Parents Discover Their Daughter Is A Mаss Killer

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Transcript

00:00

Babe, what did they tell you? >> Nothing.

>> Okay. She was life lighted here.

>> This is Natalie and John Sharella, the parents of Mackenzie Sharillaa. Just hours earlier, they were informed their daughter was involved in a devastating

00:15

car accident and that she was transported by helicopter to the nearest hospital. However, what they're about to hear from this officer would change the course of their and Mckenzie's life forever.

No. >> You want to sit down?

00:31

>> Oh my god. >> Oh jeez.

>> Say this. Progress in Alamita.

Car into a building. Two are deceased in the vehicle.

Daughter's driving. >> Who died?

>> McKenzie's boyfriend Dom Russo as well

00:48

as their friend DaVon were pronounced dead after the crash, making McKenzie the suspect of a potential double murder. However, police had their doubts.

Most assumed that this was simply the result of an innocent mistake

01:04

on Mackenzie's behalf. But as the investigation would progress, dark and disturbing secrets would reveal this was clearly much more than just an accident.

>> Stop. If you do not open like you think I'm joking.

>> What do you mean? >> You know that's exactly what I mean.

01:20

You're going to come open this door right now or there's going to be a serious problem. [Music]

01:35

17-year-old Mackenzie Sharilla, her 20-year-old boyfriend Dominic, and their friend DaVon are on their way to a high school party. With McKenzie's 18th birthday in just 2 days, the group has decided to go out and celebrate.

But what seems like a normal night out will

01:51

in a few hours turn into one of Ohio's most disturbing mysteries. At around 2:00 a.m., McKenzie and Dominic are seen smoking at the party.

And at one point, McKenzie reportedly offers the host of the party psychedelic mushrooms. This was unlike McKenzie, as

02:08

her friends had never seen her use a substance before, let alone pass them around. At 3:30 a.m., the group leaves the party and drives to another friend's place across town.

There, they hang out for a little over an hour watching South Park. By 5:00 a.m., McKenzie decided it

02:25

was time to go home. Strangely, she asked to drive instead of Dominic.

This was unusual, but Dominic agreed. Additionally, when DaVon asked for a ride, McKenzie refused to let him in the car.

After an argument, Dominic

02:40

convinced her to take DaVon home. All three of them would get in the car, sealing their own fate.

At the intersection between Pearl and Progress Drive, CCTV spots the car making a turn off course from DaVon's house. Instead

02:56

of driving along Pearl Drive, the car turns onto Progress Drive, a road that ends abruptly with a brick wall. CCTV would spot the car rapidly start accelerating, going from a calm 30 to over 90 mph.

In the very last seconds,

03:13

an intense turn would take place, leading the car to narrowly avoid slamming into a tree, but it would be too late, and the car would speed into the brick wall. The crashed car would remain undiscovered for 45 minutes until 6:15

03:31

a.m. when a passerby on a motorcycle would discover the destroyed vehicle.

About 10 minutes later, law enforcement would arrive and through their body cams, we can witness the horrific discovery they would make.

03:53

>> No one's breathing. >> Bust that window out.

>> All right. >> Oh my god.

>> Who can hear my voice in here? Driver.

04:11

>> Oh [ __ ] >> Hey, this is bad. >> She's alive.

We got to get her out. >> All right, >> reach up and unlock this door.

>> Let me see your knife. Let's cut this thing out.

04:32

[Applause] I don't feel anything. I don't feel a pulse.

>> She's breathing. I saw her stomach.

Her stomach's >> Oh, yeah. Yeah.

>> We got two that are gone. >> Yeah.

Okay.

04:49

>> Jesus Christ. Pistol horse I've ever seen.

How old is Dominic Russo? >> 17.

Hi, team. >> Rest in peace, buddy.

>> Inside the car, officers quickly confirm

05:05

two victims as deceased. 20-year-old Dominic in the front passenger seat and 19-year-old DaVon in the back.

But one person has survived, the driver, McKenzie Sharillaa. As medics and firefighters rush to tend to the victims, investigators begin trying to understand how such a devastating crash

05:22

could have happened. That's when they start uncovering alarming details.

