The Night Of “The Crash” - What Truly Happened Based On the 90GB Police Evidence

Summary of The Night Of “The Crash” - What Truly Happened Based On the 90GB Police Evidence

by Stephanie Soo

52m•June 14, 2026
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Overview of The Night Of “The Crash” - What Truly Happened Based On the 90GB Police Evidence

This episode is part two of Stephanie Soo’s deep-dive into the Mackenzie Shirilla crash case, using FOIA-released police files, texts, body cam footage, Snapchat/Instagram data, and interviews to examine what happened before and after the fatal July 2022 crash. The discussion focuses on the Netflix documentary The Crash, the online backlash around Mackenzie and her friend Rosie, and the raw, often unsettling behavior of the people involved after the deaths of Dom and Davion.

What This Episode Focuses On

Main themes

  • The arrest and booking of Mackenzie Shirilla after the crash
  • Netflix documentary reactions and internet theories
  • Witness interviews from the night of the crash
  • Text message evidence between the teens
  • Mackenzie’s post-crash contact with Dom’s family
  • Questions about intent, fighting, impairment, and responsibility

Context from the series

  • This is the second part of a five-part breakdown.
  • Part one covered the crash itself and relationship dynamics.
  • This episode sets up future parts on:
    • the Shirilla family dynamics
    • the full Dom/Mackenzie relationship timeline
    • jail calls and prison-related commentary

The Arrest and Initial Police Footage

Mackenzie’s arrest

  • Four months after the crash, Mackenzie is pulled over while riding with her mother and arrested on a murder warrant.
  • Body cam footage shows her confused and distraught, especially about removing sentimental bracelets that she says were tied to Dom.
  • The episode notes how this detail has been heavily debated online, with some viewers seeing it as proof of grief and others as inappropriate given the charges.

Her father’s reaction

  • Steve Shirilla storms into the police station demanding to speak with Mackenzie.
  • The host portrays him as aggressive, entitled, and dismissive of procedure.
  • The episode highlights the family’s frustration with police as part of a broader pattern of complaint and denial.

The Netflix Documentary and Public Reaction

Mackenzie’s documentary interview

  • The episode critiques Mackenzie’s on-camera demeanor, especially how she is introduced in a dramatic “empty chair” setup.
  • She claims:
    • she has no memory of the crash
    • it may have been a medical emergency
    • she had no intent to kill anyone
  • The host argues that Mackenzie sounds rehearsed and lawyer-guided.

Family and friend interviews

  • The documentary also features Dom and Davion’s families, who are described as composed, grieving, and genuinely devastated.
  • Mackenzie’s parents come off as defensive and tone-deaf.
  • One friend, Faith, says Mackenzie couldn’t be suicidal because she loved herself too much and wouldn’t even eat a McChicken, which becomes a widely mocked quote online.

Timeline of the Night of the Crash

The graduation-party route

  • Mackenzie, Dom, and Davion spend the night moving between graduation gatherings.
  • At Kelly’s house, there is talk of tripping, but the atmosphere is more casual than expected.
  • They later go to Paul’s house, where:
    • Paul is close friends with Rosie
    • Rosie is dating Bubba
    • Bubba is close to Davion
    • Mackenzie brings Dom, and Davion comes with him

What witnesses reported

  • Paul says he fell asleep for much of the night and did not witness any fighting.
  • He recalls:
    • smoking weed
    • talking about shrooms
    • everyone being tired
    • Mackenzie asleep on the couch around 2–3 a.m.
  • The group leaves around 5:30 a.m., and the car crashes shortly after.

Evidence and Online Theories

The fight theory

  • Many online theorists believe Mackenzie and Dom may have been fighting in the car.
  • The episode notes that:
    • the timing of the departure is odd
    • Mackenzie’s texts suggest she can escalate conflict quickly
    • the boys may have tried to save themselves during the crash
  • However, the witnesses at Paul’s house did not see any argument.

The forensic clues discussed

  • Mackenzie is said to be the only one wearing a seatbelt.
  • Dom and Davion were not seatbelted.
  • The prosecutor’s theory is that the boys may have been trying to grab the wheel or gear shift before impact.
  • A significant piece of evidence is that Mackenzie had shrooms on her person at the crash scene.

Life360 and phone activity

  • Davion’s Life360 data helps confirm the timing of the car leaving Paul’s house.
  • His Snapchat activity suggests he was actively on his phone during the ride, likely because the atmosphere in the car was tense or awkward.

Mackenzie’s Post-Crash Messages

Contacting Dom’s family

  • The most disturbing section of the episode is Mackenzie’s repeated messages to Dom’s family.
  • She reaches out to Dom’s cousin and later to Dom’s mom, saying things like:
    • “It should have been me”
    • she was completely sober
    • she didn’t do it on purpose
    • she wants to be allowed into Dom’s house
    • she wants to lay in his bed and smell his clothes

Why the messages stood out

  • The host argues that Mackenzie’s texts feel manipulative and self-centered.
  • She repeatedly asks if the family hates her and pressures them emotionally for reassurance.
  • She also asks for access to Dom’s phone, photos, clothes, playlist, and room, which the episode frames as unsettling.

Dom’s mom’s perspective

  • Dom’s mother is shown as extremely patient but clearly overwhelmed.
  • She continues replying partly because Mackenzie appears to be dangling photos, videos, and memories of Dom in exchange for contact.
  • The episode highlights how difficult it must have been for Dom’s family to deal with both grief and Mackenzie’s constant messages.

Key Takeaways

  • The episode strongly suggests that the public still does not know the full truth of what happened in the car, but the evidence points toward a serious conflict and a reckless, possibly intentional, act.
  • Mackenzie’s behavior after the crash is presented as one of the most troubling parts of the case.
  • Davion is consistently described by everyone as kind, friendly, and innocent in the situation.
  • The host ends by teasing future evidence: a witness who says Dom warned that Mackenzie had threatened to crash the car with him inside.

Bottom Line

This episode is less about one clean explanation and more about building a case from layers of evidence: police files, text messages, family interviews, and social media reaction. The overall impression is that Mackenzie’s story keeps shifting, the documentary raised more questions than answers, and the aftermath of the crash has been emotionally brutal for Dom and Davion’s families.