Papi Killed Mommy

NIKKI

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.

  1. 1. The Beginning

    EPISODE 1

    1. The Beginning

    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 Support the show

    13 min
  2. 2. The Last Day

    EPISODE 2

    2. 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, just before 11 p.m. That was the same moment I walked into the living room to say goodnight for the last time. Three hours later, I was jolted awake by a flashlight in my face. A police officer told me my mom had gone to a friend's house after a fight. I didn't know it yet, but my mother had been shot — the medical examiner would later confirm she was killed with a large-caliber weapon, her hands up in defense. She died on the floor of her bedroom, while my three-year-old sister sat just feet away on the bed. What happened in those final moments is still clouded in contradiction and speculation. Her boyfriend, Russell Peterson — the father of my little sister — told police Stacy pulled the trigger first. But phone records show a different kind of urgency: before he ever dialed 911 at 1:40 a.m., he called his own father at 1:36 a.m. That one-minute phone call has never been explained or investigated. And yet, my sister — just three years old — told anyone who would listen: "Papi killed Mommy." She said it over and over again. Thirteen times, to be exact. But no charges were ever filed. In this episode, you'll hear my narration, excerpts from the official reports, and the actual 911 call that came in that night. You'll hear Russell's own words from the case file, where his account of what happened changes and contradicts itself. And you'll hear the chilling police report describing the scene they found — my mother's body, my baby sister's voice, and Russell still holding the phone, blood on his hands. This is the story of how my family's world shattered. And how, even then, the system failed to put the pieces together. "Papi Killed Mommy" is an independent true crime podcast told by me, Nikki — the daughter of a murdered woman. This story is deeply personal and still unresolved. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. 🖤 Help Me Bring My Mom's Story to CrimeCon I've started a GoFundMe to raise money so I can attend CrimeCon this fall and share my mother's story with thousands of true crime advocates, journalists, and potential allies. The funds will help cover the cost of a table, a photo backdrop, stickers, buttons, and merchandise — everything I need to amplify this case in person. As a thank you, anyone who donates will receive a handwritten thank-you card from me and an exclusive, first-generation "Papi Killed Mommy" merchandise sticker. It's my way of showing gratitude and keeping you close to this journey. 👉https://gofund.me/04601762 🐾✈️ 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 If this episode moved you, please consider sharing it, rating it, or following the show.  Support the show

    25 min
  3. 3. The Hours After

    EPISODE 3

    3. 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 repeating the same heartbreaking phrase over and over: "Papi killed Mommy." This interview is raw, painful, and real. It's also revealing.  You'll also hear, for the first time in full, Russell Peterson's initial police interview. Last week, I shared snippets. This week, I'm giving you the entire thing—unedited, start to finish. His words. His version of events. I want you to hear exactly what the Sedona Police Department heard that night. This episode was emotionally brutal to create. I want to take a moment to thank my friend Ash from F That Pod for stepping in and helping me record my sister's interview. Though the original version didn't make it into this episode due to my amateur editing abilities, I'm grateful to Ash for her help and support. Please check her out at F That Pod or wherever you listen to podcasts. Ash did a TWO-part series on my mom. She's incredible. Please go listen.  If you've been following my mother's story and want to help me keep telling it, I'm asking for a birthday favor this year: I've launched a GoFundMe to help me represent my mom at CrimeCon. Right now, I can't afford a banner, a tablecloth, or the merchandise I need to share her story properly. Every sticker, every button, every item helps me amplify my mother's name. If you're able to help, please visit: 👉 https://www.gofundme.com/f/this-is-my-birthday-wish-help-me-bring-my-mothers-story-to.  🐾✈️ 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 As a thank you, I'll personally send you a handwritten card and a first-generation Papi Killed Mommy sticker. If you have any information regarding the death of my mother, Stephanie Marie Wasilishin, please contact the Sedona Police Department at (928) 282-3100. For updates, behind-the-scenes content, and more of my mom's story, follow me on TikTok and Instagram:  @NicoleWasilishin @NicoleWasilishin This podcast is 100% independent. No sponsors. No production team. Just me, telling my mom's story the only way I know how: truthfully. Every download, every share, and every comment matters more than you know. The support the show button is below  👇  👇  👇  👇  👇  Thank you for being here. I'll keep telling this story until there's no story left to tell… or no breath left in my body. Support the show

