During her interview from prison in the Netflix documentary The Crash, convicted murderer Mackenzie Shirilla said of life behind bars: “It’s really hard every day in here. I try to wake up and be the best person I can be everyday, stay out of trouble.” Only according to records from the Ohio Reformatory for Women, where she’s serving two concurrent 15 years to life sentences, Mackenzie’s idea of staying “out of trouble” includes 23 disciplinary actions (and counting). It seems Mackenzie is keeping busy by violating dress codes, stashing contraband, and, more than anything else, engaging in a variety of sexual misconduct. But all that isn’t keeping Mackenzie busy enough, cause TMZ just got their hands on another call between Mackenzie and her mother where she complains about being bored in prison. You guyzzz, she’s booored!!
According to a jail audio call obtained by TMZ on Monday, June 1, Mackenzie, 21, complained to her mother, Natalie Shirilla, about her downtime behind bars. Mackenzie expressed frustration that she doesn’t have access to her commissary, an in-facility store that allows incarcerated individuals to purchase various items, including snacks, hygiene products, writing materials and more.
“How am I going to make this one book stretch?” Mackenzie asked, adding that she was not planning on “reading the same book over and over again.”
Mackenzie also told her mother that they need to “figure out this iPad s**t ASAP” so she can communicate with her mother and friends while in prison.
At one point in their conversation, Mackenzie — who has faced multiple disciplinary actions since her incarceration — complained about how slow the day was going for her.
“Like it’s only 3:30, how is it only 3:30?” she asked. “For real I did not even know it was 3:30 I thought it was like 5. It’s 3:30.”
When her mom asked if she could get a job in prison to help pass the time, Mackenzie claimed she didn’t think it was allowed.
“No, ‘cause of the charges that I have, they don’t let people with charges like me get jobs, so I’m told. I haven’t asked the staff yet though,” she said. “But I probably can’t get a f**king job cause I’m on the seventh floor. They’re probably not gonna let me get a job.”
Mackenzie shared that she was “so irritated” and wanted another book or cards to pass the time.
“Like literally there is nothing for me to do in my room, nothing,” she said.
Mackenzie is currently behind bars at the Ohio Reformatory for Women. She was convicted of 12 felony charges, including murder, during a 2023 bench trial after she drove her Toyota Camry at over 100 mph into a brick wall while her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, and friend Davion Flanagan were passengers in the vehicle when she was 17.
…Unfortunately for Mackenzie, her boredom behind bars is going to remain a constant as she is not eligible for parole until October 2037.
You know what shocked me the most from this transcript? That Mackenzie was reading a book! I’m gagged! Though they just got the recording this week, TMZ doesn’t specifically note when the call took place. I’m wondering if this was earlier in her sentence, because of the claim she makes about not being allowed to have a job. First of all, later in the recording, Mackenzie goes on to explain to her mother why she thinks she can’t get a job — only she’s speaking rapid fire in that pig latin/Ubbi Dubbi fake language! Also, a former inmate who knew Mackenzie has been giving interviews and says that everyone is assigned a job, and Mackenzie’s was on the maintenance team. Not that she’s been good about showing up for the job, but she still has one she’s supposed to be doing. Plus, I went and looked up the Ohio Reformatory for Women, and they list a bunch of educational programs and career training/apprenticeships Mackenzie could be taking advantage of. My point is, there are opportunities available to Mackenzie, things that would actually benefit her AND look good to a parole board down the line. If Mackenzie is bored, she has no one to blame but herself. But we all know she’s anathema to taking blame.
Also, so far all of her appeals have been denied — the last one on a technicality since her team turned it in a day late, forgetting it was a Leap Year… no comment — but she has a new one she’s hoping the Ohio Supreme Court will take up. Time will tell, even if it’s only 3:30.
Photos via Instagram and courtesy Netflix