June 16, 2025 • 23 mins
In 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 resolution.
If anyone has information or needs help, it is available.
Call: 800.799.7233
Text: BEGIN to 88788
Chat Online.
Available on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/papi-killed-mommy/id1809655183
If anyone has information or needs help, it is available.
Call: 800.799.7233
Text: BEGIN to 88788
Chat Online.
Available on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/papi-killed-mommy/id1809655183
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
You're listening to Navigating Advocacy, a podcast where stories of
the missing, the murdered, and the unheard are told with care,
truth and relentless pursuit of justice.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
I'm Melissa and I'm Whitney.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
The story we're sharing today we found on TikTok, of
all places, Nicki had made a public plea seeking awareness
for her mother's case. Like so many of our stories,
this murder was caused by an act of domestic violence.
This serves as a warning that some things we will
discuss today may be sensitive. Also, if you or someone
(01:05):
you know is experiencing abuse of any kind, help is available.
You can call eight hundred seven ninety nine seven two
three three, chat online twenty four hours a day at
chat dot thehotline dot us, or text begin b E
G I N to eight eight seven eight eight. Today
(01:25):
we are Navigating Advocacy in Sidona, Arizona.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
This story takes us back more than thirty years to
a moment frozen in time July ninth, nineteen ninety three,
when thirty two year old Stephanie Marie washed Elision, a
beloved mother of two, was found shot to death in
her Sedona, Arizona home. Despite what the evidence suggests and
(01:55):
what her family has long believed. Her death remains officially unsolved.
This is Stephanie's story. Stephanie, who liked to go by Stacy,
was born in Chicago on June first, nineteen sixty one,
and she was a twin. She was one of seven
children in this big, close knit family. Stacy twin, whose
(02:18):
name was Stephen, would sadly pass away at nine months old.
Her mother, Bernice, described her as a kind, hard working,
and creative person. Stacy had three sisters, two brothers, and
a smile that lit up every room she walked into.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
That is the typical description that almost every true crime
documentary uses. Still, from what I've gathered from Nikki, her TikTok,
and everything that I read about Stacy, there is no
other way to describe her. She was stunningly beautiful and
had this golden blonde hair with that fair faucet volume
that I can only dream of. What's the secret to
(02:55):
that volume? I think it's the aquinet that we're no
longer allowed to.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Use, but we can't get that kind of fine more.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
It is the aquin net, and that's probably banned because
the ozone layer.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Oh I'm sure I'm sure Nicky says in one of
her TikTok videos that they were an extremely close family
and that Stacy's younger sister, Wendy, grew up with her
as if those two were twins because they were just
so close. Wendy was born just a year after Stacy,
so they were always together.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Stacy would meet Craig daily in the early eighties and
would have their daughter, Nicki in nineteen eighty two. Sometime
in the late eighties, Stacy would meet Russell Bennett Peterson.
Stacy worked as a pastry chef at Pierretro's restaurant, where
Russell was also a chef. In nineteen eighty nine, Stacy
(03:49):
and Russell had Stacy's second daughter, Christina. Her daughters were
her world. Their relationship would span several years, and on
the surface it might have looked like a partnership built
on shared passion. But behind closed doors, as it often happens,
Stacy's family would say, things were very different. Nothing's ever
(04:11):
as perfect as we see it. And this is back
in the eighties and nineties, when today and we look
on social media and everyone's life is so perfect. All
these families, and then after a while you start to
see these cracks in these families, and then it becomes
a Netflix documentary.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
I agree.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
It's so strange how people put those perfect perceptions out
there and you never know what's happening behind closed doors.
Nicki mentions that Stacy had spoken with her sister Wendy
in the early nineties about how the relationship was degrading.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Neither of them were really happy.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
She even says that her mother and aunt were speaking
nightly about about these problems.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Do you know if the two still work together at
this point in time or they worked in the past.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
I believe so.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Oh, because later when he's wanting to go for this
internship or this cooking class or whatever, they're living together
at that time. So I believe they are still working together.
