Shows
Papi Killed Mommy14. Front Page and A&EIn this episode of Papi Killed Mommy, Nikki shares jaw‑dropping real‑time developments in her mother Stephanie Wasilishin's cold case — from viral TikTok traction, to national recognition, to major media momentum and strategic advocacy work that's finally putting this case in front of the right eyes. This episode covers everything that's happened in the last 35 days: documentary‑style updates, personal reflections, and exactly what has shifted since the last episode — including acknowledgment from major creators and outlets who've helped amplify Stephanie's story. 🎙️ Episode Highlights ✨ Stephanie Harlowe True crime creator Stephanie Harlowe — YouTuber, podcaster, researcher, and co‑host of Crim...
2026-01-2528 min
Suspects & SpiritsEpisode 36: The Death of Stephanie Wasilishin (“Unsolved”)On July 9, 1993, Stephanie (Stacy) Wasilishin’s death was ruled a homicide. Yet, more than thirty years later, the case remains officially “unsolved.” On the night she was killed in her Sedona, Arizona home, her three-year-old daughter was awake and present, and told investigators repeatedly what she saw. Her older daughter, Nikki, slept down the hall, unaware that her life was about to change forever. The only person left to tell what happened was the suspect, Stephanie's boyfriend Russell.In this episode, we walk through the timeline of that night, the forensic findings, and the witness accounts that follow...
2025-12-241h 26
Papi Killed MommyBONUS EPISODE~ Unraveling⚠️ Trigger Warning This episode discusses domestic violence, homicide, trauma, panic attacks, and systemic failures in law enforcement and media. Listener discretion is advised. 🎧 Bonus Episode: Unraveling It's been one week since I hit publish on Episode Twelve. One week since I said, "Season One is over." And in that week — I've unraveled. I thought finishing would feel like relief. Like release. But it hasn't. It's felt like grief. Like failure. Like drowning. Because it's the end, and still — no charges. No arrest. Nothing. Thirty-two years later, and it feels li...
2025-11-0327 min
Papi Killed MommyBONUS EPISODE~ "Make Noise"Bonus: "Make Noise" — Melissa joins the mic In this special bonus episode, Nikki introduces Melissa—a fellow teacher, friend, and the new co-host helping carry Stacy's story forward. Together, they lay out exactly how you can help: get the case in front of media, apply public pressure, sign the petition, contact officials, and send tips or cases for Season 2. What's inside Why media pressure matters—and how even small platforms help A direct call for journalists, podcasters, YouTubers & bloggers to cover Stacy's case Concrete actions: sign, call, email, share, and submit tips
2025-11-0204 min
Papi Killed MommyBONUS EPISODE~ Interview with her friend: Laurie Swift Bonus Episode: Laurie Swift Remembers Stacy I'm Nikki—daughter of a murdered woman. This bonus episode features longtime friend Swifty sharing candid memories of my mom, Stacy, that bring her to life beyond the headlines. Recorded back in May, these clips are raw, unscripted, and mostly unreleased. Through Swifty's voice you'll see a young Stacy who thrifted, cleaned obsessively, and lived through music like Aerosmith and Foghat. We're halfway through this journey—six episodes complete, six more to go. The first half covered 1993, the year my mom was murdered. The second half will span the n...
2025-11-0231 min
Papi Killed MommyBONUS EPISODE~ Interview with my father: Craig Daley Hi, my name is Nikki and I'm the daughter of a murdered woman. Welcome to a special bonus episode of Papi Killed Mommy. ⚠️ Before we begin, a quick trigger warning: this podcast contains discussions of domestic violence, homicide, and other potentially distressing topics. Listener discretion is advised. One of the questions I get asked most often is: What about your dad? What does he remember from that night? What does he think really happened? How does he feel all these years later? Today, you'll finally hear his story — in his own words. This is unlik...