    54 min
  4. 4. The Day After

    EPISODE 4

    4. 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't know what happened at all. His version of events changes mid-conversation. And throughout the interrogation, he centers himself—his career, his finances, his struggles as a "provider"—while painting my mother as unstable, abusive, and manipulative. But this episode isn't just Russell's voice. I'll also walk you through the interviews investigators conducted that same day—conversations with my grandmother, my aunt, and my mother's coworkers. You'll hear how my mother's own family described the abuse she endured. You'll hear how her coworkers misunderstood her depression and saw her as the problem. And you'll hear the devastating moment my grandmother revealed that Russell had called her the day of my mother's death to say my mom had "shot herself" You'll hear Russell minimize past violent incidents, dismiss my mother's fears, and focus on the sacrifices he made to support her and her children. He claims he wasn't angry about her rekindled conversations with my father. Yet he keeps circling back to him in his interview—volunteering the detail again and again. He admits he took my mother's Disneyland savings to pay for his culinary school.  Next week, I'll take you inside Russell Peterson's final police interview—the last time he ever spoke to law enforcement about my mother's death. If you've made it this far—thank you. This podcast is 100% independent. No sponsors. No production team. Just me—a daughter telling her mother's story. I've worked hard to keep Papi Killed Mommy ad-free, but the truth is: producing a podcast is like having a second full-time job. I've launched a GoFundMe to help cover costs for CrimeCon this September, where I'll be sharing my mother's case with thousands of people. Every donation helps me create merch that keeps her story alive. And as a thank you—every single donor will receive a handwritten thank-you card and a first-generation Papi Killed Mommy sticker from me personally. I'm mailing out thank-you cards this weekend, and it's honestly one of my favorite parts—getting to thank each person helping me fight for justice. 🐾✈️ 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 If you're able to help, even a few dollars makes a difference.  Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/this-is-my-birthday-wish-help-me-bring-my-mothers-story-to And if you know anything about the death of Stephanie Wasilishin—my mom—please contact the Sedona Police Department at (928) 282-3100. Support the show

    1h 2m
  5. 5. The Day They Told Me

    EPISODE 5

    5. 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 played like nothing had happened, but my world collapsed. And just hours later, Russell signed us out of CPS custody and took us on a scenic Pink Jeep tour through Sedona — a "family outing" on the worst day of my life. That ride wasn't about grief. It was about manipulation. He pushed me to say I wanted to live with him, using my little sister as leverage. Later that afternoon, Russell contacted police and asked to walk them through the house where my mother died. In a calm, detached tone, he reenacted the scene — contradicting himself repeatedly. He said my mom told him she was going to shoot him… then turned the gun on herself. He picked the gun up, put it away, then changed his mind and placed it back on the ground — before calling 911. He added new details: that his father found a bottle of Seagram's in my mom's bag after the shooting. Another attempt to make her look unstable — a pattern that never stopped. You'll hear that walkthrough. You'll hear detectives gently challenge his contradictions. And you'll hear the line that's haunted me for 30 years: "Whatever mindset she was in at that given moment… it'll never be known." But it could have been — if anyone had dug deeper. This episode also includes a interview with my father, Craig. He remembers a long, emotional call with my mom the night before she died — a call she knew Russell was recording. My dad's story has never changed. But the case file summary of his interview? Doesn't match what he actually said. I end this episode with one of the most vivid memories of my life — seeing my mother at her viewing. Blue dress. Blue makeup. Blue carnations. A sea of blue that made the world feel cold. I've hated the color ever since.   Next episode on Papi Killed Mommy I'll take you inside Russell Peterson's final police interview. His last story. His final contradictions. And the moment the investigation quietly fell apart. If you've made it this far — thank you. This podcast is 100% independent. No team. No studio. Just me, telling my mom's story and fighting for justice. To support the show and help bring her case to CrimeCon, please consider donating:  👉 gofundme.com/f/this-is-my-birthday-wish-help-me-bring-my-mothers-story-to 🐾✈️ 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 Follow me on TikTok and Instagram @nicolewasilishin for updates and more ways to spread the word. If you have any information about the death of Stephanie Marie Wasilishin, please contact the Sedona Police Department at (928) 282-3100. Support the show

    35 min
  6. 6. The Final Interview

    EPISODE 6

    6. 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 shelf, stood eight feet away, and said, "Russell, I'm going to kill you." He rambled about his career plans, expensive knives, and culinary dreams — but avoided talking about her, or the fact that her two young daughters were in the house that night. When pressed with the forensic evidence — that she couldn't have fired the gun at that angle and that she was in a defensive posture — Russell admitted, "I can't explain it." He explained away my little sister's words, "Papi killed Mommy," saying she must have misunderstood when she saw him moving the gun. The detectives called him out directly: "Every time we talk to you, your story changes." His response? He asked to leave. It was Friday, and he said he had to get to work. They let him walk out. That was the last time Russell Peterson ever spoke to police. Weeks later, he  dropped off his July phone bill — evidence that revealed a 1:36 a.m. call giving him at least three minutes to stage the scene before dialing 911. Investigators never subpoenaed that phone record, never followed up on the call, and by November 1993, the county attorney declared "insufficient evidence to prosecute." Soon after, the Sedona Police Department even canceled further tests on the murder weapon. And just like that, the investigation into my mother's death was over. But the story doesn't end there. Next episode I'll share one of the most devastating moments of my life — the first time I was finally alone with my little sister after our mother's death. In the squad car, she told me "Papi killed Mommy." She told the detectives, our foster family, and every adult who would listen. But one year later, on a long‑awaited Disneyland trip, those words were gone. Replaced with a version I never expected: "Mommy killed herself." What happened in that year? How did her story change so drastically — and why? This podcast is completely independent. It's just me, no production team, no corporate backing — working full‑time while pouring every spare hour into telling my mother's story. If you'd like to help me bring her case to more people, especially as I prepare for CrimeCon this September, please consider donating to the GoFundMe linked below:  👉 Fundraiser by Nicole Wasilishin : Birthday Wish: Help me bring my moms case to crime con 🐾✈️ 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 You can also support the show directly using the "Support the Show" button at the bottom of these episode notes Follow me on TikTok and Instagram @nicole Support the show

