Papi Killed Mommy

Papi Killed Mommy is a raw true crime podcast about the night my mother was murdered - and how the truth was buried for years. I was just 10 years old, but I never forgot what really happened. Support - Papi Killed Mommy and help keep the story alive. Your monthly support means the world to me - and it helps me keep bringing you this important story. As a thank you, you’ll get a personal email from me and a shoutout in the next episode! visit my website, or find it in my social media bio. Every little bit makes a difference - thank you for standing with me.

BONUS EPISODE~ Unraveling 11/03/2025

BONUS 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 like I failed her. Like I am falling apart while the system shrugs. This episode isn’t planned. It isn’t polished. It’s me trying to breathe. To talk about what Season One did to me — and why I can’t walk away. Because this story isn’t finished — and neither am I. 🎬 The Studio That Promised and Stalled In February 2024, I signed with a production studio that said they believed in my mother’s story. They promised to build a pitch deck, to sell it to a network, to bring her case to television. I waited. I trusted. I delivered everything they asked for. Twenty months later — nothing. No pitch. No sale. No cameras. Just the same excuse on repeat: “It’s hard to sell a story that doesn’t have an ending.” Let me be clear: My mother doesn’t have an ending because the people in charge refused to give her one. That’s not a creative problem. That’s a justice problem. I was gaslit and dragged along for nearly two years while my mother’s story sat in storage. But that ends soon. In under 100 days, my contract expires. When it does, her story comes back to me. And when that happens — I will take it anywhere that will listen. Filmmakers. Journalists. Documentary students. Networks. Anyone willing to give her truth the screen time it deserves. Because if they won’t build it, I will. 💔 How You Can Help Right Now 1️⃣ Say Her Name Say it out loud. Post it. Write it. 👉 Stacy Marie Wasilishin Make the algorithm learn it. 2️⃣ Ask for Accountability You have every right to request updates and clarity. Use your voice — respectfully, publicly, and on record. Yavapai County Attorney’s Office 📧 📞 (928) 771-3344 ✉️ 255 E Gurley St, Prescott, AZ 86301 Sedona Police Department 📧 📞 (928) 282-3100 Ask clearly: “Why was the death of Stacy Wasilishin closed without charges, and has the case been reviewed since 2020?” Red Rock News (Larson Newspapers) 📧 “The narrative matters. Accuracy matters. Words shape cases.” Ask them why they aren’t covering this story now that it’s being publicly revisited by her daughter. 3️⃣ Sign & Share the Petition 🖋️ Justice for Stacy Marie Wasilishin — Change.org Every signature proves people are paying attention. 4️⃣ Stream & Share Season One Every play counts as proof that this story matters. 🎧 | 5️⃣ Follow and Amplify TikTok → Instagram → Share the clips. Tag the outlets. Keep the momentum alive. 6️⃣ Support the Mission 🛒 Amazon Equipment Wishlist → 💰 GoFundMe for Merch & Travel → These links keep the merch table stocked, the equipment running, and the advocacy alive. Every magnet, every mic cable, every sticker = one more chance to say her name in public. If you work in film, journalism, investigative audio, or documentary production — or know someone who does — contact me directly: 📧 When the countdown hits zero, I’m walking this story into the light. 💜 Domestic Violence Is an Epidemic 1 in 3 women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. The risk of homicide rises 75% when a woman tries to leave. If this episode brings something up for you, please reach out: National Domestic Violence Hotline 📞 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) 💬 Text START to 88788 🌐 You are not alone. You deserve to be safe. 🕯️ Final Words This show was built from grief, drywall dust, and a daughter’s refusal to accept silence. It was recorded in panic and purpose. It was made by hand, by heart, by sheer stubborn love. Season One may be complete, but the fight is not. Because silence is not peace. Because failure is not the end. Because I am still here. My name is Nikki Wasilishin. I am the daughter of a murdered woman. And this — this is me Unraveling. /episode/index/show/b4804e43-b3bb-417a-a7b8-9b4e34bbcf73/id/38889175

