In tears, Mackenzie S. (19) reads a letter of apology in court.

DLNews Staff:

At least 15 years to life!

That's how long Mackenzie S. (19) will be behind bars for driving her friends to death. There's a good chance the teenage speedster will be incarcerated to the end of her days, said Cuyahoga County Court Judge Nancy Margaret Russo.

The tearful apology Mackenzie read in the courtroom before the sentence was announced on Monday didn't help either. She never wanted to kill her "soul mates" on purpose, Mackenzie said to the relatives of the victims Dominic Russo (20) and Davion Flanagan (19).

"I hope one day you can understand that I would never do that on purpose," Mackenzie S. said in court. "I wish I could remember what happened."

Flashback: The tragic incident occurred in the early morning of July 31, 2022. The then 17-year-old crashed into a brick building at 100 miles per hour.

This is what the car looked like after the horror crash.

A passerby discovered the destroyed car only 45 minutes after the accident and informed the authorities. When police arrived, the driver was trapped behind the wheel—the young men dead. One of Mackenzie's fluffy Prada slippers was stuck to the accelerator pedal.

Mackenzie S. (19, right) deliberately crashed Dominic (20, middle) and Davion (19, left) to their deaths.

Judge Nancy Margaret Russo said of a final shot taken before the ride: "She transforms from a responsible driver into a real hell on wheels."

Initially, investigators wanted to accuse Mackenzie S. of driving under the influence of alcohol. However, when they found THC (a psychoactive cannabis substance) in her blood, she was charged with murder.

Mobile phone data and videos underpinned the verdict. S. had only been near the accident scene a few days earlier. In an older cell phone video, she threatened her boyfriend Dominic to smash his car.

Mackenzie was found guilty last week. She can be released from prison after 15 years at the earliest. For some relatives, the verdict is not harsh enough.

Mackenzie S. wore similar shoes on the death ride.

"I wish you would give Mackenzie the longest sentence possible," Davion Flanagan's sister Davyne told the judge. "I've known her for three years, and she always chose the easiest way out." Dominic Russo's father, Frank (61), sees it differently. "It's terrible for everyone. Yes, I lost my son. It's harder for our family, but I also don't want the rest of their lives to be ruined. It doesn't make me feel any better," he said in court.