    48 min
  7. 7. "Mommy Killed Herself"

    EPISODE 7

    7. "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 investigation that was never followed, and how the most poignant moment came when my sister reappeared in my life—only to vanish again. Today marks 1,858 days since she's called. And today is her 36th birthday—four years older than Mom ever lived to be. Kay, happy birthday. Please call me. We have so much to catch up on. Mom needs your help. I need your help. I'm sorry—sorry for everything. Please call. 💌 A huge thank you to Joanne and Mikayla — your support means everything in this ad-free journey.⬇️⬇️ Want to support the show directly? ⬇️⬇️ Hit the "Support the Show" button at the bottom of this episode's page. Every dollar helps keep Papi Killed Mommy ad-free and gets Mom's story in front of more people. 🛒 Support the Podcast — funds are still needed for CrimeCon travel and merch: GoFundMe 🐶 Limited editions on Dickie Birdie's Amazon Wishlist — My emotional support pup is CrimeCon-bound, too: Amazon Wishlist CALL TO ACTION — Together, we can demand justice Sedona Police Department 📞 (928) 282-3100 📧 sfoley@sedonaaz.gov Ask them to officially reactivate Mom's case. Yavapai County Attorney's Office 📞 (928) 771-3344 📧 ycao@yavapaiaz.gov Urge them to re-examine the evidence. Sedona Red Rock News 📞 (928) 282-7795 📧 editor@redrocknews.com Ask them to share this story from the family's perspective. When we ALL speak up, they can't ignore us. Next Week on Episode 8 In July 2020, I discovered that Mom's case had quietly been reopened—and that a local paper had blindsided my family with two articles. A detective floated "suicide" as a cause of death, and an investigator's email lit a fire under me to finally request the full case file… The file sat unopened for eight months. When I did open it, my life—and this case—changed forever. Support the show

    19 min
  8. 8. The Red Rock News

    EPISODE 8

    8. 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 story planted doubt and distorted the truth. In July 2020, after my aunt Wendy reignited the case, the Red Rock News finally returned to the story — but once again, my family was excluded. The July 15 article leaned almost entirely on law enforcement, recycled Peterson's story, and framed my mom's death as "maybe homicide, maybe suicide," despite the medical examiner ruling it homicide. Missing was accountability for decades of inaction or any context about intimate partner violence. The July 27 article was the most damaging. It quoted Sgt. Michael Dominguez dismissing my family as "over-focused," printed speculative suicide theories, emphasized my mom's blood alcohol level without balance, and recycled Peterson's contradictions. Most harmful of all, Dominguez's reckless comments — published without challenge — led to his removal from the case. The Red Rock News didn't just fail us; their reporting obstructed progress and retraumatized my family. I'll never forget my reaction to reading these articles. I fell to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably, stunned that the word "suicide" was still being repeated decades later. Suicide was never on the table — except from the suspect's mouth. Yet here it was, still being printed as though it carried weight. This episode also includes my first direct communication from Sedona PD in November 2020: an email from Sgt. Laura Leon. I read it word-for-word, then break down why it was so damaging — dismissive of me, minimizing my trauma, treating my mom's case like closed paperwork, and telling me "everyone finds closure differently" instead of fighting for justice. That email crushed me, but it also lit the fire that pushed me to act. Episode 8 is a raw look at how journalism and law enforcement failed my mom — not just in 1993, but again in 2020. It's about erasure, bias, and the harm caused when the people we're supposed to trust don't do their jobs. But it's also about my determination to reclaim my mom's story and demand accountability. 📣 CALL TO ACTION Your voice matters. Please take a few minutes to demand justice for my mom: Sedona Police Department 📞 (928) 282-3100 📧 sfoley@sedonaaz.gov ➡️ Ask them to officially reactivate Stacy's case. Yavapai County Attorney's Office 📞 (928) 771-3344 📧 ycao@yavapaiaz.gov ➡️ Urge them to re-examine the evidence and pursue accountability. Sedona Red Rock News 📞 (928) 282-7795 📧 editor@redrocknews.com ➡️ Demand they finally report this case from the family's perspective. 💜 Support the Podcast & Dickie Birdie This podcast is 100% independent and ad-free. If you'd like to help me keep fighting for justice: 🛒Fundraiser by Nicole Wasilishin : Birthday Wish: Help me bring my moms case to crime con 🐶Dickie Birdie's wishlist Amazon.com Every call, email, share, and d Support the show

    36 min

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4.8
out of 5
193 Ratings

About

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.

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