‘Hell on wheels’ killer Mackenzie Shirilla callously whined she was ‘third victim’ of fatal car wreck she intentionally caused in jailhouse call
New York Post
Overall Assessment
The article sensationalizes Mackenzie Shirilla’s statements using loaded language and moral judgment. It lacks balanced sourcing and essential context about her age, legal process, and broader implications. The framing prioritizes shock value and tabloid appeal over journalistic neutrality.
"‘Hell on Wheels’ killer Mackenzie Shirilla callously whined she was ‘third victim’ of fatal car wreck she intentionally caused in jailhouse call"
Loaded Labels
Headline & Lead 12/100
The headline and lead are highly sensationalized, using emotionally charged language and moral judgment to frame the subject as callous and self-pitying. They present contested characterizations as fact and prioritize shock value over neutral reporting.
✕ Loaded Labels: The headline uses highly emotive and judgmental language ('Hell on wheels', 'callously whined') that frames Shirilla as morally reprehensible before presenting facts. The phrase 'third victim' is placed in scare quotes, signaling the reporter's skepticism without contextualizing her statement.
"‘Hell on Wheels’ killer Mackenzie Shirilla callously whined she was ‘third victim’ of fatal car wreck she intentionally caused in jailhouse call"
✕ Loaded Adjectives: The lead reinforces the sensationalist tone by calling her claim 'incredulously whined' and using 'intentionally crashed' — a factual assertion attributed to the reporter, not a source. This presumes intent without deferring to legal or evidentiary nuance.
"Mackenzie Shirilla incredulously whined she was the “third victim” of a fatal wreck in which she intentionally crashed her car and killed her boyfriend and friend during a jailhouse call"
Language & Tone 15/100
The tone is highly judgmental, using emotionally charged and dehumanizing language to portray Shirilla as morally bankrupt. Neutral objectivity is abandoned in favor of tabloid-style condemnation.
✕ Loaded Adjectives: The article uses repeatedly loaded adjectives like 'callously', 'incredulously', 'petulant', and 'expletive-laced tirade' to shape reader perception. These are not neutral descriptors but moral judgments.
"callously whined"
✕ Loaded Labels: The label 'Hell on Wheels' killer is presented as if it were a widely accepted nickname, but it appears to be the outlet’s own invention, serving as a loaded label that dehumanizes Shirilla.
"‘Hell on Wheels’ killer"
✕ Loaded Language: The phrase 'miraculously survived' implies moral judgment — that her survival was undeserved — and introduces a supernatural tone inappropriate for news reporting.
"Shirilla miraculously survived"
✕ Editorializing: The article reproduces Shirilla’s quote about prosecutors having 'henchmen' without challenging or contextualizing the hyperbolic language, potentially normalizing conspiracy-adjacent rhetoric.
"accused prosecutors of having “henchmen go and lie on the stand.”"
Balance 30/100
The sourcing is heavily skewed toward Shirilla’s own words and a single anonymous former inmate. No legal experts, prosecutors, or victims’ families are included to balance the narrative.
✕ Single-Source Reporting: The article relies almost entirely on Shirilla’s jailhouse call and her portrayal in the Netflix documentary. The only counter-perspective comes from a former cellmate quoted once, who says Shirilla isn’t as remorseful as she appears — still a subjective character judgment.
"Mary Katherine Crowder, who served time with Shirilla at the Ohio Reformatory for Women, told The Post that Shirilla is nothing like the remorseful, hardened prison inmate depicted in the hit Netflix doc."
✕ Vague Attribution: Prosecutors, victims’ families, legal experts, or defense attorneys are not quoted or given voice. The term 'prosecutors having henchmen' is presented without challenge or clarification, potentially distorting the legal process.
"accused prosecutors of having “henchmen go and lie on the stand.”"
✓ Proper Attribution: Shirilla’s own statements are extensively quoted, but no effort is made to contextualize or verify her claims about wanting to testify or her lawyer’s strategy.