It looks like they even went off the road up there. >> They did.

>> But I mean, they were I mean, if you're hitting a building that hard, I just can't believe all the people that work up here that are up here all night long. No one heard.

05:38

>> They're in factory type settings. >> Yeah.

Well, >> and it's dark. >> That's insane, though.

Once they get her out, I'll go over to this building cuz I think there's a camera on the front of that building. I don't know if it's working, but I can always ask.

As authorities work to save McKenzie, the

05:54

man who initially called 911 to report the incident arrives on the scene to give his side of the story. >> I appreciate you giving us a call.

>> Someone in it, obviously. >> Uh, yeah.

>> Yeah. All right.

>> Yeah. >> So, >> that's a bummer.

I didn't want to I didn't want to get stuck and I'm like, I ain't [ __ ] I don't know what's going

06:10

on, >> right? No, I appreciate you giving us a call.

Absolutely appreciate it. >> They must They [ __ ] were hitting it, man.

I mean, obviously, cuz I saw that that front end. >> They definitely hit it hard.

[ __ ] destroyed, >> right? >> All right.

Well, what a way to start your Sunday. I guess better than theirs, huh?

06:25

>> Right. >> I appreciate the call, sir.

Thank you. >> Officers would file the crash as an accident, stating that the driver appeared to have attempted to steer off course, but was unable to regain control.

McKenzie was diagnosed with a condition known as POTS, which can cause

06:42

dizziness and fainting, something officers believed may have contributed to the crash. The presumption was that a combination of McKenzie's medical condition and drug use had likely led to the tragic crash.

However, one detail worried officers. There were no signs of

06:57

breaking anywhere, and officers would soon begin to discover why. >> I've personally been told that she did voodoo on him.

>> She was scared that she was going to make him crash the day before the actual crash. >> I feel like that's what she was trying to do was crush the car into the wall.

07:12

As police continue gathering evidence from the crash site, one officer heads to the hospital to speak with Mackenzie's parents. At this point, all they know is that their daughter was in a serious accident.

>> Oh god. Amazing.

07:29

>> Babe, what did they tell you? >> Nothing.

>> Okay. She was lifelighted here.

>> Yeah, that one or that. >> No.

>> You want to sit down? >> Oh my god.

>> Oh, wait. Say this progress in Alama car

07:44

into a building. Two are deceased in the vehicle.

Daughter's driving >> who died. >> I don't know who.

There's one that we don't know. His name's Jacob.

Does anyone know Jacob? >> No.

Stop. What time?

>> Guys, I know we've been dealing with this.

08:01

>> Your daughter's okay. She's talking to us.

I talked to her. Okay.

Your daughter's alive. Okay.

Your daughter's alive. >> She was driving me.

Okay. Who is that?

Jacob and who? >> I think what's the name you said?

>> Don

08:18

might be >> Oh my god. >> Stop.

>> What's What's his relation to? >> Okay.

Yeah, then Don was in the car. >> Stop.

>> Are you kidding me? >> It's right now it's ongoing investigation.

Speed is definitely a factor. U drugs.

08:36

>> Tom is dead. Tom is dead.

Is that what you're telling me? Look at me.

Is that D said? >> There's no easy way for me to say anything right now.

Ma'am, this is this is this is a serious situation. >> The same dump.

Maybe it's a different. It could be a different might.

08:55

>> No, I don't know. We're going to keep it that way for her.

Okay. She's getting worked on now.

Okay. Full transparency here.

There's drugs in the car. She had a bag of mushrooms on her and a scale.

Full transparency, guys. I'm sorry.

I'm ripping the band-aid off. Okay.

drugs in the car.

09:11

>> So, she was awake but not awake. So, she was going back >> in and out of consciousness.

She be fully extracted from the vehicle if I know she has a severe leg injury.

09:26

Um, like I said, she was speaking and she had her seat belt on. >> McKenzie was the only one in the car wearing a seat belt, which was why she was the sole survivor.