BONUS EPISODE~ “Make Noise” 11/02/2025

BONUS 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 Season 2: how to pitch cases involving DV, cold cases, or accountability gaps Do something today Share this story with media If you know someone in press (local paper, college newsroom, blogger, podcaster, YouTuber—any size), send them this episode and ask them to cover Stacy’s case. If you are media, contact Nikki directly: 📧 Sign & share the petition Add your name and pass it on. Every signature increases public pressure. 🔗 Petition: Call / email officials Ask for a full review and that the case be presented to a grand jury. Yavapai County Attorney’s Office Prescott: (928) 771-3344 • Camp Verde: (928) 567-7717 Email: Sedona Police Department (Non-Emergency) Main: (928) 282-3100 • Front Office: (928) 203-5002 Ask local media to cover it Sedona Red Rock News — Newsroom: (928) 282-7795 • Urge balanced, ongoing reporting and note that the community is watching. Send a tip (or share a memory) If you know anything about Stacy’s case—or knew her in Downers Grove, Phoenix, or Sedona—reach out. Anonymous tips welcomed. 📧 Social: @nicolewasilishin (TikTok/Instagram) Season 2: Case submissions (open) We’re collecting DV-related stories, cold cases, or cases with accountability gaps. Include names, dates/locations, a short timeline, links to articles/records, and your contact info. 📧 Support the show & community events We’re keeping the GoFundMe open to fund booths/merch at school & community events (like the Fall Festival) so Stacy’s name reaches new people. Thank you for helping. 👉 GoFundMe: Dickie Birdie’s wish list is still active—stuffies & toys make his day. 👉 Amazon Wish List: DO A GOOD DEED SECTION: This week has weighed heavy on me. After releasing today’s episode, I was contacted by someone who found a cat abandoned on her property. This poor kitty, Slim, has a broken front paw and needs surgery.When I clicked on her GoFundMe, I saw something that broke me even more: not a single donation. She’s trying to raise $1,400 to save his paw. She had only $25.I only had $50 left until payday — but I gave it, because I couldn’t stand seeing “$0 donated.” Whenever I’ve needed help, I’ve asked, and somehow the universe has answered. Today, I wanted to be part of that answer for her.She still has a long way to go, and I know what it’s like to feel helpless when an animal you love is suffering. If you feel called, please consider donating or sharing. Even $5 helps. Together, we can save Slim’s paw and give him the future he deserves. GoFundMe link: Sometimes kindness is the loudest revolution we can make. Safety resources If you or someone you know needs help: National Domestic Violence Hotline — 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Call, text, or chat 24/7. Credits — Host: Nikki Wasilishin • Co-Host: Melissa Field • Series: Papi Killed Mommy (Bonus) Contact for media & tips: /episode/index/show/b4804e43-b3bb-417a-a7b8-9b4e34bbcf73/id/38516640