"I was asking him if I could just testify to show them that like, I have nothing to hide"
Story Angle 20/100
The story is framed as a moral tale of a remorseless killer denying responsibility, using selective quotes to paint her as callous and entitled. It avoids systemic or legal analysis in favor of character judgment.
✕ Moral Framing: The story is framed as a moral condemnation of Shirilla, emphasizing her perceived lack of remorse and self-victimization. The angle focuses on her character flaws rather than the legal, psychological, or systemic aspects of the case.
"‘Hell on Wheels’ killer Mackenzie Shirilla calllessly whined she was ‘third victim’"
✕ Episodic Framing: The article highlights Shirilla’s emotional outbursts and use of profanity, portraying her as petulant and irrational. This episodic focus on her jail call avoids deeper exploration of the trial, sentencing, or societal factors.
"I’m getting very irritated, like, and I need to get the f–k out of jail because they’re just trying to f–k me over bad as f–k"
Completeness 25/100
The article lacks essential context about the defendant’s age, legal nuances, and societal patterns in similar cases. It fails to explain why this case stands out beyond media attention.
✕ Missing Historical Context: The article omits key legal and psychological context: Shirilla was 17 at the time of the crash, which bears on culpability, sentencing, and media portrayal. No mention is made of potential adolescent brain development, substance use context beyond 'getting high', or defense arguments about intent.
✕ Missing Historical Context: No contextualization is provided about how common such cases are, sentencing norms for vehicular homicide with intent, or expert opinion on whether this case fits broader patterns. The Netflix documentary's influence on public perception is noted but not analyzed.
subject portrayed as fundamentally dishonest and self-serving
[loaded_adjectives], [loaded_labels], and [moral_framing]: The use of 'callously whined', 'petulant', and the invented label 'Hell on Wheels' killer constructs Shirilla as inherently untrustworthy and morally corrupt.
"callously whined"
subject framed as socially excluded and morally othered
[loaded_language] and [moral_framing]: The dehumanizing language ('miraculously survived', 'petulant teen') and ridicule of her victim claim position her as unworthy of sympathy or inclusion in moral community.
"Shirilla miraculously survived and was found unconscious with her Prada slippers still on the accelerator."
crime portrayed as ongoing personal threat due to perpetrator's attitude
[loaded_language] and [moral_framing]: The article frames the crime not just as a past event but as an enduring moral danger through Shirilla’s perceived lack of remorse, implying continued societal threat.
"‘Hell on Wheels’ killer Mackenzie Shirilla callously whined she was ‘third victim’ of fatal car wreck she intentionally caused in jailhouse call"
legal process framed as under attack or failing due to defendant's rhetoric
[editorializing] and [episodic_framing]: Shirilla’s accusation that prosecutors used 'henchmen' is repeated without challenge, framing the judicial system as corrupt or under siege by a manipulative defendant.
"accused prosecutors of having “henchmen go and lie on the stand.”"
media coverage portrayed as amplifying harmful, sensational narratives
[episodic_framing] and [missing_historical_context]: The article highlights the Netflix documentary’s popularity and Shirilla’s portrayal in it, but frames the media attention as feeding a voyeuristic, morally charged spectacle rather than public understanding.
"The Netflix documentary “The Crash,” which highlights the case, has risen to No. 1 on the streaming service platform since it was released Friday."
The article sensationalizes Mackenzie Shirilla’s statements using loaded language and moral judgment. It lacks balanced sourcing and essential context about her age, legal process, and broader implications. The framing prioritizes shock value and tabloid appeal over journalistic neutrality.
A jailhouse call obtained by People shows Mackenzie Shirilla, convicted of murdering two friends in a 2023 crash, telling her mother she believed she should have testified and saw herself as a third victim. Now 21, Shirilla was sentenced to 15-to-life after a trial in which she argued the crash was accidental. A Netflix documentary about the case has recently gained popularity.
New York Post — Other - Crime
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