Who Is Mackenzie Shirilla's Ex-Prison Girlfriend, Shyann Topping? Their Relationship Before Split

Mackenzie Shirilla has been dominating headlines following Netflix's hit true-crime documentary, The Crash. Amid all the facts and speculations surrounding the case, the convicted killer's prison life has grabbed fresh attention after Shirilla's alleged 'ex-prison girlfriend' spoke up about their relationship. 

In light of Shirilla's horrendous crime, Shyann Topping, who claims to be her former prison girlfriend, spoke out publicly about their brief romance and her account of Mackenzie's behaviour with fellow inmates. It was allegedly after dating for a while that Topping realised she might not be a good person after all.

Shyann Topping spoke up about Mackenzie Shirilla's alleged prison activities

Shyann Topping recently spoke out about her experience and alleged relationship with Mackenzie Shirilla at the Ohio Reformatory for Women. She sat down for a conversation with The US Sun and alleged that Mackenzie often made plans and spoke about her life outside prison. Topping alleged that Mackenzie wants to use the public attention around the case to build her public image. 

Like her fellow inmates, Topping, too, highlighted that Shirilla displayed no signs of remorse or guilt even in her initial days at the prison. Instead, she was more focused on fame than on the victims' families. According to her, Mackenzie initially convinced her that the deadly crash was an accident. However, after leaving the prison and learning more details about it, her perspective has shifted completely. Now she believes Shirilla is someone who would make fun of her victims and their families if she makes it out of prison.

Inside Shyann and Mackenzie's relationship while in prison

In a new interview with PEOPLE, Shyann Topping opened up about the time she got into a relationship with Mackenzie Shirilla. The two apparently felt an instant connection upon meeting, and they apparently shared a strong bond. Their relationship began with Shyann giving Mackenzie a small compliment. Speaking about the times they spent together, Topping told PEOPLE:

"When it started off, we were good. We were just walking the track. She was smiling. Because in prison, two weeks in prison feels like two months. All you're doing is seeing the same people every single day, 24 hours a day."

Mackenzie and Shyann bonded quickly, and the convicted killer allegedly wanted to get intimate with her by the second or third day of their relationship. Shyann recalled Mackenzie taking her by surprise as she asked her, "Why aren't you touching me? I want you to be all over me. I want you to be out here for everyone in the yard to see me."

Shyann was 'ready to fight' for Mackenzie, but things changed when she learned about her

Shirilla and Topping reportedly remained close for months, sharing a deep connection. But the relationship eventually fell apart when the latter was released from prison. It was only after her return home that Topping started researching more about Shirilla's conviction and the actual evidence presented during Shirilla’s murder trial. 

Topping, who had no idea about her ex-girlfriend's infamous "hell on wheels" crash, said she was left baffled when she learned more about the incident and what the prosecutors were saying about her. Topping recalled one of their conversations, where Shirilla boasted about her prison nickname in her all-women lockup as she said:

“We started talking and she told me her nickname was ‘Shirilla the killa,’ like, that’s what her bunkmates called her.”

At the time, Topping said she brushed the comment off because she believed Shirilla was remorseful about the deadly crash.

Inside Shyann and Mackenzie's breakup, and the threats afterward

PC: The US Sun

Speaking to PEOPLE, Shyann Topping revealed that when she was first released from prison, she was determined to support Mackenzie and even considered becoming an advocate for her release. However, her perspective shifted after she began reviewing the evidence tied to the fatal crash. After watching footage, reviewing court records, and learning about prosecutors’ claims that the crash was intentional, Topping said her perception of her completely changed, and she decided to part ways for good. The former inmate told PEOPLE:

"It was crazy because after I found out [the details] of her case and we stopped talking to each other, and it fizzled out, people started texting me and saying crazy stuff to me."

Shyann Topping posted a series of videos on her TikTok account in mid-2025 to tell her side of the story and reveal that she had broken up with Mackenzie Shirilla. However, she alleges that shortly after her first TikTok video went live on August 12, 2025, she started receiving anonymous threats and online harassment, with messages including her home address and even her mother's legal name.

The texts were allegedly so aggressive that Topping feared for her safety and completely stopped posting on social media for months. She strongly believes the texts were from inmates who were locked up in prison alongside Shirilla at that time. Though she remained silent all this time, it was after the release of The Crash until May 2026 that she began posting updates again. 

Who is Shyann Topping?

In 2023, Shyan Elizabeth Topping was serving time at the Ohio Reformatory for Women when she met Mackenzie Shirilla. The 27-year-old former inmate served a two-year sentence there for drug charges. According to Topping, she first met Shirilla while walking the prison track, and she strongly believed that Mackenzie was wrongfully convicted because she only knew her version of the story. 

When Topping met Shirilla, she had already been sentenced to two concurrent 15-year-to-life prison terms after being convicted of intentionally crashing her car into a brick wall at nearly 100 mph, killing Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan. Early in their relationship, Topping had to sit Shirilla down to clear up a false and malicious rumour started by another inmate, who claimed Topping was jailed for child trafficking. Topping showed Shirilla her official paperwork to prove her actual drug charges. It was during this specific conversation that Shirilla casually laughed off the situation and boasted about her own nickname, "Shirilla the Killa."

PC: The Crash/Netflix, shyanntopping/TikTok

While Shyanne Topping has finally started speaking up about her ex-prison girlfriend, Mackenzie Shirilla continues to serve her time behind bars, awaiting her 2037 parole hearing.

Read Next: Mackenzie Shirilla Sexually Harrassed Inmates, Took Unauthorised Drugs? Her Shocking Prison Record

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