanges took place as Shirilla, 20, was locked up for intentionally plowing her car into a brick wall, killing her ex-boyfriend Dominic Russo and friend Davion Flanagan in 2023.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling, Exaggeration / Hyperbole: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/29/us-news/mackenzie-shirilla-and-her-mom-cackle-over…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 3 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 100% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Name Calling / Labeling 90% confidence
Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Exaggeration / Hyperbole 80% confidence
Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing exaggeration / hyperbole helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 10 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 6
info Single Source 3
verified Verified By Reference 1
info
Claim 1: “Shyann Topping, who allegedly dated Shirilla for a couple of weeks inside the Ohio Reformatory for Women.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The evidence provided for this claim consists of general name meanings and an unrelated breakup of a different couple (Jessica Shannon and Shyann McCant). There is no evidence provided that a person named Shyann Topping dated Shirilla.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Meaning of Shyann - What does Shyann mean? Read the name meaning, origin, pronunciation, and popularity of the baby name Shyann for girls.
https://www.babynamespedia.com/meaning/Shyann
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web search NEUTRAL — Shyanne is a premium western and fashion line for women. One of a kind western boots, tops, dresses, jeans and more. Quality, statement pieces from head to toe.
https://shyanne.com/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Jun 3, 2026 · Jessica Shannon has separated from her wife, Shyann McCant, whom she began dating in July 2022. The breakup comes less than three weeks after Jessica and Shyann's wedding was shown in th…
https://people.com/jessica-shannon-breakup-wife-shyann-mccan…
info
Claim 2: “Mackenzie says. “Maybe Kim Kardashian will reach out herself,” Mackenzie says. Her mom responds, ‘That’s what I’m saying – I’m hoping.'”
SINGLE SOURCE
While web search results mention the jail calls and the general topic of media attention, the specific quote regarding Kim Kardashian is only clearly attributed to one specific report/web result.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The murder of Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan occurred on July 31, 2022, at approximately 5:30 a.m, when Mackenzie Shirilla crashed her vehicle into a brick wall in Strongsville, Ohio, United States…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Dominic_Russo_and_Da…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Natalie Shirilla cackled in jailhouse phone calls about her daughter’s double-murder case receiving global media attention. Courtesy of netflix. The self-centered daughter says, “Then they can just re…
https://nypost.com/2026/05/29/us-news/mackenzie-shirilla-and…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Mackenzie Shirilla; Mackenzie Shirilla crash scene.Credit: Courtesy of Netflix; Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office.Dominic's sister claimed Mackenzie's mom lied to them about her health status in the…
https://www.aol.com/articles/6-alarming-details-missing-cras…
+ 1 more evidence source
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Claim 3: “The seemingly remorseless killer is serving two concurrent sentences of 15 years to life”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent reports from NYPost and Flipboard confirm she is serving two concurrent sentences of 15 years to life.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Strongsville is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, and a suburb of Cleveland. As of the 2020 census, its population was 46,491. The city's nickname, Crossroads of the Nation, originated f…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strongsville,_Ohio
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Ohio Reformatory for Women (ORW) is a state prison for women owned and operated by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction in Marysville, Ohio. It opened in September 1916, when 34 fe…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_Reformatory_for_Women
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The murder of Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan occurred on July 31, 2022, at approximately 5:30 a.m, when Mackenzie Shirilla crashed her vehicle into a brick wall in Strongsville, Ohio, United States…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Dominic_Russo_and_Da…
+ 5 more evidence sources
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Claim 4: “Mackenzie... ordered that her Instagram bio be changed to read “#freekenzie””
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results confirm that in jail calls, Mackenzie ordered her mother to change her Instagram bio to '#freekenzie'.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 27, 2026 · In one phone call, she told her mom, “And please don't forget to change my Instagram bio. Try and get into that one Instagram account and change ...
https://www.the-sun.com/news/16418991/killer-mackenzie-shiri…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 29, 2026 · During that call, the social-media-obsessed daughter also ordered that her Instagram bio be changed to read “#freekenzie” – despite her mother's ...
https://nypost.com/2026/05/29/us-news/mackenzie-shirilla-and…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 20, 2026 · Mackenzie Shirilla spoke candidly in a jail call with her mother, Natalie Shirilla, about the realities of life behind bars and a deeply ...
https://www.tiktok.com/@people/video/7642149901744278815
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Claim 5: “Mackenzie — the subject of a new popular Netflix documentary, “The Crash””
CORROBORATED
Multiple reports from NYPost and web search results confirm the existence of a Netflix documentary titled 'The Crash' about Mackenzie Shirilla.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The murder of Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan occurred on July 31, 2022, at approximately 5:30 a.m, when Mackenzie Shirilla crashed her vehicle into a brick wall in Strongsville, Ohio, United States…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Dominic_Russo_and_Da…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Ohio Reformatory for Women (ORW) is a state prison for women owned and operated by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction in Marysville, Ohio. It opened in September 1916, when 34 fe…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_Reformatory_for_Women
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cross reference SUPPORTS — A Netflix documentary “The Crash” follows the twisted saga of Mackenzie “hell on wheels” Shirilla
https://nypost.com/2026/05/27/opinion/somehow-mackenzie-shir…
+ 4 more evidence sources
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Claim 6: “two former inmates... said she “walked around like she was this famous person” and fancied herself an “It Girl” behind bars.”
