Steve Shirilla Placed on Leave After Mackenzie Shirilla Documentary
Steve Shirilla was placed on administrative leave from Mary Queen of Peace School after the mackenzie shirilla documentary "The Crash" reached viewers. The move puts a Cleveland Catholic school teacher at the center of the fallout from a case that returned to public view through Netflix.
Shirilla teaches art and digital media at the school, and the leave came after the documentary drew new attention to his daughter’s case. For families at the school, the immediate issue is not the film itself but how the administration is handling the pressure now landing on its classroom staff.
Mary Queen of Peace Email
The school told parents, "We are investigating allegations made on social media that one of our teachers has demonstrated poor judgement." It added, "Upon learning of the allegation the school acted immediately and placed the teacher on administrative leave."
The same email said, "The investigation is ongoing." It also told families, "We want every parent and family to know that the safety, wellbeing, and trust of our students remain among our highest priorities."
July 31, 2022 Crash
On July 31, 2022, Mackenzie Shirilla crashed her vehicle in Strongsville while traveling 100 mph and slammed into a brick wall. The crash killed Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan, and the case later moved into the criminal system.
In 2023, a Cuyahoga County judge found her guilty of multiple charges, including murder and aggravated vehicular homicide, and sentenced her to life in prison with eligibility for parole after 15 years served. That history is the reason a documentary release can now reach beyond the case file and into a teacher’s job status.
Cleveland School Fallout
A parent told 19 News that students loved and respected Shirilla as a teacher and said his leave was not for actions at the school itself, but for backlash from the community. The parent also said he had been hired about 2 1/2 years before the crash happened.
The hardest part for Mary Queen of Peace is that the school is now balancing a personnel review with public attention tied to a family case that began long before the documentary. The leave gives the school room to investigate, but it also shows how fast a streaming release can spill into a classroom when the subject’s father teaches there.