But I'm not a hundred percent positive on that.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
That has to be difficult working with your spouse all
day then coming home to your spouse. I mean, everyone
needs a little time alone, so I'm sure that couldn't
have helped the situation.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
I don't believe they were ever legally married. I think
they were just partners.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Stacy had confided in her mother over fifty times that
Peterson was physically and emotionally abusive. Her sister, Wendy, said
that Stacy was planning to leave him for good. In fact,
her mother had offered her a safe place to go.
So plans are being put in place for Stacy to
leave with her two daughters. But as many survivors know,
(05:52):
the time right before leaving is often the most dangerous.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
According to phone records, on July eighth, nineteen ninety three,
Stacy called Wendy and talked to her for about twenty
four minutes around seven forty two pm. The two hung up,
and then Stacy called Craig, Nicky's father. Those two spoke
for one hundred and seven minutes. Now, from what I gather,
(06:18):
from what everything that I've put together, it seems as
though Stacy was confiding in Craig and wanting to leave Russell,
and she was speaking with him making.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Sure it was the right choice for her.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
Understandable. According to Russell, the night of July eighth started
out uneventfully, he told police. He returned home after eleven pm,
he showered, he shared a bottle of wine with Stacy.
He said. They started arguing after Stacy was mentioning who
(06:51):
she was speaking to, that she was speaking to Nicky's
father earlier that day. This tension escalated when the topic
turned to Russell's upcoming two weeks culinary training in New York.
This is the one Whitney was talking about. Apparently Russell
is going on this trip for two weeks. I'm sure
he has to pay for this, and he's not going
to be getting paid while he's gone, So it's leaving
(07:13):
all of the duties up to Stacey, raising the kids,
making sure they can pay their bills and everything like that.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
It's a lot of stress.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Yeah, it was taking out financial toll on Stacy as well.
She had been saving money so that she could take
her kids to Disneyland that year, and now she wasn't
going to be able to because Russell was taking money
from her savings to go on this trip for his
culinary training in New York.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
According to Russell, Stacey went to the bedroom. Also, we
only have Russell's accounts, obviously of what happened that night.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
That's all we have.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Even though the girls were there, they were already in bed.
They were little at this time, so we have to
go basically based on what Russell is saying. So this
is what he's saying Stacey went into the bedroom. She
returned with a Ruger Redhawk forty four magnum, poked the
gun and said Russell, I'm going to shoot you. He says,
(08:09):
she fired and luckily she missed. What follows next is murky,
not only to us thirty years later, but also to
Russell then because he really does He states he really
doesn't know what happened. He says he follows her into
the bedroom, there was a struggle and then another shot.
Somehow Stacy is dead. But it's what Russell did next
(08:35):
or didn't do, that raises more than a few red flags.
See Russell didn't immediately call nine one one. He says,
he picked up the gun, put it in a tolster,
placed it back into the closet. Then he changed his
mind and was like, oh crap, maybe I shouldn't have
touched this, So he takes it back out places it
on the ground instead. He told police I didn't want
(08:58):
to be accused of murder. But his delay in calling
for help has literally haunted this case ever since. So finally,
at one forty am, he dials nine to one to one,
but these phone records show another call was made just
minutes earlier, at one thirty six am, to a number
in Glendale, Arizona.
Speaker 4 (09:20):
Russell had called his father, Kenneth Peterson, just four minutes
before calling nine one one. The two spoke for only
one minute. The problem here is that law enforcement did
not know about this until over three months after Stacy's death.
I've listened to this nine one one call and Russell
(09:42):
calls and says, after the operator answers, there has been
a very bad accident. The operator asks for the address,
and of course Russell gives it. The operator then asks
how many vehicles? So naturally, when someone says there's been
an accident, my mind obviously goes to a car accident
as well. I wouldn't think of, you know, a gunshot accident.
(10:03):
I would immediately go to a car accident. So it
makes perfect sense that the operator jumped to that conclusion.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
I would only say because I know what happened. At first,
I was like, why is she asking that? But in
completely great thoughts there that how would she know that's
what happened? And yes, you're right, you would think a
car accident because that's much more likely of a situation.