CORROBORATED
Web search results from Bored Panda and other sources report a former inmate's claims that Shirilla acted like a celebrity and a narcissist behind bars.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Flanagan, Russo, and Shirilla all lived in Strongsville, Ohio, at the time of the crash. Flanagan and Shirilla had recently graduated from Strongsville High School. The three were part of a large frie…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Dominic_Russo_and_Da…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Now, a former prison inmate at the Ohio Reformatory for Women has spoken out about her experience, suggesting Shirilla might be raking in cash from 'sugar daddy websites'. Mackenzie Shirilla was convi…
https://www.ladbible.com/news/us-news/the-crash-netflix-mack…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The former inmate also alleged that Shirilla sold customized shoes and jewelry to fellow inmates and acted as though she expected to eventually walk free. Shirilla’s case continues to generate attenti…
https://www.boredpanda.com/mackenzie-shirilla-blasted-by-vic…
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Claim 7: “she is now appealing her conviction for a second time.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple reports from NYPost confirm that she is appealing her conviction for a second time.
compare_arrows
cross reference SUPPORTS — She’s appealing her conviction a second time.
https://nypost.com/2026/05/26/us-news/boyfriend-of-hell-on-w…
compare_arrows
cross reference SUPPORTS — She is appealing her conviction for a second time.
https://nypost.com/2026/05/25/us-news/mackenzie-shirilla-boa…
compare_arrows
cross reference SUPPORTS — She is now appealing her conviction for a second time.
https://nypost.com/2026/05/19/us-news/hell-on-wheels-killer-…
+ 1 more evidence source
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Claim 8: “newly released jailhouse phone recordings [show] Mackenzie Shirilla and her mom cackled over the global attention surrounding the daughter’s double-murder case”
CORROBORATED
Web search results from multiple sources describe jailhouse recordings where Mackenzie and her mother cackled over the global attention of the case.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The murder of Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan occurred on July 31, 2022, at approximately 5:30 a.m, when Mackenzie Shirilla crashed her vehicle into a brick wall in Strongsville, Ohio, United States…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Dominic_Russo_and_Da…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 29, 2026 · “Hell on wheels” killer Mackenzie Shirilla and her mom cackled over the global attention surrounding the daughter's double-murder case — and ...
https://nypost.com/2026/05/29/us-news/mackenzie-shirilla-and…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 29, 2026 · New jailhouse phone calls from Mackenzie Shirilla reveal her reaction to trial testimony and the victim's families as the trial played out.
https://www.cleveland19.com/2026/05/29/theyre-just-evil-mack…
+ 1 more evidence source
verified
Claim 9: “Mackenzie Shirilla, 20, was locked up for intentionally plowing her car into a brick wall, killing her ex-boyfriend Dominic Russo and friend Davion Flanagan in 2023.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia and web search results confirm that Mackenzie Shirilla crashed her vehicle into a brick wall in 2022, killing Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan, and was subsequently sentenced to prison.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The murder of Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan occurred on July 31, 2022, at approximately 5:30 a.m, when Mackenzie Shirilla crashed her vehicle into a brick wall in Strongsville, Ohio, United States…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Dominic_Russo_and_Da…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Ohio Reformatory for Women (ORW) is a state prison for women owned and operated by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction in Marysville, Ohio. It opened in September 1916, when 34 fe…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_Reformatory_for_Women
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The murder of Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan occurred on July 31, 2022, at approximately 5:30 a.m, when Mackenzie Shirilla crashed her vehicle into a ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Dominic_Russo_and_Da…
+ 2 more evidence sources
info
Claim 10: “Natalie... told the killer to start writing a book.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence mentions jail calls and discussions about media coverage, but none of the provided snippets explicitly state that Natalie told her to start writing a book.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Mackenzie is serving at least 15 years, with a possibility of life in prison (Ohio Reformatory for Women). One clip, shared on TikTok, shows a phone call between Mackenzie and her mum Natalie Shirilla…
https://www.ladbible.com/entertainment/tv/mackenzie-shirilla…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Mackenzie Shirilla; Natalie Shirilla.Credit: Courtesy of Netflix (2).Mackenzie Shirilla and her mother Natalie can be heard speaking to one another in a secret language on a number of jail phone calls…
https://www.aol.com/articles/listen-mackenzie-shirilla-speak…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Shirilla has maintained the crash was unintentional and claims she blacked out due to a medical condition called POTS. A friend of Mackenzie Shirilla told her during a jail phone call that her slain b…
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/mackenzie-shirillas-f…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.