2025-11-0236 min
Papi Killed MommyBONUS EPISODE~ Letter from her daughter: Nikki Lee Hi, my name is Nikki. I'm the daughter of a murdered woman, and welcome back to Papi Killed Mommy. In this bonus episode, I'm reading a letter I wrote to my mom, Stacy Wasilishin Writing it was healing. Reading it out loud was harder than I expected. I cried multiple times during the recording, and I seriously considered re-recording it to make it cleaner, easier to listen to, more "together." But the truth is, I wasn't together. I'm not. And in the end, I realized that starting over would've meant hiding the real emotion — and I've...
2025-11-0206 min
Papi Killed MommyBONUS EPISODE~ Letter from a friend: Cheryl Mendel Hello, I'm Nikki, daughter of a woman whose life was tragically cut short. Welcome back to Papi Killed Mommy. These bonus episodes share letters from my mom's closest friends — a way to meet the woman I never fully knew. She was taken when I was ten. These letters bring her memory alive and reveal parts of her story missing from Episode 1, which premieres July 8 at 11 PM MST — the moment I last said goodnight to her. Before this podcast, I had almost no audio experience. Social media helped keep her name alive, but I...
2025-11-0206 min
Papi Killed Mommy12. Not The EndTrigger Warning: This episode discusses domestic violence, homicide, trauma, and systemic failures in law enforcement. Listener discretion is advised. Seven hours. Twelve episodes. Three decades. And one promise: I would tell you everything. 32 years ago, my mother, Stacy Marie Wasilishin, was murdered inside our home in Sedona, Arizona. Her death was ruled a homicide. No one was ever charged. I have spent the last four years fighting to change that — and this season has been that fight. If you've listened from Episode 1 through today: Thank you. You didn't just hear this st...
2025-11-021h 07
Papi Killed Mommy11. Contracts, Clauses, and Zero CoverageEpisode 11 — Contracts, Clauses, and Zero Coverage Content warning: This episode discusses domestic violence and homicide. The man mentioned is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Listener discretion advised. What this episode is about Nikki picks up the timeline after last week's pushback to "small podcast notwithstanding." We hear how viral moments (Dec 2023) briefly opened doors—then how 2024 became a year of contracts, clauses, and zero coverage. Inside: reconnection with Laurie "Swifty" Swift, two viral breakthroughs, documentary interest and pullbacks, a national-TV almost, a chilling FB request from Russell Peterson, DNA results confirming a brother on N...
2025-11-0237 min
Papi Killed Mommy10. "A Small Podcast, Notwithstanding"EP10 • "Small podcast, notwithstanding" Thirty-two years after Stacy's death, a local editor calls this show "a small podcast notwithstanding." In this episode, we put that attitude on trial. You'll hear the emails, my dad's 2023 body-cam interview (largely unedited), and a newly discovered ~16-minute call where the investigator asks my sister to consider a confrontation call. This is what it looks like when a family—not the system—drags a case forward. Quick links ✍️ Sign the petition: Petition · DEMAND a complete Homicide investigation for the murder of Stephanie Marie Wasilishin - Sedona, United States · Change.org Ya...
2025-11-021h 12
Papi Killed Mommy9. Media PressureHey weirdos — I'm Nikki, daughter of Stephanie Marie Wasilishin. If you found this show through Morbid, welcome. Thank you for giving space in your day to my mom's story and to a new podcast that's still building its voice. Content note: This episode discusses domestic violence and homicide. The man discussed is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. What this episode is about This is the chapter where I stop waiting for the system and start pushing it. After the Red Rock News coverage and my first email from Sedona Police (No...
2025-11-0237 min
Papi Killed Mommy8. The Red Rock News In this episode of Papi Killed Mommy, for the first time, I read three articles about my mom's death: the original piece from 1993, and two follow-ups nearly three decades later in July 2020 by the Sedona Red Rock News. These articles shaped how the public saw my mom's case. The 1993 article framed my mom's murder as a "domestic fight," erasing her identity and repeating Russell Peterson's account uncritically through police statements. There was no context about domestic violence, no family voice, and no scrutiny of why no arrest was made despite the homicide ruling. That first st...