BONUS EPISODE~ Crime Con 2025 11/02/2025

BONUS EPISODE~ Interview with her friend: Laurie Swift 11/02/2025

BONUS EPISODE~ Interview with my father: Craig Daley 11/02/2025

BONUS EPISODE~ Letter from her daughter: Nikki Lee 11/02/2025

BONUS EPISODE~ Letter from a friend: Cheryl Mendel 11/02/2025

BONUS EPISODE~ Interview with her friend: Cheryl Mendel 11/02/2025

12. Not The End 11/02/2025

12. Not The End Trigger 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 story. You witnessed it. You carried it. You helped bring my mom’s voice back into the world. This final episode lays out every piece of evidence — clearly, calmly, and completely — and asks the question a grand jury never heard: Was there enough evidence in 1993 to charge Russell Bennett Peterson with the murder of Stacy Marie Wasilishin? Today, you decide. 🎙️ Special Guest — Attorney Mike Hansen (Texas Dad Lawyer) In this episode, you’ll hear my conversation with Mike Hansen, a Texas attorney with experience in both prosecution and defense of domestic-violence homicide cases. Mike reviewed my mom’s official case file — not rumors, not speculation — and publicly broke down what the evidence showed. Follow Mike here: TikTok: @texasdadlawyer Instagram: @texas_dad_lawyer Mike — thank you for being the spark that started this entire podcast. ❤️ Good Deed Section — Potato’s Journey Home This season’s closing spotlight belongs to Potato — a stray dog from Puerto Rico who survived pack attacks, heartworm, and living off scraps beside a trash can where he begged for food. Amanda from True Creeps True Crime didn’t scroll past. She saved him. Before he left the island, Amanda nailed a note to the trash-can post: “Thank you for the food, the love, and the belly rubs. I will miss you but it was time to move on. Asta Potato.” If you’d like to help: Follow: Wishlist: Donate (Venmo): @AmandaMednansky Rescue: Hacienda de Sato Amor / True Creeps Podcast: True Creeps IG: Saving one life still matters. This is what compassion looks like. 🟣 Season 2 Announcement Season One ends here — but the mission continues. I will be joined by Melissa Field, and together we’ll cover two domestic-violence-related cases each month. Research. Records. Respect. Reckoning. We’ll remain rooted in truth and shaped by advocacy. And yes — the door is open for Episode 13 if justice comes. 🟩 Support the Show & Help Us Keep Going To continue telling stories that deserve to be heard: I NEED HELP!! We still need three more items of equipment before we can start recording Season 2. Both the wishlist and Gofund link are below, thank you Amazon Equipment Wishlist: GoFundMe: Business / Press / Sponsorship / Legal Inquiry: 📧 📬 Share Your Story If you knew her — I want to talk to you. Your memories are everything to me. 📧 Email: 💜 Final Words This podcast was built in a closet — by hand — with my father, in drywall dust and grief and stubborn love. It was written in car rides, recess breaks, panic attacks, late-night edits, tears, and hope. If you're reading this, if you're listening to this, if you've made it to the end — you helped bring my mother back into the world. Her life mattered. Her story matters. Her name will not be erased. He may have taken her life. But he will not take her story. Thank you – for listening. For witnessing. For staying. Season One is complete. This is not the end. This is the beginning of something louder. — Nikki Daughter of a murdered woman. Keeper of the flame. Voice she never should have had to leave behind. 📬 Call for Accountability — Respectful, On-Record, Public If you believe this case deserves review, you can respectfully request status clarification from the agencies involved: Yavapai County Attorney’s Office 📧 📞 (928) 771-3344 ✉️ 255 E Gurley St, Prescott, AZ 86301 Sedona Police Department 📧 📞 (928) 282-3100 Ask clearly: “Is the homicide of Stacy Wasilishin currently classified as an open investigation?” Red Rock News 📧 (The narrative matters. Accuracy matters. Words shape cases.) 💜 Domestic Violence Is An Epidemic 1 in 3 women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. More than 10 million people in the U.S. are abused every year. The most dangerous moment is when a victim tries to leave. The risk of homicide increases by 75%. If this episode brought something up for you: National Domestic Violence Hotline 📞 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) 📱 Text START to 88788 💻 Chat: You are not alone. You deserve to be safe. /episode/index/show/b4804e43-b3bb-417a-a7b8-9b4e34bbcf73/id/38788985