If her intention had been side, it's unlikely she would have taken that precaution. This detail

09:42

would later become important to the investigation. >> Yeah, that probably saved her life.

100% saved her life. >> She had a seat belt up.

>> I don't believe the others did. >> McKenzie's parents would take the news relatively well, relieved their daughter

09:58

had survived. But officers now faced a much harder task, telling Dominic's parents.

Remember, at this point, they didn't even know their son had been in an accident, let alone that he had passed away.

10:13

[Music] >> Hi, Christine. >> Hey, can I talk to you real quick?

>> Yeah. >> Yeah.

Um, there was an incident uh that we believe Dominic may be involved.

10:29

>> What? >> Both Davon and Dominic are deceased.

>> Oh, God. Take a seat.

Sit down. Sit down.

>> Oh my god. >> Take a seat.

10:45

>> So, um, you know what time it happened? >> No, we don't right now.

What we do know 100% is somebody called it in. Somebody passing by at around 6:15, 6:30.

>> Called in. What?

The car was dispatched somewhere. >> Yeah.

So, so what it what it appears

11:00

that happened is they were going westbound on Progress from Pearl Road. They went >> right here in Strongsville.

>> Yeah, in Strongsville. That business that's right at the on Alama, right where Progress ends, that's dead ends right there.

They hit that building.

11:17

They hit the sign out front and then they hit the building. >> They fall asleep at the wheel or something.

>> Don't know. >> We don't know that.

We don't know that. Um, >> so two kids are dead, my son's dead, another kid's dead, and in the hospital.

>> She's in surgery right now.

11:32

>> Oh my god. Arus, >> I mean, you have another family member or a friend or anybody that you might want us to call on your behalf?

>> No. >> This is a [ __ ] nightmare.

Hey, somebody called in at 6:30 in the morning. Between 6:15 6:30

11:48

came upon it passing it by. >> Yeah.

>> Oh my gosh. This is [ __ ] horrible.

>> She was in her car. >> It was in McKenzie's car.

Yeah.

12:04

>> Yeah. >> Oh my gosh.

>> Is she naked or you guys don't know? >> We right now we don't know.

She's She's in surgery right now. So we we don't know.

>> What a [ __ ] nightmare. >> 3 weeks would pass.

time that McKenzie

12:20

would spend in the hospital recovering. Her condition would improve significantly, eventually allowing her to leave and return to her normal life.

The community mourned the tragic loss of Dominic and DaVon and expressed sympathy for McKenzie, who had just gone through

12:35

the trauma of losing both her boyfriend and a close friend. But soon, strange things about McKenzie would start to surface.

In the weeks that followed, it seems McKenzie thought everyone concluded the crash as a tragic accident and nothing

12:52

further. McKenzie would never attend Dominic or DaVon's funerals.

On social media, she would brag about her drug use, claiming she could quote, "do more drugs than anyone and still live." And then on October 31st, 2022, McKenzie

13:10

would go to her first party since the crash, and her costume for the night would be a detailed corpse with fake blood smeared across her mouth. McKenzie's parents even went public to defend her outfit, saying she quote deserved to have some fun after the

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accident. There also appeared to be a mysterious source of income.

McKenzie was spending thousands of undocumented dollars on designer clothing, and she wasn't hiding it either, openly bragging about it online. But lucky for McKenzie, this strange behavior still wasn't

13:42

enough for police to launch a full investigation. However, that would all change when Dominic's family came to the police with a video taken from Dominic's phone.

A clip recorded just 10 days before the crash, one that would change everything. But before we get to that, I

14:00

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Now, let's get back to what the investigators uncovered. At this point, officers already had a growing list of suspicions about McKenzie.

But it would be one video submitted by Dominic's parents and

15:18

filmed by Dominic himself just 10 days before the crash that would turn the entire case on its head. >> Dom, you do not open.

Like I'm You think I'm joking? You think I'm joking?

You think I'm joking? Like I'm dead ass.

You're going to come open this door right now or there's going to be a

15:34

serious problem. This was a short snippet from a 15-minute video where McKenzie clearly and continuously threatens Dominic.