2025-11-0235 min
Papi Killed Mommy7. "Mommy Killed Herself" Hi, I'm Nikki — the daughter of a murdered woman. Welcome back. This week, I take you back to 1993, when my mom's case stalled—but my Aunt Wendy never stopped fighting. Together with Grandma Bea, they held on to hope, and now I carry their legacy as the third generation of Wasilishin women demanding justice for my mother Stacy Wasilishin. This cycle must stop— You'll hear the story of my sister's unsettling shift from "Papi killed Mommy" to "Mommy killed herself," how a 1999 letter from Yavapai County Attorney Jim Landis laid out a path for renewed...
2025-11-0219 min
Papi Killed Mommy6. The Final Interview It was three weeks before my 11th birthday, when my mother, Stacy Wasilishin, was killed. For weeks now, I've taken you back to July of 1993 — to the night she died, the hours after, and the painful days that followed. In this episode, we reach a turning point: the final interview Russell Peterson ever gave to police about my mother's death. On September 3, 1993, detectives sat down with Russell for over 30 minutes. This was his fourth version of events, and by then his story had completely changed. He claimed my mom pulled his .44 Magnum from a closet she...
2025-11-0248 min
Papi Killed Mommy5. The Day They Told Me Sunday, July 11, 1993. The day I learned my mother was dead. In this episode, I take you into the moment that shattered my childhood. That morning, my foster family drove me and my little sister to the Sedona Police Department. Inside a room filled with silver folding chairs and scattered toys, I sat frozen — until the only familiar face in the room, my mother's boyfriend Russell Peterson, broke the news. "Your mom is gone." He was the one who told me. Not a police officer. Not a therapist. No family member. Him. My sister pla...
2025-11-0234 min
Papi Killed Mommy4. The Day After In the previous episodes, I walked you through my mother's final day, the chaotic hours after her death, and Russell Peterson's first interview. But the story didn't stop there. In this episode of Papi Killed Mommy, I take you deeper into July 10, 1993—the day after my mother's murder—and into Russell's second police interview, where his story starts to unravel. This was the interview where Russell's narrative began to shift. In his own words, you'll hear him pivot from blaming a supposed struggle over the gun… to suggesting my mother shot herself… to finally admitting he doesn...
2025-11-021h 02
Papi Killed Mommy3. The Hours After Episode 3: In the Hours After In this episode, I take you into the hours immediately following my mother's murder—hours I've spent my entire life trying to piece together. From the moment I was pulled from my bed and placed in a squad car beside my three-year-old sister, to the moment Russell Peterson, my mother's boyfriend and the father of my sister, was inexplicably placed in the same squad car with us, covered in blood. Today, Ill read you my sister's interview from just three hours after our mother's death. You'll hear her rep...
2025-11-0253 min
Papi Killed Mommy2. The Last Day On July 8, 1993, my mother, Stephanie "Stacy" Wasilishin, spent the day struggling — at work, in her relationship, and in her spirit. It would be the last day of her life. In this episode, I walk you through the full timeline of my mother's final hours, backed by details from the police case file, witness interviews, and phone records. I trace her movements from her final shift at Pietro's restaurant in Sedona to the long, emotional phone calls she made that night — one to my dad, Craig, that lasted nearly two hours, and another to her sister, Wendy...
2025-11-0225 min
MorbidThe Unsolved Death Stephanie WasilishinIn the early morning hours of July 9, 1993, police in Sedona, Arizona received a dispatch call from 911 regarding a domestic violence related shooting at a home on Coffee Pot Drive. When they arrived at the home, officers found thirty-one-year-old Russell Peterson performing CPR on his longtime girlfriend, Stephanie Wasilishin, who was lying on the floor of the couple’s bedroom with a large hole in her neck from a .44 caliber bullet. Also present in the bedroom was the couple’s four-year-old daughter.At first, Peterson told investigators that Stephanie had fired the gun at him in the living room...
2025-09-1855 min
StorytellerStephanie WasilishinThis cast relied heavily on information gained from the Killer Queens podcast - go check them out they're awesome. This is the case of Stephanie Wasilishin - Stacey. Her daughter Nikki has brought to light what probably occured during the night of july 9th 1993. Nikki was sleeping in her bed aged ten when..... Listen to the podcast to hear more or....Go and follow Nikki at www.daughterofamurderedwoman.com/ or on Instagram @Nicolewasilishin Or if you want to jump straight from being super awesome to being legendary than you can donate to her Gofunme direct at t...