11. Contracts, Clauses, and Zero Coverage 11/02/2025

10. "A Small Podcast, Notwithstanding" 11/02/2025

10. "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: Yavapai County Attorney’s Office — request an active review of Stephanie Marie Wasilishin (Case #930004944) and direct coordination with Sedona PD. (928) 771-3344 · ycao@yavapaiaz.gov Sedona Police Department — move the case from inactive to active, release the complete file to the family, and pursue new leads. (928) 282-3100 · sfoley@sedonaaz.gov Sedona Red Rock News (Editor) — cover the family’s perspective with appropriate domestic-violence context. (928) 282-7795 · Copy/paste email subject: Justice for Stephanie Marie Wasilishin — Case #930004944 Be respectful, be firm, and let them know you’re watching. Copy-and-paste email (short) Subject: Justice for Stephanie Marie Wasilishin — Case #930004944 Body: Hello, I’m writing in support of the family of Stephanie Marie Wasilishin (Case #930004944). Please take the steps necessary to ensure an active, victim-centered review of this homicide and transparent communication with the family. The community is watching and asking for accountability, a complete case file, and renewed investigative effort. Thank you for your time. Audio notes: The dad interview is converted body-cam audio. I kept it essentially edit-free. The only cuts are moments where my sister’s name is spoken; those are muted for privacy. Expect a few spots that sound “chunky” due to redactions and the source format. I cleaned levels without altering content. The receipts: Email chain with Red Rock News We walk through the August 10–11, 2025 exchange with the managing editor, including the line: “A small podcast notwithstanding…” We unpack why that’s inaccurate on the numbers and harmful in practice: This show has surpassed 160,000+ total downloads and has charted in Apple’s Top 200 (twice), placing it in the top 5–10% of podcasts. Independent shows are public pressure: coverage → tips → action. Pull quote: “Words matter. Using ‘notwithstanding’ here says ‘you don’t matter.’ The audience—and my mom’s name—say otherwise.” Dad’s 2023 interview: what changes Plan to leave: He says my mom called the night of July 8–9, 1993, saying she was leaving and heading to his home the next morning. Surveillance angle: He reports she told him there was a phone-recording device in the house because of suspected infidelity. Gun mechanics: He challenges the plausibility of a left-hand, one-handed shot with a .44 Magnum by someone he says disliked guns. The new shocker (to me): He admits they were still sleeping together while she was with Russell—information he had never told me. Tone matters: He’s confident, unhesitating, and calls me a “pest.” Hearing that off-mic hurt, but it also underlines the truth: it took public pressure to get this interview at all. My sister’s call What it is: A recorded call between my sister and Sgt. Leon discovered in a folder labeled “Calls with Sgt. Leon.” Why now: It’s a public record; anyone could request it. You’re hearing it with context, from family—not as a sensational headline. What’s in it: Health status and urgency; offers of cell numbers, addresses, hospital info. A push from the investigator for a confrontation call (and possibly an in-person wired attempt). Ex-wives & leads: Names to contact; alleged statements Russell made over the years. My take: Asking a victim’s daughter to be “the key” is heavy and risky. It signals gaps that should be closed by investigators—not placed on family. New workplace tip Following national coverage, a listener recognized Russell from a former workplace and described a long pattern: uncomfortable comments to young women, a snap temper, and frequent statements that “his girlfriend shot herself.” One memory is not a case; a pattern can be. If you heard similar statements—or anything about that night—please reach out. Tip line options: • 📧 papikilledmommy@gmail.com (confidential; I’ll pass to PD if you prefer) • ☎️ / ✉️ Sedona PD (contacts in show notes) Key takeaways Media ≠ noise. It’s the channel that finally forced movement in a case left to gather dust. Dad’s interview adds stakes: plan to leave, possible surveillance, mechanics that challenge the suicide framing, and a relationship detail I never knew. The burden shift is real: My sister was asked to carry investigative weight. Families shouldn’t have to do that—but we will if we must. Patterns matter: Third-party statements, workplace behavior, and repeated narratives can build corroboration. How you can help (today) ✍️ Sign the petition (link in show notes). 60 seconds. Real pressure. ☎️/✉️ Contact Sedona PD & Yavapai County Attorney (numbers/emails in show notes). Be respectful, be firm: ask for renewed interviews, follow-through on ex-spouses, and full review of new/old leads. 📰 Email or call the Red Rock News (contacts in show notes). Ask for family-POV coverage. Remind them: media is public pressure. 📣 Share the episode. Visibility brings tips. Tips bring action. Credits & gratitude Host/Writer: Nikki — “the daughter of a murdered woman.” Production: Independent—no network safety net, just stubborn love and receipts. Special thanks: Everyone who’s sent tips, shared episodes, and stood up when it was easier to look away. And to those who bought Dickie Birdie goodies (nose cream, yellow ducky, AirTag case)—you made our week. His wishlist is still active if you want to send a little love. 🐥💛 Next on Papi Killed Mommy The turning point: the viral spark, the rumor mill, the found sibling, and why I built my own platform when the “official” ones wouldn’t listen. If schedules align, Texas attorney Mike Hansen joins me to break down the file and why this case grabbed him. Shareable blurb A local editor called this show “a small podcast notwithstanding.” In EP10, we answer with receipts: the emails, my dad’s first in-person interview in 32 years, and a newly uncovered ~16-minute call where police ask my sister to consider a confrontation call. This is what it looks like when a family refuses to let a case go cold. Links in show notes to sign, call, and write. #PapiKilledMommy Follow & Share TikTok: Instagram: Email: papikilledmommy@gmail.com /episode/index/show/b4804e43-b3bb-417a-a7b8-9b4e34bbcf73/id/38375270