I wondered that it's so thanks for clearing that out.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Russell says that there are no vehicles and that he
and his wife had been in an argument and that
his wife was hurting very badly.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
The operator, of course, asking.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Those open ended questions as operators do to get all
of the information, said what happened, and he said that
she had been shot, and the operator clearly says shot
like she was scared and surprised by that.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
He then asked who shot.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Her, and Russell says, uh, we were and then clears
his throat, thanks for a second, and says, I don't know.
The operator clarified, you don't know who shot her, and
he said I might have. She might have shot herself.
He was clearly trying to wrap his mind around what
he was going to say. He was taking his time answering.
(11:14):
The operator asks more questions about the location of Stacy
and if she was conscious or breathing, and when he
tells her that she is both unconscious and not breathing
that he could tell, she says she's going to dispatch
paramedics and asks Russell if he knows how to perform CPR,
which he does not. The operator asks where Stacy had
(11:34):
been shot, and he said the neck or the chest
and the not on. One operator then connects to the
police department. Russell goes on to basically tell the whole
story again of we were in an argument, she was
shot and tells law enforcement officer that he did not
shoot her, but that there was a fight and that
she had shot at him. They try to talk him
(11:57):
through how to do CPR and he was unsuccess and
then the paramedics arrived.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
Wow. So, like we stated, this happened in Sedona, Arizona.
And if you've ever been to Sitdona, it is it's
a small town. I mean, for as like popular as
it is with tours, it's a very small town, very sleepy,
and a lot of elderly there. I just remember being
there and restaurants closed at eight o'clock. I am not
(12:25):
even lying. We thought it was insane that they closed
that early. It's just crazy that this huge case happened.
And this also brings into play how it was investigated
from the beginning because Sidona was a very new force,
they didn't have a lot of training. They obviously didn't
have a lot of officers this, I mean, there wasn't
(12:47):
a lot of murders going on in this place. They're
probably still to this day. Is not a lot happening there.
Sodona police arrive on scene. They do find Stacy dead
from a gunshot wound to the neck. Her children were
still inside the home. Nikki, who is just ten years old,
remembers her sister shouting, Poppy killed mommy after law enforcement
(13:11):
placed her and her sister in the backseat of a
police car. That's all her sister kept saying, is Poppy
killed mommy. Poppy killed mommy. So Christina, this younger sister,
was only three years old. She told investigators she saw
her mother on the floor, but she didn't witness the
shooting or anything like that. Just her wrapping her brain
(13:32):
around this traumatic event. She's stating, Hey, he must have
done it. He's the only one out there and my
mom's been shot. That's as far as a three year
old brain will really go.
Speaker 4 (13:44):
Even though she's only three years old. It's important to
state that she said this over and over dozens of times,
Poppy killed mommy, over and over and over again, and
when law enforcement spoke to her about it and interviewed her,
the transcripts lead a bit questionable. They didn't have a
(14:06):
child psychologist or anyone that was trained in speaking with
children come in and lead those investigations, and it's just
she said she saw something. In law enforcement didn't believe her.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner, doctor Philip Keen, ruled Stacy's
death a homicide because the bullet entered from the left
side of her neck. This is a key detail because
Stacy was right hand dominant. So many times they will say, oh,
it could have been suicide, even if they were using
(14:41):
the non dominant hand, which boggles my mind because I
guess when I think about someone killing themselves, they are
not concerned with, oh, let me try to cover it
up and make it look like a murderer and use
the wrong hand. I don't think they're in the right
frame of mind, and they will just use the hand
that is most convenient or that they typically natural to
(15:05):
the natural, yes, natural, So this case, because she was
shot in the left side of her neck, they're like, no,
it has to be murdered. She would have not shot
herself in that side. Also, gunpowder residue was found only
on her left palm, again not her dominant hand. Investigators
(15:28):
never tested Russell Peterson's hand for gunpowder residue at all. Later,
when law enforcement simulated the shooting, because of course they did,
and I have to give them props because I really
wouldn't think that they would back in this day, but
they simulated it with a model of Stacy's size, and
they found it nearly impossible to recreate the shot using
(15:52):
a one handed grip in a double action mode, especially
from the angle that the bullet entered. Can you explain
double action mode? I don't even know what that means.
