Family of Mackenzie Shirilla’s Crash Victim Speak on ‘Hell On Wheels’ Case, Honoring Their Son

my son Davon is and always will be so much more than cargo he was precious he was an amazing soul with a heart of gold we may have covered the criminal case of McKenzie Shilla the 19-year-old who intentionally crashed a car killing her boyfriend and friend but the story is far from over we sit down with the parents of one of the victims who are keeping their son's memory alive and trying to help so many others welcome to sidebar presented by law crime I'm Jesse [Music] Weber we cover cases from beginning to end crime and arrest a trial a sentence when the jury goes home and the defendant is sent to prison there's still a family that's left behind dealing with a huge loss but as we've seen so many times there are some loved ones that transform that loss they transform that pain into something else something that can help others and what we want to focus on specific specifically right now is the Ohio case of McKenzie sherill so back on July 31st 2022 then 17-year-old McKenzie sherill crashed her car into a wall on purpose she and the two passengers had to be extricated from the car now she survived but her boyfriend 20-year-old Dominic Russo and their friend 19-year-old Davon Flanigan did not sherill and Russo apparently had a toxic relationship and she had apparently threatened him before even saying that she would crash her car on purpose according to police sherill was driving 100 Mil an hour down a dead end Street when she hit the brick wall she had a bench trial in August 2023 meaning a judge would decide this case not a jury and the judge ultimately found her guilty on murder assault vehicular homicide and possession charges Chilla spoke in court before the judge officially handed down her sentence was I'm not I'm so deeply sorry I hope one day you can see I would never let this happen or do it on purpose I wish I could remember what happened I'm just so sorry I'm H Roan I love D and Dav we were all friends and D was my soulmate I wish I could take all your pain away and I'm so sorry and to my family thank you for the support and all the love you guys give thank you for fighting with me I love you all so much a failed suicide attempt is not a defense to murder and even in a murder suici side attempt when a perpetrator executing the plan survives the other death or deaths are still murder there's only one person who's responsible for the pain of everyone in this room that person is you McKenzie I do believe that McKenzie will not be out in 15 years so she's sentenced on count two the murder of Davon Flanigan 15 years to life she's sentenced on count one the murder of Dominic Russo 15 years to life to be served concurrent to each other with credit for time served now the judge acknowledged that while there are those who would want sentences to run consecutively meaning one after the other for a total of 30 years the judge didn't think that that was appropriate in this case well let's actually talk about Davon Flanigan so Davon Flanigan was a former running back for a high school football team in Strongsville Ohio great athlete and it had been his dream actually though to go to a school to become a barber eventually open up his own barber shop that's what he wanted to do he was actually in the process of applying to barber schools when he was tragically killed well his family has started a scholarship fund through GoFundMe to help others go to barber school and so far that fund has raised thousands of dollars well right now we are joined by two very special guests davon's parents Jamie and Scott Flanigan are joining me right now to talk about the case talk about their son and how they're keeping davon's memory alive um Scott Jamie first of all we haven't met before um I just want to say first of all it's an honor to have you both here I'm very excited to talk about the scholarship I just want to say I am so sorry for everything that you and your family have gone through it's an incredible loss um and before we even get started I just wanted you to know that and uh we really do appreciate you taking the time to come on here thank you than you yes we miss him very much we do I I completely understand and um and before we even get into the scholarship I just wanted to ask how are you two doing um because it's been quite the roller coaster of a year it really has um I would say that we're um in a pretty good place right now um it was very tumultuous around the time of the trial and uh the hearings before the trial uh it was a very difficult time for our family as you could imagine but um since the the verdict um in in the sentencing we've had a chance to kind of rally around as a family and um kind of lean into each other and things are going fairly well as they could be under these circumstances yeah I think that um like as a family I think each of us we handling it as healthfully as we can um you know and we all know how um you know with the holidays coming up it's hard um but um you know I I just I think we're at a point where we can really start to put some of this behind us not not Davon you know he keep him alive in our memories and keep his um his heart alive through our um you know Memorial foundation and everything but but we can start unpacking this and healing um as much as we we can um and so you know we I think we are happy that the the trials behind us and we can kind of you know just rest knowing that she is somewhere being taken care of um and not a threat to to others right now and if and if we can just talk about that for a second because we covered this trial here on Long crime and um you know the judge made a statement right before the sentencing um where the judge acknowledged that she had the option to sentence Trilla to a maximum of what would have been 30 years you know 15 years years to run one after the other