2025-08-0227 min
Papi Killed MommyThe Hours AfterSend us a textEpisode 3: In the Hours AfterIn this episode, I take you into the hours immediately following my mother’s murder—hours I’ve spent my entire life trying to piece together. From the moment I was pulled from my bed and placed in a squad car beside my three-year-old sister, to the moment Russell Peterson, my mother’s boyfriend and the father of my sister, was inexplicably placed in the same squad car with us, covered in blood.Today, Ill read you my sister’s interview from just three...
2025-07-1853 min
Navigating AdvocacyArizona : Stephanie WasilishinIn this episode of Navigating Advocacy, hosts Melissa and Whitney delve into the tragic story of Stephanie Marie Wasilishin, tragically found shot to death in her Sedona, Arizona home on July 9, 1993. Despite compelling evidence suggesting homicide, the case remains unsolved. Stephanie's daughter Nikki, who has taken to social media and plans to launch her podcast 'Papi Killed Mommy,' continues to fight for justice. The episode uncovers the nuances of Stephanie’s life, her turbulent relationship with Russell Peterson, and the circumstances surrounding her death. With new forensic techniques available today, there’s hope that this cold case may yet find...
2025-06-1723 minPapi Killed MommyBonus Trailer The call begins with "9‑1‑1, what's your emergency?" Moments later, the man on the other end admits he might have killed my mother. Yet 32 years have passed without a single charge, trial, or ounce of justice. My name is Nikki—daughter of a bright, funny, fiercely loved woman whose death was ruled a homicide and then quietly shelved. I was ten when I kissed her good‑night for the last time. Today I'm done staying quiet. "Papi Killed Mommy" is the podcast I wish I never had to make: part investigation, part memoir, part battl...
2025-06-1500 min
Crime SaladThe Death of Stephanie Wasilishin: A Mystery Still UnsolvedIn this episode of Crime Salad, we’re diving into the heartbreaking story of Stephanie Marie Wasilishin—a devoted mother, talented pastry chef, and vibrant woman whose life was cut short on July 9, 1993. What happened that night in Sedona, Arizona has haunted her family for over three decades, especially her daughters, Nikki and Christina.
Stephanie’s story began long before that tragic night. After the loss of her twin brother in infancy, her family relocated from Illinois to the Deep South, settling in Arizona. Years later, she would meet Russell Peterson, the man who would become her partner and th...
2025-06-0948 min
Ghosts-n-HeauxsHer Favorite Color Was Green**Pre-recorded for Patreon**This month, Danielle and Zee are joined by victims rights advocate, Nicole Wasilishin, to discuss the murder of her mother - Stacy Wasilishin - and her ongoing decades long battle for justice. Be sure to follow Nikki on TikTok @nicolewasilishin and stay tuned for her upcoming podcast, Papi Killed Mommy.Stalk us here!Merch - ghosts-n-heauxsTwitter - ghostsnheauxsInstagram - ghosts_n_heauxsFacebook - GhostsnHeauxsPodcastAnd don’t forget to send your stories to ghostsnheauxs@gmail.com 👻🖤👻Become an...
2025-05-2155 min
Prime Time KrimeStephanie WasilishinRight now in true crime: Khadijah Derry update, Donna Adelson trial update, Madeleine McCann case update. In July of 1993, young mother Stephanie Wasilishin lost her life in her own home in Sedona Arizona. The circumstances surrounding her death have haunted her family since that fateful night in July. Her oldest daughter Nikki has now made it her mission to bring justice to her mom’s case. Let’s dig into what happened that night and talk about why nobody has been held accountable when the evidence is overwhelming that Stephanie had her life taken. I want to thank...
