Mackenzie Shirilla is receiving some unexpected guidance from a well-known public figure.
Gypsy Rose Blanchard, whose own story has captivated the public, has shared her thoughts on the case involving Shirilla, who was convicted in 2023 for her role in the tragic deaths of her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, and their friend, Davion Flanagan.
In a podcast aired on May 29, Blanchard spoke to TMZ, emphasizing the importance of personal growth and accountability during Shirilla’s prison time. “She needs to mature and own up to what she did,” Blanchard said. “Remorse might not come easily now, as she might not have fully processed her emotions. But eventually, it will hit her hard.”
Shirilla is currently serving a sentence of 15 years to life, having been convicted on multiple counts, including four of murder, four of felonious assault, and two of aggravated vehicular homicide.
As per jail records reviewed by Oxygen, Shirilla’s earliest possibility for parole is in 2037.
Blanchard further advised, “When that realization comes, she should focus on taking the necessary steps to reconcile with the victims’ families.”
As Blanchard sees it, between a lack of accountability and the Netflix documentary The Crash, Shirilla will face some tough odds in front of the parole board.
“I don’t think the documentary did her any favors,” she told the outlet. “Now, I can say, I don’t think she’ll get early parole and this is why. So, the parole board takes into consideration behavior in prison, but most importantly remorse and family.”
In the documentary, Shirilla claimed in an interview from prison that “the most logical” explanation was that she had a “medical emergency” while behind the wheel.
Shirilla, in an undated phone call from behind bars obtained by People, has also said in part, “I don’t need to be rehabilitated.”
Nearly three years after their deaths, loved ones of the victims are now also reckoning with Shirilla’s newfound fame stemming from the Netflix doc.
“It’s absolutely infuriating. It’s exactly what she’s always wanted,” Dominic’s sister Christine Russo lamented in a TMZ interview published May 28. “The second after she killed my brother and Davion, within hours of killing two young men, she laid in a hospital bed making TikToks and trying to get modeling gigs on Instagram.”
In 2016, Blanchard pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of mother Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard. She was paroled in 2023 after serving 85 percent of her 10-year sentence.