um but looked at the facts of the case and the circumstances and chose to run the sentences concurrently one at one you know at the same time and so 15 years was the sentence when you look back on that how do you feel about that decision um I'll be I mean I'll be honest uh it stung a bit at first uh it took us some time to kind of step back and really process that um you know there's two individuals in that vehicle that that passed um and you know while I highly respect the judge um and her decision um you know we do feel like you know 30 probably would have been more appropriate but but we also are accepting that this is you know it I I also understand why the judge chose to do it that way too um you know like she said the pain in this room is going to you know ask for the maximum and honestly I I don't believe that she will get out in 15 get out in 15 you know they often do not Grant parole the first time it's just unfortunate I think that we're going to have to sit down and keep talking about this like in you know 13 14 years whatever you know we'll be at that Pearl blur um you know hearing uh 30 years from now you know I would have been in my 70s I still would have been there um but you know but my girls you know 30 years from now they would be my age now you know they'd be in their 40s and and that it's unfortunate that they're going to have to continue to go through this um but we'll be there yeah I we definitely respect the judge's decision she's done this for a living she she has a lot of experience with this um but as my wife said it Jamie said uh it was it was a little bit it took your breath away a little bit here that was not going to be 30 because you know which 15 is she serving is she serving 15 for Dominic or is she serving 15 for Davon um it's yeah you start doing math you figure it out and that's not it doesn't work out that way honestly just kind of had to surrender that piece not that we want Vengeance you know but but how much is a life worth um and it's so invaluable you know that there's no price can put on it so yeah that that's a like you said a math that's a math problem equation where I don't think there's any answer and it doesn't make sense times um I do want to ask you you know um I've read about your feelings towards it and you you've said that in a way it feels like cherill might be in denial of what happened and what her role was um do you think she realizes it or or do you think it's going to take time uh for her to really appreciate what she did yeah you know there's no guarantee that she'll ever understand fully and comprehend what she did and what she took from us and from the um russos well or admit it or even admit it you know whatever um you know that's hard it's it's hard I can't we're not in her head I don't know you know it's hard to to believe that she doesn't remember anything yeah that's kind of tough to swallow a little bit does happen um you know and that honestly I think we're putting it between her and you know know her higher power or you know um we're we're NE we may never know and we have to kind of wrap our brains around that yeah that's the tough part is not knowing like if she could just admit what she did and why she did it it could definitely help in the healing process for us as a family for davon's younger sisters um for us as parents but not knowing is kind of a misery of its own right like what were those final moments like in that car right and so all we're left with terrified yeah all we're left with is our imagination and she could really dispel a lot of that and and ease a lot of our concerns and allow us to heal properly if she could just come forward and say listen I I did what I did and this is why I did it um it would be it would make it easier for our family for sure yeah we're not expecting that no uh to be honest I mean I know the the appeal was filed the next day um you know the family and herself are maintaining her innocence um you know but the facts the case are what they you know the facts are the facts uh the science is is yeah deny the science correct yeah and and look I don't know I don't know what she'll say I don't know what she'll do um we'll follow it but let's actually switch gears let's talk about Davon that's what I really I really wanted to talk to you about so it was very interesting um and a lot of people might not know this um so Davon was this like Star athlete a but he had this passion to be a barber of all things and the and I got to tell you where did that come from that he wanted to be a barber and we'll get into how that ties into the the scholarship but you know that's so interesting that that's what he wanted his life to be so um he had a couple passions one was football and the other is barbering um he was a really creative kid um just talented talented athlete like you said um you know I think he started because I mean he had he had a a cool sense of style I gotta be honest he always did and he um he started doing his own hair you know at a young age and just messing around and and uh we went through a phase where he had his hair short for a while so he was shaving on we used to call him shav on and rub his head um but then you know he tried out different styles and next thing you know he's he wants a pair of Clippers and he's um the team Barber for the entire varsity football team and the and the coach in fact he yeah he actually we had ran into coach not that long after you know he had passed and he said you know he still owed me a haircut and I was like don't worry he's got it for you up there you know he'll give you the best one um which one did he did he give you guys haircuts did either of you no no no okay the dog he would give haircuts too as well the in his entire varsity football team he was the team Barber so he would have them over all during the week to to give them haircuts and it really kind of flourished when um