2025-05-0948 min
Like Mother Like Murder121: The Unsolved Case of Stephanie Wasalishin - And A Daughters Fight For Her Mothers JusticeRachel shares the 30 year old unsolved case of Stephanie Wasalishin. A domestic despute turned tragic and a 911 call where the called, Stephanies boyfriend at the time, says "I don't know if I shot her or she shot herself." Inconsistancies, decades of questions and heartache and the pain of an inactive case. CALL TO ACTION:Follow Stephanie's daughter Nikki Wasalishin as she continues to raise awareness and share information on her moms murder. She is also in the works of creating her own podcast to tell her moms story. TikTok - @nicolewasilishinYou will ge...
2025-01-0756 min
Sins & Survivors: A Las Vegas True Crime PodcastDVA Month Bonus - The Murder Diaries Presents - Stephanie WasilishinThis week, we have a special presentation from The Murder Diaries Podcast. For more than 5 years, Natalie and Paige have been producing the podcast with the goal of always keeping the victim’s light and name alive as they cover missing, unsolved, and suspicious death cases. Their podcast is victim-centric and honors the memories of those lost and provides hope to their loved ones. You can find out more at themurderdiariespodcast.com or on their Instagram at themurderdiariespod. All the links will be in the show notes.For this episode, they worked closely with the victim’s sis...
2024-10-0351 min
Generation Why: True CrimeStephanie WasilishinJuly 9. 1993. Sedona, Arizona. In the early morning hours of July 9, 1993, 10-year-old Nikki Wasilishin was awoken by police shining flashlights into her bedroom. She learned shortly after that her mother, Stephanie, was dead, shot once in the neck in the master bedroom of the home while Nikki was sleeping. For the next 30 years, investigators made no arrests. Now Nikki is trying to get her mother’s case reexamined and those responsible put behind bars, because, to her, there is only one right answer: her mother was murdered. BONUS CONTENT ALERT! patreon.com/generationwhyListen ad free wi...
2024-09-0240 min
Surviving-ISH PodcastNicole Wasilishin (Nikki): The Daughter of a Mudered Woman, Stephanie (Stacey) WasilishinSend us a textImagine being placed in the back of a squad car with the very person who took your mother’s life. This unfathomable nightmare was Nikki Wasilishin's reality. Join us as Nikki recounts the tragic night her mother, Stacey Marie Wasilishin, was murdered and the years-long journey she embarked upon to seek justice. With raw honesty, Nikki reveals how repressed memories and a mishandled investigation have fueled her relentless pursuit of the truth, using her own TikTok channel to create a community of support.We'll navigate the complex emotions tied to police mi...
2024-08-0828 min
Crime, Wine & ChaosEpisode 188 - Stephanie WasilishinIn this episode, Amber covers the case of Stephanie Wasilishin , a young beautiful mother whose life was taken after a domestic dispute. Nearly 30 years later, no arrest has ever been made.Amber is joined this week by guest co-host, Allison Buist.Anyone with information about the death of Stephanie Wasilishin is asked to call the Sedona PD at 928-282-3100Please sign the petition demanding an investigation into Stephanie's deathPetition Stephanie WasilishinFollow Stephanie's daughter, Nikki on Tik Tok
2024-05-191h 03
Killer Queens: A True Crime PodcastThe Murder of Stephanie WasilishinOn July 9th, 1993, at 1:40 a 911 call was placed by Russell Bennett Peterson. He told the operator that he and his girlfriend had a fight and that she had been shot, but he claimed to not know who shot her. Stephanie Wasilishin was the mother of two young children who tragically lost her life that night. It has been 30 years since Stephanie’s death, and justice has still not been served. Her older daughter, Nikki, has taken up the fight for her mother, and she is on a mission to find the answers that no one seems to want to provid...
2024-04-301h 23
Voices for JusticeStephanie Wasilishin Part 2At about 2 a.m. on July 9th, 1993, 10-year-old Nikki Wasilishin is deep asleep under the covers of her bed when she is woken up by a flashlight in her face. It’s an officer from the Sedona, Arizona police department. He tells her that her parents have gotten into an altercation, and she needs to come with him. As she’s escorted out of her room and through the front door, she sees her mother’s boyfriend, Russel Peterson, on the couch. He’s rocking back and forth, and his hands are covered in blood. When the...