A double action.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
Mode refers to one of two systems and firearms where
the trigger both cocks and releases the hammer. So whatever
you cock also shoots. The hand shoots the thing. Double
action firearms pressing the trigger and drops the hammer. So
if you think on a revolver, you pull that little
nub back, yes, and then when you pull the trigger,
(16:24):
it pushes forward to shoot the bullet that that hammer,
that hammer goes down. That's all in the same mechanism.
So that's a double action gotcha?
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Oh wow? Which I mean for.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
My non dominant hand, my left thumb is no good
for anything.
Speaker 5 (16:39):
Also, I can't even wave with it, so I feel
like that it would take significant time or effort to
do so, because especially if she they found no gunpowder
on her right hand at all.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
Yes, she's definitely not using that hand, and.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
I'm trying to end the simulation.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
If they're simulating a struggle, maybe they're rolling around on
the ground fighting over this gun.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Still blows my mind that they did.
Speaker 3 (17:05):
Not test him for gunpowder residue to at least try
to place him on the weapon. His fingerprints aren't already
on the weapon because he picked it up and moved
it exactly so that.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
Really would have aimed it, probably his gun or the
family's gun, so he held it before. It's just it's insane,
but I'm glad they did that just to prove, Hey,
this is nearly impossible to do. I feel like we
can just even talk about it and we think it's
nearly impossible. The only way the shot could realistically have
(17:40):
occurred is in a struggle between two people. Despite this,
no charges were filed. In his final interview, less than
two months after the shooting, Russell changed his story, as
they all do. He backpedaled on the idea of a
physical struggle and saying instead, I don't know what happened.
(18:03):
I may know, it'll come to me. I never I
don't think I ever put my hands on her. In
twenty twenty, Sadna Police Sergeant Michael Domingez acknowledged the newer
forensic techniques might bring some clarity to this whole situation
because it's been thirty years, but for some reason, this
(18:24):
case has remained cold, so we don't know if they're
really working on anything at this point. The department has
reportedly refused assistance from the FBI, which of course just
frustrates the entire family when they're just trying to get answers.
So remember, Nikki was ten years old when all this happened.
(18:46):
She's now an adult and she remains adamant that her
mom would never touch a gun, just with her kids
sleeping a few feet away.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
So here's my question, what do they haven't classified as
is it a cold case?
Speaker 1 (19:04):
I think they've tried in the past, or like, brought
up the evidence to the district attorney and he's just like,
there's not enough for a conviction. In my mind, at
least a manslaughter. Something happened and someone died because of it,
and we know she didn't do it to herself. So
the only other plausible explanation is Russell had something to
(19:26):
do with it. Could have been an accident, might not
been an accident. However, that's where manslaughter comes in. If
it was an accident, at the very minimum, his actions
played a role in.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Her death, regardless exactly.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
And that's where the system is flawed, right, especially when
it comes to domestic violence, because so many partners that
are victims of domestic violence are murdered because it's looked over.
Nikki has taken on the role of advocate for her mother.
She she realizes TikTok and social media to garner attention
(20:02):
for Stacy, She's been working tirelessly to launch her own
podcast titled Appropriately Poppy Killed Mommy.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
Our advocacy efforts.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
For Stacy is to encourage you to go like, subscribe
and listen to Nikki's podcast. She is. She gives me
the same vibes of Madison McGee, like she's going to
fight for her mom, just like my Madison is fighting
for jac and she's gonna do it her way. She's
telling everything she's coming with the case file. I know
(20:35):
she's written at least eleven episodes, probably more by now,
so I it hasn't released yet. It's about to release,
so I highly encourage you to go subscribe because I
know she's been working on it well, Lincoln in the
show notes, she's been working on it for a very
long time because there's so many when you start a podcast,
there's so many different rules, especially when it comes to
Apple and like your cover art. She's been fighting with
(20:56):
Apple for months over the cover art because she used
the news article and because killed is in the name,
she had to go through a million different channels. So
she's been working on this very very hard and tirelessly.
