‘Hell on Wheels’ Mackenzie Shirilla confessed to killing boyfriend, pal, and kept sick scrapbook: ex-inmate
New York Post
Overall Assessment
The article constructs a sensational, morally charged narrative around Mackenzie Shirilla using unverified claims from a single anonymous inmate. It emphasizes lurid details—like a 'twisted scrapbook' and 'devil' statements—while downplaying her medical defense and legal appeals. The tone and sourcing prioritize shock value over balanced, factual reporting.
"kept a twisted scrapbook about the fatal wreck"
Loaded Language
Headline & Lead 30/100
The headline and lead prioritize sensationalism over accuracy, using charged labels and implying a confession not substantiated in the public record, undermining journalistic professionalism.
✕ Sensationalism: The headline uses the phrase 'Hell on Wheels' in quotes and emphasizes a 'sick scrapbook,' framing the story in a lurid, emotionally charged way rather than neutrally reporting the facts. This prioritizes shock value over factual clarity.
"‘Hell on Wheels’ Mackenzie Shirilla confessed to killing boyfriend, pal, and kept sick scrapbook: ex-inmate"
✕ Loaded Labels: Labeling the subject as 'Hell on Wheels'—a nickname attributed to a judge but used prominently—frames her as a villainous figure, reinforcing a moral condemnation rather than neutral reporting.
"‘Hell on Wheels’ killer Mackenzie Shirilla"
✕ Headline / Body Mismatch: The headline claims Shirilla 'confessed,' but the body clarifies this is an allegation from a former inmate, not a verified public confession. This overstates the certainty of the claim.
"‘Hell on Wheels’ Mackenzie Shirilla confessed to killing boyfriend, pal, and kept sick scrapbook: ex-inmate"
Language & Tone 25/100
The tone is heavily slanted with judgmental language and moral framing, undermining objectivity and encouraging emotional condemnation rather than informed understanding.
✕ Loaded Language: The article uses emotionally charged terms like 'twisted scrapbook,' 'unhinged rants,' and 'sick scrapbook,' which convey moral judgment rather than neutral description.
"kept a twisted scrapbook about the fatal wreck"
✕ Loaded Adjectives: Describing the scrapbook as 'twisted' injects the reporter’s judgment, implying deviance without allowing readers to interpret the evidence themselves.
"twisted scrapbook"
✕ Fear Appeal: References to the 'devil' and Shirilla’s alleged statements ('the devil was pressing on my foot') are presented without skepticism, potentially framing her as dangerously unhinged, which serves an emotional narrative.
"She said the devil made her do it. She said the devil was pressing on her foot"
✕ Sympathy Appeal: The quote about missing photos of the victims in the scrapbook is used to evoke moral disapproval of Shirilla, framing her as cold-hearted rather than exploring psychological or legal nuance.
"She didn’t have pictures of Dom or Davion [in her scrapbook]. I felt like that was cold"
Balance 35/100
Reliance on a single anonymous source for major allegations undermines credibility, despite proper attribution of quotes.
✕ Single-Source Reporting: The central claims about Shirilla’s confession and scrapbook rest entirely on the account of one anonymous former inmate, Anastasia, with no corroboration.
"according to Anastasia"
✕ Anonymous Source Overuse: The key source is anonymous and described only by first name and age, reducing accountability and making verification impossible.
"Anastasia, 30, who was holed up with Shrilla in the Ohio Reformatory for Women"
✕ Vague Attribution: The article attributes claims to 'a former inmate' without providing verifiable details, weakening credibility.
"a former inmate has claimed"
✓ Proper Attribution: The article does attribute claims to specific sources (e.g., Anastasia, Jaina Maynard), which is a minimal standard of sourcing.
"said Anastasia"
Story Angle 30/100
The story is framed as a moral condemnation, emphasizing sensational prison anecdotes over legal or medical context, reducing complexity to a villain narrative.
✕ Moral Framing: The story frames Shirilla as morally monstrous—'devil girl,' 'amused' by murder—rather than exploring legal, psychological, or systemic dimensions of the case.
"She wanted to make it sound like she was a little devil girl, and that this is what she intended to do"
✕ Narrative Framing: The article constructs a narrative of Shirilla as a depraved, attention-seeking criminal, emphasizing lurid details over legal or medical context.
"She said the devil made her do it. She said the devil was pressing on her foot"
✕ Framing by Emphasis: Focuses on prison behavior and a scrapbook while downplaying her medical defense (POTS) and ongoing legal appeal, shaping a predetermined villain arc.
"Shirilla also allegedly kept a picture of a brick wall with the word 'BOOM' written on it in a scrapbook"
Completeness 40/100
The article lacks critical medical and legal context, prioritizing anecdotal prison claims over systemic or evidentiary background.
✕ Omission: The article omits any detailed discussion of the POTS diagnosis or expert medical opinion on its legitimacy, despite being central to Shirilla’s defense.
✕ Missing Historical Context: No background on prior reporting, court rulings, or the legal basis for the murder conviction is provided, leaving readers without systemic understanding.
✓ Contextualisation: Mentions Shirilla’s Netflix documentary and ongoing appeal, providing some context about her public defense and legal status.
"Shirilla told the Netflix documentary 'The Crash' that she suffers from Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), and was unconscious when she crashed her car"
portraying the public as under threat from a morally depraved individual
The article uses sensationalism, loaded language, and fear appeal to frame Mackenzie Shirilla as a dangerous, unhinged individual who revels in her crimes, thereby implying ongoing threat despite incarceration.
"She said the devil made her do it. She said the devil was pressing on her foot"
framing the perpetrator as inherently deceitful and morally corrupt
The article emphasizes Shirilla’s alleged amusement in recounting the crime, her use of supernatural excuses, and her lack of remorse (e.g., missing victim photos), all of which serve to paint her as untrustworthy and manipulative.
"She didn’t have pictures of Dom or Davion [in her scrapbook]. I felt like that was cold"
framing medical defenses (POTS) as implausible or dismissed
The article omits expert medical context on POTS and includes a dismissive quote from the inmate ('I never saw her pass out'), thereby undermining the credibility of the medical defense through omission and anecdotal counter-narrative.
"I never saw her pass out"
framing media (e.g., Netflix documentary) as enabling or amplifying a dangerous narrative
The mention of the Netflix documentary is used not to explore public interest or legal advocacy but to imply Shirilla is seeking attention and constructing a persona, contributing to a moral framing of media as complicit in glorifying crime.
"Shirilla told the Netflix documentary “The Crash” that she suffers from Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), and was unconscious when she crashed her car."
undermining the legitimacy of legal appeals and judicial process by focusing on sensational behavior
The article mentions the appeal being rejected due to a filing deadline but buries this in a narrative of deviant behavior, using framing by emphasis to suggest the legal system is dealing with a frivolous or unserious case.
"It comes as Shirilla’s attorneys continue to fight the Ohio Supreme Court after they rejected her appeal because it was filed after the deadline."
The article constructs a sensational, morally charged narrative around Mackenzie Shirilla using unverified claims from a single anonymous inmate. It emphasizes lurid details—like a 'twisted scrapbook' and 'devil' statements—while downplaying her medical defense and legal appeals. The tone and sourcing prioritize shock value over balanced, factual reporting.
A former cellmate of Mackenzie Shirilla claims she admitted to deliberately crashing her car in 2022, killing two people, and kept related mementos. Shirilla maintains the crash was accidental, citing a medical condition, and her legal team continues to challenge her conviction. The claims come from a single anonymous source and have not been independently verified.
New York Post — Other - Crime
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New York Post
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