But this wasn't all. Dominic's family would show even more disturbing material, including text messages confirming she had threatened

15:51

to kill Dominic. This was enough for officers to reopen the case.

Now investigating it as a planned double homicide. >> At this point, this is a u a homicide investigation.

And so we are trying to

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show that she intentionally drove the car into the wall. >> Shortly after the investigation began, police would begin interviewing several of Mackenzie Sharella's friends, family members, and individuals from the community.

This would prove to be very

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insightful. Officers would first bring Tyler, McKenzie's former boyfriend, in.

Unfortunately, his accounts would only serve to deepen their concerns. We understand you're you're not under arrest, dude.

>> You walk out anytime you want. We have

16:39

approximately 10 questions that we wanted to ask you. How long were you guys in a relationship, you and her?

>> Well, we were we were all friends in a friend group at first. I uh I ended up dating her for a little bit, like probably uh over the summer.

I was only

16:54

dating her for probably like a month and a half or like 2 months. And then um me and Dom found out that she was like she was cheating on us basically, but it wasn't like anything official.

So it wasn't no hard feelings like with whatever happened. I just kind of was

17:10

like after me and Dom found out about that. We had no problems with each other or nothing.

But like they kept they were on and off and I kept on talking to her still while they were on and off because we were all still in the friend group and stuff. So, and then uh we kind of

17:26

just like stopped being intimate, you know what I'm saying? And we're just friends.

>> So, describe the relationship. What was it?

What was she like as your girlfriend? >> Um like I didn't really have much with her relationship wise because we didn't date that long.

But like friend-wise,

17:41

like like she was crazy. Like our >> she like mentally just not all there.

I mean >> Yeah. I I don't think she's just mentally all there.

Like I personally feel like she was trying to kill herself and that crash and she uh failed on doing so. >> Why did Dom put up with this?

Do you

17:57

know? >> Um I've personally been told that she did voodoo on him.

She has told people that she's put a spell on him so that he couldn't break up with her. That she had like grabbed a piece of his hair and that she had a doll in her room for Dom and that she literally put a spell on

18:13

him. But she would tell everyone like she truly believed in that kind of stuff.

And she also uses the pendulum, I know, too, to try to get answers to, but she tries to use it now to talk to Don. >> Do you think McKenzie has it in her to drive a car into a wall?

18:29

>> I mean, if you're speculate that she did it on purpose, she has it in her. I feel like if she thinks that she can just drive the car into the wall and not feel nothing, you know, like I feel like the only reason she survived is because of how small she is, like feel like she got

18:45

insanely lucky, but at the same time not lucky to have survived that cuz like she killed two people if that was what she was trying to do. But it's like I I kind of feel that I feel like that's what she was trying to do was crush the car into the wall.

By now, a far darker picture

19:01

of Mackenzie's actions was beginning to take place. This is when two friends who had attended the party would come forward to police, claiming they had evidence that in their view proved the crash was no accident at all.

>> I just want to show you. >> Oh, no.

Explain it. >> So, this is when they were going down

19:17

Progress Drive >> and then you know how there was like um tire tracks before it like on that side grass. So, that's the sign.

>> That's when it hits the sign. That's where she curved exactly right on.

>> Gotcha. >> Missed those two rocks and went right

19:34

into the sign. The side of it.

She went right into that wall. >> Right.

>> No. So, you can see like the hard breaking was right at the wall and then her high speed >> was after the heartbreaking.

>> Yeah. 90 mph.

>> It looks like the person in the front

19:50

seat tried to turn the wheel >> because of the fact they were going to go straight into a wall. And it doesn't say she hard broke once.

It was 90 mph down that whole road. And I also think because of Kenzie's and Dominic's history that they were fighting.

I think Dave went on his phone to distract

20:06

himself from the fighting. Although they were on drugs, they can also still be fighting with being on drugs.

>> While the statements were deeply concerning, investigators still didn't have enough concrete evidence to determine McKenzie's intent. Without a documented pattern of behavior, it was

20:23

still possible the crash had been a druginduced accident. But that changed during an interview with Dominic's brother, who provided detectives with crucial information about Dominic and McKenzie's turbulent relationship.