he was injured as well he had a couple of very major injuries to his knee and to his leg his senior year he was the starting running back um and just you know blew out a knee unfortunately in the middle of a game with a tackle that just yeah I mean it was a bunch of different ligaments and the meniscus so unfortunately you know that was probably going to be the end of that football dream football dreams so he transitioned to he transitioned to the barber dream and really started to fulfill it he applied for a barber school uh the All State barber school here in Cleveland uh right before he uh he passed and um and so that's where the idea of the the scholarship came in from his passion for barbering let's talk about that so you've started a scholarship in his name it's through gofund mate walk us through what it is what the goal is um you know how you're trying to get M donations and what the what you're trying to reach um so it it's called The Davon Flanigan memorial fund Barber it's a barber for Barber um school scholarship excuse me and um it really the whole thing started as a gofund me that a friend a close friend of our son started right after his passing um and you know we kind of as we were going through the trial and um I don't know it just came on our hearts that we really you know we want to carry on this like beautiful heart that our son had he was just he was such a good friend he was such a um caring individual like he um you know being starting running back um you know being the you know big guy on campus kind of you know at the high school the senior I mean we we heard so many amazing stories just about how he was friends to everyone and he made sure that even those that were not seen um um felt valuable and seen um and we just had so many great stories and we really wanted to just continue on with that heart and continue giving so we just it we decided to transition that original fund into the Memorial Scholarship I reached out to the uh college that Davon was uh in the process of applying to uh to let them know hey you know what there's been a lot of media attention around this case um you know honestly to be honest in the beginning I was a little hesitant to talk to Media but then was like you know I I will but I want to to turn some good out of this too you know and not just focus on yes and promote this so that we can help others so um I reached out to the university got to meet uh the owners uh it's in their fourth generation that is running uh the All State Bar College uh it's downtown Cleveland right next to the Westside Market which is this cool little neighborhood yeah cool little neighborhood got to um go there and meet them they are actually very much interested in we're working together they helped us put together the scholarship application um and they're helping us um with the selection process of the students as well because we did want it to be need-based um I'm sure you saw in uh you know just in looking at the case and you know what's out there Davon was adopted from Foster Care um we adopted him and his sister's bio uh siblings from Foster Care all at once and uh Davon would just love this you know giving back to the community giving back to local giving back to those that maybe don't have someone helping them out right he always called us his second chance um and so to give a second chance to others who might not be able to afford the college and want that dream to be fulfilled it just feels like it's a it comes full circle and brings his um yeah his heart and his desires and his kindness back around to others who can benefit as well yeah so he um it it is need-based and um they are going to we're hoping to start giving out scholarships actually soon um they are going to help us select we're going to get to meet them we plan on taking the girls with us as well I think it's great for them to see this uh and just the idea of helping to create a bunch of little barbers in his memory to carry on his dream it gives us hope and I feel like it gives others hope too um you wouldn't you wouldn't know like you it's kind of shocking to know that it's $116,000 to go to barber school um yeah I was shocked by that that's that's that's a lot but you guys have raised over 30,000 the last time I checked right yeah we have and also with talking with the university you know there's some ways that we can step in also um you know some students are going to um be eligible for for pel Grants you know and if the government's going to give them that great you know but there's a gap between the grant amount and the amount of tuition so we can help fill that Gap and bridge that gap for the students and allow them to pursue their dream where normally they would be like oh we're we didn't get enough money we can't go to college correct can give them that that that bridge to allow them to pursue their dream and by collaborating with the University or the college um they have access to that information you know we don't need to see that and they also know you know who's going to who who is genuine and really wants to pass passionate about being a barber and you know we want to make sure that the funds go towards someone that that they think will you know go forward with it and uh so yeah we're just we're excited excited it can continue to grow as we grow with it you know depending on you know how the crowdfunding goes um you know even down the road if we look at I I would love to follow these kids I mean they don't have to be friends with me but at the same time I don't know why they wouldn't I don't know why they wouldn't want to be you guys are great I mean really let me just say I I I mean first of all again we we've never met before I I just I can feel you know Davon I could feel the love that he got from you guys I mean you two are two amazing people um and doing incredible work right now but I could tell how much he