9. Media Pressure 11/02/2025

9. Media Pressure 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 request. The case file landed in my inbox mid-Jan 2021—and I couldn’t open it for nine months. When I finally did, it was with a student filmmaker filming in my living room while the printer spit the pages out backwards: autopsy first. I learned I’d received 176 pages of what Red Rock once reported was nearly 400; key autopsy pages were missing. That night the flashbacks came, and something in me shifted from waiting to fighting. I started posting on Facebook, then a local ABC reporter reached out. A friend reminded me I knew Sarah Turney from years back; Sarah said, “Start with TikTok.” I did. Within weeks my aunt Wendy—who never stopped pushing in the background—found me online. She had pages I didn’t (including four autopsy pages). Together, we tried the “proper channels,” up to an FBI contact who asked Sedona PD if they’d accept help. They declined. Shout-Out: Sarah Turney & Voices for Justice Sarah Turney has been a mentor and friend since our TGI Friday’s days—she’s the blueprint for family-led advocacy in true crime and has had my back from day one. Follow her and check out her show: • Sarah on Instagram: @saraheturney • Voices for Justice (website): voicesforjusticepodcast.com In March 2022 we received a letter from Sedona PD labeling my mom’s homicide “inactive,” shifting responsibility to prosecutors, citing “old technology,” and warning our family about “harassment.” I read that letter verbatim in this episode and break down why the language is hostile and not trauma-informed. Then media pressure kicked in. FOX 10’s Justin Lum pushed for interviews; suddenly a zip drive appeared with the 911 call and Russell’s interviews—the first time my family heard them in 29 years. We filmed in Sedona; my aunt cried in front of the house. Justin’s two-part special, “Insufficient” (June 11, 2022), put facts in front of the public. We expected movement. We got silence. So I launched a petition and began pitching podcasts. Huge thank you to The Mombies for being the first true-crime podcast to cover my mom’s case back in September 2022. If you want to support them for amplifying Stephanie’s story, follow and listen here: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mombies/id1621473706 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mombieshorror/ (they announced Episode 19: “Stephanie Wasilishin”) In Jan 2023 the Vice Mayor helped facilitate a meeting with police. There was finger-pointing, and a lead I provided was labeled “hearsay.” But one thing finally changed: after thirty years, investigators agreed to record an interview with my dad—the person who was on the phone with my mom for hours the night she planned to leave Russell. Next episode: you’ll hear that January 2023 interview, start to finish. No summaries. Listen with me and decide what it means. Why you heard ads (and what’s next) You may hear short ads now. I’ve moved hosts to make the show sustainable—to cover records fees, transcripts, travel, and production. To my 16 Buzzsprout supporters: you are the backbone. Listener Support on Buzzsprout is closed to new sign-ups; existing payments stay there until you cancel. I may add Patreon or an ad-free option later; I’ll announce it here first. Season Two will elevate other domestic-violence cases alongside my mom’s. To submit a case: . How to help today Yavapai County Attorney’s Office — request an active review of Stephanie Marie Wasilishin (Case #930004944) and direct coordination with Sedona PD. (928) 771-3344 · Sedona Police Department — move the case from inactive to active, release the complete file to the family, and pursue new leads. (928) 282-3100 · Sedona Red Rock News (Editor) — cover the family’s perspective with appropriate domestic-violence context. (928) 282-7795 · Copy/paste email subject: Justice for Stephanie Marie Wasilishin — Case #930004944 Be respectful, be firm, and let them know you’re watching. Copy-and-paste email (short) Subject: Justice for Stephanie Marie Wasilishin — Case #930004944 Body: Hello, I’m writing in support of the family of Stephanie Marie Wasilishin (Case #930004944). Please take the steps necessary to ensure an active, victim-centered review of this homicide and transparent communication with the family. The community is watching and asking for accountability, a complete case file, and renewed investigative effort. Thank you for your time. Follow & Share TikTok: Instagram: Email: Thank you for listening—and for standing with my family as we fight for justice for my mother. /episode/index/show/b4804e43-b3bb-417a-a7b8-9b4e34bbcf73/id/38293815