The following video includes talk of self

20:39

harm. Viewer discretion is advised.

>> You mentioned that anytime Dom would kind of want to break up with her, she kind of would go crazy. Describe crazy.

Like what kind of crazy? >> Like there is times where she called Dom and said, "If you break up with me, I'm

20:55

going to Word for word. There was an instance literally a couple days before the crash that she was hitting him on the highway while driving and he had to pull his car over on the side of the highway.

Not in a very safe parking spot either and have somebody else come pick them up and

21:11

drive the car home because he was scared that she was going to make him crash. And that was just prior to the day before the actual crash.

>> Apparently, just days before the crash, McKenzie had threatened Dominic's life, saying she would crash the car they were in. Dominic's brother continued the

21:27

interview by giving officers a compelling motive for why the crash may have been intentional. >> You're going 94 miles an hour.

You don't have a very fast car to begin with. You were stomping that gas pretty much the whole entire time.

There's no brake marks on the street at all. Even before the hit, you would think that some type

21:43

of instinct would kick in and slam on the brakes. But to my knowledge, she went straight into it.

Off of what I know and off my assumptions, Dom tried to break up with her multiple times. Even in July, I kept not like working out, whatever.

They kept making back up. Kenzie's known to be the kind of person

22:00

that she's like, she's let us know she will never let go of Dom. And if she has to let go of Dom, she will not go on living herself.

She's pretty much let that be known. >> McKenzie's actions after the crash were also of concern to police.

On August

22:15

6th, only a week after the incident, police would be called to Mackenzie's house by her father. there.

He would make concerning statements. While there is no footage of the incident, the officer that was called out would retell the strange incident in an interview.

>> Sergeant, I want to ask you first about

22:31

August 6th. If you recall, that's the day you guys were dispatched to McKenzie Sharilla room.

Can you tell me about that thing? >> So, we were dispatched up to the room for a disturbance.

Once we arrived upon the room, she was upset with her dad. We asked the dad to step out and like we're

22:47

trying to calm him down, calm him down. And he's like, you know, you guys probably know who I am.

At one point in the conversation, he's like, I feel like my daughter needs a psych evaluation. And he's like, you know, because like, you know, she's not, you know, thinking clearly.

And word for word what he said.

23:03

Like I I don't recall every word that he said. He was pretty hysterical.

He was pretty upset. She was upset with her dad because like she wanted the lady to go to the funeral.

>> During this interaction, it became clear that McKenzie was deeply upset with her father. Despite creating a shrine for

23:20

Dominic, regularly posting on his Facebook memorial page, and wearing his clothes, her father hadn't allowed her to attend Dominic's funeral. It appeared that McKenzie was truly mourning his death.

But around this time, police managed to gain access to her phone.

23:36

What they uncovered didn't just explain her mysterious source of income. It also hinted at something far more disturbing.

After decryting Mackenzie's phone, investigators discovered several photos of her posing with large sums of cash despite having no documented job or

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known source of legitimate income. They also found fake IDs seemingly intended to help her pass as an adult.

But most concerning was a Snapchat conversation dated July 22nd, 2022, in which McKenzie quoted $1,000 for pictures and $2,500

24:12

for an in-person meeting to do quote anything you want. Taken together, the materials painted a deeply troubling picture.

On top of this, her phone revealed numerous examples of reckless driving. Videos showed her speeding,

24:27

smoking marijuana behind the wheel, recording Snapchats while distracted, crashing during a practice run and laughing about it, letting go of the steering wheel, and even bragging about driving recklessly. But in November, detectives would discover evidence far beyond any reasonable doubt.

After

24:46

analyzing McKenzie's phone location data, investigators were able to retrace her movements in the days leading up to the crash. That's when they made a dark discovery.

Just days before the incident, McKenzie had driven down the exact same road seven times, heading

25:03

straight towards the same brick wall. She had practiced the route.

Officers believed they had gathered enough evidence to prove McKenzie had planned the murders. On November 4th, 2022, more than 3 months after the

25:19

incident, officers were dispatched to arrest 18-year-old McKenzie Sharella. Where is she?