was loved in that household um so I wouldn't I wouldn't I would think everybody would want to be friends with you guys how how are you getting the donations though so like I said you've already raised a lot of money I know that there's a goal that you want to reach obviously we will do whatever we can to amplify this message hopefully our viewers and our listeners can check it out but where are you getting the donations uh where are you seeing that support right uh in the beginning it was it was local community um probably in strong so but since um as a case went viral um there's donations from all over the world now um for that gofund me so it's really doing programs like this putting ourselves out there telling our son's story letting people find out who Davon was and what he was all about and through that people are donating and continuing to donate as we go forward yeah so mostly through the GoFundMe going forward you know um you know we may look at doing some additional fundraisers and things locally um you know with even I I spoke to someone at a local barber shop um you know about them possibly doing a day where hey if you you know we'll have a day that you come in and you can donate to this you know with your with your cut you know and uh you know just things like that um I feel that things are finally starting to kind of calm down for us from like a court perspective and all of that and so we're really I feel like we're just getting started right we did set the goal High um I think our goal I think was at 200 or 2,000 you know basically just if it could feed itself that would be fantastic like this how many people that we could help um I know talking with the university um even there are kids that don't don't get scholarship you know or pel grants and on paper they look like they don't need them um but specifically they were telling me about you know one individual who you know maybe is estranged from the family that family members maybe aren't supportive they're not supportive or there's you know addiction issue um and you know there poor kids like living in his car working three jobs trying to get through school and has to pay full tuition you know so things like that that we can step in and help it's really hard when you don't have a family or have that support you know to to get you started so we're really hoping uh I've even had like uh people from local banks say hey what do you think about maybe down the road like small business loans to help you know who knows how far it just depends on how much we can do how much we can raise how much we can raise um but we're our heart is really to help others and to help them grow and support their families and and I can kind of look on we can look on and say hey that's Davon helped do that something good came from this terrible terrible tragedy yeah you you you both are doing amazing work and I know Davon would be so proud of of this of what you're doing in his name and helping those and I look I I wish you nothing but the absolute success on this one thing I'll tell you I think from the majority of uh Barbers and listen clearly I know um they uh they are passionate about their work so I don't think you're going to have trouble finding the people that want to do it um I I wanted to ask you before I let you go um and you've been so generous with your time um you were transforming a tragedy into something so beneficial to others um you're doing the best I can see the best that you are in given the circumstances how is the Russo family doing have you spoken to them and has the Shilla family reached out to you at all as well um there's been no uh reach out from the Shilla family since very early days um right after the crash um there was a some limited correspondence but that was it um you know the russos are probably very much like ourselves struggling I mean it's it's an unimaginable loss to lose you know a son as a parent or a brother as a sibling um they're I think they're very much in the same boat that we are we we don't have close contact with them I mean some Facebook some social media contact with them see them at the graves they close to each other where they're um lead to rest they weren't families that we knew prior to this event really I mean Davon was kind of more these were like newer friends or kind of you know acquaintances um which stings even more you know just wrong place wrong time right really but um but I you know I think I think they're trying to to heal in their way own way too and move forward and and we do have you know we did create some bonds through going together for sure yeah well listen you know Jamie Scott Davon sounded like an incredible young man um you know he was taken too early um but as I said he you really I I I can tell the love that you you know gave him and and they really made his the years of his life so special I could just I just feel it so uh I wish you the best of luck uh on this promote this as much as we can and um I wish you and the family the best of luck moving forward thank you so much for coming here on sidebar thank you for having us Jesse thank you honestly just two lovely people two lovely people that are doing incredible work I can't say enough now if you actually want to know more about this case and you want to learn more about what went down killer cases one of our Productions is actually covering the Mackenzie shirilla case this Friday December 15th so if you want to learn more about what happened at everyone to check it out that is all we have for you right now here on sidebar everybody thank you so much for joining us please subscribe on Apple podcast Spotify YouTube wherever you get your podcast I'm Jesse Weber speak to you next [Music] time

Channel: Law&Crime Network

Views: 34,413

Keywords: law and crime, law and crime network

Id: f_HD7udcGbc

Length: 25min 51sec (1551 seconds)

Published: Thu Dec 14 2023