Papi Killed Mommy
Hey 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 (Nov 2020), I filed a public-records...
info_outlinePapi Killed Mommy
Send us a text In this special bonus episode of Papi Killed Mommy, I share my very first CrimeCon experience — a three-day whirlwind in Denver that was emotional, overwhelming, and unforgettable. The journey started on the road: 900 miles, 14 hours, my best friend Melissa by my side, and my emotional support pup, Dickie Birdie, curled up in the backseat. Between reroutes, pouring rain, thick fog, and deer threatening to dart across the road, the drive was intense. We kept each other laughing ...
info_outlinePapi Killed Mommy
Send us a text 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 ...
info_outlinePapi Killed Mommy
Send us a text 📍 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,”
info_outlinePapi Killed Mommy
Send us a text 📍 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 episod..
info_outlinePapi Killed Mommy
Send us a text 📍 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 year...
info_outlinePapi Killed Mommy
Send us a text 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 h...
info_outlinePapi Killed Mommy
Send us a text 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...
info_outlinePapi Killed Mommy
Send us a text 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 blam
info_outlinePapi Killed Mommy
Send us a text 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 th...
info_outline
I was ten years old the night my mother was murdered — a night that shattered my childhood and changed my life forever. In this episode, I take you back to that fateful evening, sharing the intimate and haunting details of the last time I ever saw her alive.
My mother wasn’t just a woman I loved; she was my safe place, my protector, my guide. That night, she was in the living room, lights dimmed low, candle flickering softly, wine glass in hand. She spent hours on the phone, making plans — plans to escape the man who was tearing our family apart. This man wasn’t my father but the boyfriend who fathered my younger sister. He was the dark presence in our lives that no one dared to face.
I remember lying to her — saying I’d brushed my teeth, told her I was going to walk the dog — and giving her a quick hug and kiss goodnight. That was the last moment I ever saw her alive. Hours later, I was woken by flashing lights and a flashlight in my face, suddenly removed from the home I thought was safe. Alongside my little sister, I was put into the back of a police car, confused and terrified. She kept saying, “Papi killed Mommy,” but I didn’t understand the horrifying truth then.
This episode sets the stage for everything that comes next — the investigation, the heartbreak, the years of unanswered questions, and the fight for justice. It’s the story of a little girl’s trauma and a family’s unraveling, told through my eyes. You’ll hear the fear, the confusion, and the desperate hope for answers that drove me to tell this story.
Papi Killed Mommy is not just a true crime podcast — it’s a personal journey through loss, trauma, and the fight to reclaim a stolen childhood. This first episode is the foundation, the heartbreak, and the raw beginning of the story that needs to be heard.
Join me as I open the door to my past and invite you to walk with me through the darkest night of my life.
The man discussed in this podcast is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This podcast aims to share my personal story and raise awareness about my mother’s case.
If you or anyone you know has any information related to my mother’s case, please contact the Sedona Police Department at (928) 282-3100. Your help could make a difference.
🐾✈️ Traveling to CrimeCon with my best friend, Dickie Birdie, comes with some unexpected expenses — his recent vet visit alone was $827. If you’d like to help make sure he’s safe and comfy on this trip, I’ve put together a small Amazon Wishlist with his travel essentials (like a stroller, pop‑up kennel, and car seat). Every bit of support means the world. 💙
🛒 Click here to check out Dickie Birdie’s Wishlist
Visit the Website:
For updates, exclusive content, and ways to support the journey, visit daughterofamurderedwoman.com. Stay connected and be part of the story.
Trigger Warning:
This episode discusses themes of domestic violence, abuse, and murder. Listener discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available.
National Domestic Violence Hotline:
Call 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org for confidential support 24/7.
You can help bring justice by signing and sharing the petition demanding a full homicide investigation into my mother’s murder. Despite the years that have passed, her case remains unresolved. Every signature counts in urging the authorities to take action and uncover the truth. Please join me by adding your voice here