After The Crash gave Shirilla her first public platform since her conviction, Blanchard weighed in on why she believes the 21-year-old Ohio teen will struggle to secure parole when the time comes.
Strongsville Police Department; Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office
“I don’t think the documentary did her any favors,” Blanchard told TMZ in a podcast that aired Thursday, May 29.
“I don’t think she’ll get early parole and this is why. The parole board takes into consideration behavior in prison, but most importantly remorse and family.”
Blanchard, 34, who received parole in 2023 for the second-degree murder of her mother Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard in 2015, said the victims’ families hold significant power over Shirilla’s future.
“If the victim’s family writes against her parole, she will automatically be denied,” she said.
“I’ve seen it happen time and time again with different women that was in my prison. They prioritize the victim’s family above everything.”
In Blanchard’s view, Shirilla still has a long way to go before she fully understands the gravity of her actions.
“It’s going to take a lot of work on her part,” she said. “She’s going to have to do a lot of extensive therapy. She’s young. And it’s not going to sink in until 20 years from now.”
While Shirilla told the documentary she was “not a monster,” Blanchard said she “needs to grow up and take accountability.”