We'll link it in the show notes, so please follow
Shernicki's social media is to help spread further awareness about Stacy.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
It's been over thirty years since Stephanie was killed. Thirty
years since a mother's, sister, and friend's life was cut short.
Thirty years of silence from a system that should have
delivered answers, thirty years of a family carrying the weight
of unanswered questions. The evidence points towards Thomas side, the
(21:36):
gunpowder residue, the wound location, and the inconsistencies.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
In Russell's story.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
The warning sides were there and they were ignored. Stacy
deserves better. Her daughters deserve better, and the whole family
deserves to know why this case was never adequately investigated.
(22:15):
If you or someone you know isn't a dangerous relationship, please.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Know that help is available.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
We'll list resources in the show notes.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Thank you for.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
Joining us for today's episode of Navigating Advocacy. Be sure
to follow the show and share the story for Stacy,
for Nicki, for Christina.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
This episode was researched, written, and produced by us. If
you are a family member of a missing or unsolved
case I would like us to share their story, Please
reach out to us at info at Navigating Advocacy dot com.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
Yes, Yes,
You're listening to Navigating Advocacy, a podcast where stories of
the missing, the murdered, and the unheard are told with care,
truth and relentless pursuit of justice.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
I'm Melissa and I'm Whitney.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
The story we're sharing today we found on TikTok, of
all places, Nicki had made a public plea seeking awareness
for her mother's case. Like so many of our stories,
this murder was caused by an act of domestic violence.
This serves as a warning that some things we will
discuss today may be sensitive. Also, if you or someone
(01:05):
you know is experiencing abuse of any kind, help is available.
You can call eight hundred seven ninety nine seven two
three three, chat online twenty four hours a day at
chat dot thehotline dot us, or text begin b E
G I N to eight eight seven eight eight. Today
(01:25):
we are Navigating Advocacy in Sidona, Arizona.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
This story takes us back more than thirty years to
a moment frozen in time July ninth, nineteen ninety three,
when thirty two year old Stephanie Marie washed Elision, a
beloved mother of two, was found shot to death in
her Sedona, Arizona home. Despite what the evidence suggests and
(01:55):
what her family has long believed. Her death remains officially unsolved.
This is Stephanie's story. Stephanie, who liked to go by Stacy,
was born in Chicago on June first, nineteen sixty one,
and she was a twin. She was one of seven
children in this big, close knit family. Stacy twin, whose
(02:18):
name was Stephen, would sadly pass away at nine months old.
Her mother, Bernice, described her as a kind, hard working,
and creative person. Stacy had three sisters, two brothers, and
a smile that lit up every room she walked into.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
That is the typical description that almost every true crime
documentary uses. Still, from what I've gathered from Nikki, her TikTok,
and everything that I read about Stacy, there is no
other way to describe her. She was stunningly beautiful and
had this golden blonde hair with that fair faucet volume
that I can only dream of. What's the secret to
(02:55):
that volume? I think it's the aquinet that we're no
longer allowed to.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Use, but we can't get that kind of fine more.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
It is the aquin net, and that's probably banned because
the ozone layer.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Oh I'm sure I'm sure Nicky says in one of
her TikTok videos that they were an extremely close family
and that Stacy's younger sister, Wendy, grew up with her
as if those two were twins because they were just
so close. Wendy was born just a year after Stacy,
so they were always together.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Stacy would meet Craig daily in the early eighties and
would have their daughter, Nicki in nineteen eighty two. Sometime
in the late eighties, Stacy would meet Russell Bennett Peterson.
Stacy worked as a pastry chef at Pierretro's restaurant, where
Russell was also a chef. In nineteen eighty nine, Stacy
(03:49):
and Russell had Stacy's second daughter, Christina. Her daughters were
her world. Their relationship would span several years, and on
the surface it might have looked like a partnership built
on shared passion. But behind closed doors, as it often happens,
Stacy's family would say, things were very different. Nothing's ever
(04:11):
as perfect as we see it. And this is back
in the eighties and nineties, when today and we look
on social media and everyone's life is so perfect. All
these families, and then after a while you start to
see these cracks in these families, and then it becomes
a Netflix documentary.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
I agree.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
It's so strange how people put those perfect perceptions out
there and you never know what's happening behind closed doors.