Right back there, pal. Hi, McKenzie.

Step out for me. I'm Detective Hazu.

I'm the one who's been

25:34

investigating the crash. You're under arrest for aggravated murder times two.

Okay. Nobody's going to ask you any questions.

Nobody's going to bother you. Can I have your key, please?

Could you please be careful taking this one off so it doesn't break the bracelet? >> You got it.

You got it.

25:52

[Music] >> Reporting. Mounted.

Wi-Fi connected.

26:08

[Music] [Music] camera that black mat.

26:23

[Music] >> What's your first name? >> Mackenzie.

>> Okay, Mackenzie, I'm going to take your handcuffs off. I need like all the jewelry and everything to come off.

Okay. >> I can't wear any of it.

No, I need you to take it off while you're in jail

26:38

right now. [Music] >> McKenzie's parents would soon find out about her arrest and immediately drive to the police station and desperately confront the police, but it would all be too late.

>> But I need to speak to my daughter because you guys aren't allowed to speak

26:54

to her at all. That's from the Lord.

How you guys did this on the weekend just go, "Hey, there's a warrant for her." We would have brought her right down here with no problem. She hit it.

Unbelievable. 18.

>> The warrant was issued today. It's really >> Well, you could make a phone call, couldn't you?

You had your creeper out

27:10

in front of my yard watching. >> So, um, she can't take, she's an adult.

She can't take any phone calls right now. >> Okay.

Well, I still need to speak to my daughter, so she understands her not saying anything to you guys. BD had to roll out the whole mask to pick up on the 18-year-old girl who can hardly walk

27:25

out of a out of a hospital. But is it just beyond?

>> So, we follow the law and that's what we're doing today. >> Am I going to be allowed to have a 2-minute conversation with her?

You cannot talk to her about all. Why doesn't she get a phone call?

Why don't she get a phone call? >> She was just brought in.

They're going

27:41

to process her. As soon as they get the time for her to make a phone call, she would be able to make a phone call.

>> She's a lawyer. She does have a lawyer.

>> She is 18 years old and she could speak that. >> Yeah, but she's a dumb 18-year-old that just turned 18.

And these guys are going to take advantage of She's not allowed to speak to you guys. I'm telling you

27:56

that. >> Her attorney can call us.

>> Don't ask her any questions. She's not allowed to speak to you.

Her parents don't want McKenzie to talk and demand a lawyer is present. McKenzie is going to need that lawyer as she's going to have to face the consequences of her actions in a court of law.

She's tried as an

28:13

adult and decides not to be tried by jury, leaving her fate to a judge. Despite the defense's claims that she lost consciousness, the evidence against her proves this claim was a lie, and the prosecution believes she crashed the car as an easy way out of the relationship.

28:30

The judge agreed and on August 14th, 2023, McKenzie's fate was finally sealed. >> This is the type of evidence you can never unsee.

You can never forget the visual or audio of this exhibit. It is

28:45

chilling and tragic. As you review that exhibit, you know that you are watching the oncoming deaths of two people, and there is nothing that will stop it.

Exhibit 802 crystallizes the deadly decisionmaking of the defendant. She

29:01

morphs from a responsible driver to literal hell on wheels as she makes her way down the street. The mission was death.

McKenzie alone decided to push the pedal to the floor and demand the ultimate speed of that vehicle to 90 to

29:17

100 miles hour. McKenzie decided death was the ultimate goal that day.

And she alone made that decision for Dominic and Devon. and she continuously acted in a manner to achieve her purpose.

In the early morning hours of July 31st, 2022,

29:33

her purpose was to kill Dominique Russo and be planted. Her actions were controlled, methodical, deliberate, intentional, and purposeful.

This was not reckless driving. This was murder.

On August 14th, McKenzie was

29:50

found guilty on four counts of murder, four counts of felonious assault, two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, one count of drug possession, and one count of possessing criminal tools. She's facing 15 years to life and is currently being held in the Ohio Reform

30:08

Women. Her first opportunity for parole will come in October of 2037.