2024-04-0545 min
Voices for JusticeStephanie Wasilishin Part 1At about 2 a.m. on July 9th, 1993, 10-year-old Nikki Wasilishin is deep asleep under the covers of her bed when she is woken up by a flashlight in her face. It’s an officer from the Sedona, Arizona police department. He tells her that her parents have gotten into an altercation, and she needs to come with him. As she’s escorted out of her room and through the front door, she sees her mother’s boyfriend, Russel Peterson, on the couch. He’s rocking back and forth, and his hands are covered in blood. When the...
2024-03-2940 min
Speculating Wildly About Crime (SWAC POD)23. Stephanie WasilishinThis compelling content uncovers the unsolved incident of pastry chef Stephanie Wasilishin's homicide, driven by the relentless dedication of her daughter, Nicole (Nikki) Wasilishin.. The discussion delves into the controversial 911 call, the investigation of the crime scene, and the complex dynamics between Stephanie and significant individuals in her life. The emotional centerpiece of the content is Nikki's touching account of her quest for justice, her struggles with the police, and her efforts to gain public backing. The narrative further highlights her bond with the SWAC PAK Team, a steadfast ally in disseminating her cause. The program concludes by...
2024-02-091h 23
The Housewife Did ItTrue Crime S2 Episode 6: The Murder of Stephanie WasilishinMary received this message: “My name is Nikki, and I am the daughter of a murdered woman. In 1993, when I was 10 years old and sleeping, my mother was shot and killed by her boyfriend in a domestic violence altercation; one which everybody has with their boyfriend or girlfriend, at least once in their life. Only difference is, my mother’s boyfriend grabbed a gun and my mother’s life was lost. It’s been 30 years, and no charges have been filed. The Sedona Police Department likes to tell my family the reasoning is due to insufficient evidence. It will take me...
2024-01-261h 25
F**k ThatStephanie Wasilishin – How a 1993 Death Was Left to Rot by the System Part TwoOn July 9th, 1993, around 1:40 a.m., three officers from Sedona Police Department in Sedona, Arizona, were dispatched to Coffee Pot Drive after a 911 call from a man named Russell Bennett Peterson came in. A young mother of two died during a domestic altercation, and while her live-in partner was investigated as a suspect and the case was considered a homicide, the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office would eventually refuse to press charges due to an alleged lack of evidence.For bonus content, ad-free and early episodes, archived episodes, a private Discord community, and more, su...
2024-01-1648 min
F**k ThatStephanie Wasilishin – How a 1993 Death Was Left to Rot by the System Part OneOn July 9th, 1993, around 1:40 a.m., three officers from Sedona Police Department in Sedona, Arizona, were dispatched to Coffee Pot Drive after a 911 call from a man named Russell Bennett Peterson came in. A young mother of two died during a domestic altercation, and while her live-in partner was investigated as a suspect and the case was considered a homicide, the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office would eventually refuse to press charges due to an alleged lack of evidence. For bonus content, ad-free and early episodes, archived episodes, a private Discord community, and more, su...
2024-01-0945 minSurviving-ISH PodcastNicole "Nikki" Wasilishin: My Mom Was MurderedSend us a textNicole Wasilishin "Nikki" is the daughter of a murdered woman.In 1993, when Nikki was 10 years old and sleeping, her mother was be shot and killed by her boyfriend in a domestic violence altercation. Her mothers boyfriend allegedly grabs a gun and my mother’s life was lost. It’s been 30 years, and no charges have been filed. The Sedona Police Department likes to tell the family the reasoning is due to insufficient evidence. It took Nikki 28 years to become involved. Nikki requested the case-file and found out what happened to her m...
2023-06-0143 min
Here’s The BackstoryThe Cold Case of Stephanie WasilishinJoin me on this unbelievable story of a murdered mother. Her daughter, Nikki was in the home when it happened. Just 10 years old, now 30 years later is demanding justice for her mom.
2023-03-1720 min