Nicki mentions that Stacy had spoken with her sister Wendy
in the early nineties about how the relationship was degrading.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Neither of them were really happy.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
She even says that her mother and aunt were speaking
nightly about about these problems.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Do you know if the two still work together at
this point in time or they worked in the past.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
I believe so.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Oh, because later when he's wanting to go for this
internship or this cooking class or whatever, they're living together
at that time. So I believe they are still working together.
But I'm not a hundred percent positive on that.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
That has to be difficult working with your spouse all
day then coming home to your spouse. I mean, everyone
needs a little time alone, so I'm sure that couldn't
have helped the situation.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
I don't believe they were ever legally married. I think
they were just partners.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Stacy had confided in her mother over fifty times that
Peterson was physically and emotionally abusive. Her sister, Wendy, said
that Stacy was planning to leave him for good. In fact,
her mother had offered her a safe place to go.
So plans are being put in place for Stacy to
leave with her two daughters. But as many survivors know,
(05:52):
the time right before leaving is often the most dangerous.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
According to phone records, on July eighth, nineteen ninety three,
Stacy called Wendy and talked to her for about twenty
four minutes around seven forty two pm. The two hung up,
and then Stacy called Craig, Nicky's father. Those two spoke
for one hundred and seven minutes. Now, from what I gather,
(06:18):
from what everything that I've put together, it seems as
though Stacy was confiding in Craig and wanting to leave Russell,
and she was speaking with him making.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Sure it was the right choice for her.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
Understandable. According to Russell, the night of July eighth started
out uneventfully, he told police. He returned home after eleven pm,
he showered, he shared a bottle of wine with Stacy.
He said. They started arguing after Stacy was mentioning who
(06:51):
she was speaking to, that she was speaking to Nicky's
father earlier that day. This tension escalated when the topic
turned to Russell's upcoming two weeks culinary training in New York.
This is the one Whitney was talking about. Apparently Russell
is going on this trip for two weeks. I'm sure
he has to pay for this, and he's not going
to be getting paid while he's gone, So it's leaving
(07:13):
all of the duties up to Stacey, raising the kids,
making sure they can pay their bills and everything like that.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
It's a lot of stress.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Yeah, it was taking out financial toll on Stacy as well.
She had been saving money so that she could take
her kids to Disneyland that year, and now she wasn't
going to be able to because Russell was taking money
from her savings to go on this trip for his
culinary training in New York.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
According to Russell, Stacey went to the bedroom. Also, we
only have Russell's accounts, obviously of what happened that night.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
That's all we have.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Even though the girls were there, they were already in bed.
They were little at this time, so we have to
go basically based on what Russell is saying. So this
is what he's saying Stacey went into the bedroom. She
returned with a Ruger Redhawk forty four magnum, poked the
gun and said Russell, I'm going to shoot you. He says,
(08:09):
she fired and luckily she missed. What follows next is murky,
not only to us thirty years later, but also to
Russell then because he really does He states he really
doesn't know what happened. He says he follows her into
the bedroom, there was a struggle and then another shot.
Somehow Stacy is dead. But it's what Russell did next
(08:35):
or didn't do, that raises more than a few red flags.
See Russell didn't immediately call nine one one. He says,
he picked up the gun, put it in a tolster,
placed it back into the closet. Then he changed his
mind and was like, oh crap, maybe I shouldn't have
touched this, So he takes it back out places it
on the ground instead. He told police I didn't want
(08:58):
to be accused of murder. But his delay in calling
for help has literally haunted this case ever since. So finally,
at one forty am, he dials nine to one to one,
but these phone records show another call was made just
minutes earlier, at one thirty six am, to a number
in Glendale, Arizona.
Speaker 4 (09:20):
Russell had called his father, Kenneth Peterson, just four minutes
before calling nine one one. The two spoke for only
one minute. The problem here is that law enforcement did
not know about this until over three months after Stacy's death.
I've listened to this nine one one call and Russell
(09:42):
calls and says, after the operator answers, there has been
a very bad accident. The operator asks for the address,
and of course Russell gives it. The operator then asks
how many vehicles? So naturally, when someone says there's been
an accident, my mind obviously goes to a car accident
as well. I wouldn't think of, you know, a gunshot accident.
(10:03):
I would immediately go to a car accident. So it
makes perfect sense that the operator jumped to that conclusion.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
I would only say because I know what happened. At first,
I was like, why is she asking that? But in
completely great thoughts there that how would she know that's
what happened? And yes, you're right, you would think a
car accident because that's much more likely of a situation.
I wondered that it's so thanks for clearing that out.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Russell says that there are no vehicles and that he
and his wife had been in an argument and that
his wife was hurting very badly.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
The operator, of course, asking.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Those open ended questions as operators do to get all
of the information, said what happened, and he said that
she had been shot, and the operator clearly says shot
like she was scared and surprised by that.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
He then asked who shot.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Her, and Russell says, uh, we were and then clears
his throat, thanks for a second, and says, I don't know.
The operator clarified, you don't know who shot her, and
he said I might have. She might have shot herself.
He was clearly trying to wrap his mind around what
he was going to say. He was taking his time answering.
(11:14):
The operator asks more questions about the location of Stacy
and if she was conscious or breathing, and when he
tells her that she is both unconscious and not breathing
that he could tell, she says she's going to dispatch
paramedics and asks Russell if he knows how to perform CPR,
which he does not. The operator asks where Stacy had
(11:34):
been shot, and he said the neck or the chest
and the not on. One operator then connects to the
police department. Russell goes on to basically tell the whole
story again of we were in an argument, she was
shot and tells law enforcement officer that he did not
shoot her, but that there was a fight and that
she had shot at him. They try to talk him
(11:57):
through how to do CPR and he was unsuccess and
then the paramedics arrived.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
Wow. So, like we stated, this happened in Sedona, Arizona.
And if you've ever been to Sitdona, it is it's
a small town. I mean, for as like popular as
it is with tours, it's a very small town, very sleepy,
and a lot of elderly there. I just remember being
there and restaurants closed at eight o'clock. I am not
(12:25):
even lying. We thought it was insane that they closed
that early. It's just crazy that this huge case happened.
And this also brings into play how it was investigated
from the beginning because Sidona was a very new force,
they didn't have a lot of training. They obviously didn't
have a lot of officers this, I mean, there wasn't
(12:47):
a lot of murders going on in this place. They're
probably still to this day. Is not a lot happening there.
Sodona police arrive on scene. They do find Stacy dead
from a gunshot wound to the neck. Her children were
still inside the home. Nikki, who is just ten years old,
remembers her sister shouting, Poppy killed mommy after law enforcement
(13:11):
placed her and her sister in the backseat of a
police car. That's all her sister kept saying, is Poppy
killed mommy. Poppy killed mommy. So Christina, this younger sister,
was only three years old. She told investigators she saw
her mother on the floor, but she didn't witness the
shooting or anything like that. Just her wrapping her brain
(13:32):
around this traumatic event. She's stating, Hey, he must have
done it. He's the only one out there and my
mom's been shot. That's as far as a three year
old brain will really go.
Speaker 4 (13:44):
Even though she's only three years old. It's important to
state that she said this over and over dozens of times,
Poppy killed mommy, over and over and over again, and
when law enforcement spoke to her about it and interviewed her,
the transcripts lead a bit questionable. They didn't have a
(14:06):
child psychologist or anyone that was trained in speaking with
children come in and lead those investigations, and it's just
she said she saw something. In law enforcement didn't believe her.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner, doctor Philip Keen, ruled Stacy's
death a homicide because the bullet entered from the left
side of her neck. This is a key detail because
Stacy was right hand dominant. So many times they will say, oh,
it could have been suicide, even if they were using
(14:41):
the non dominant hand, which boggles my mind because I
guess when I think about someone killing themselves, they are
not concerned with, oh, let me try to cover it
up and make it look like a murderer and use
the wrong hand. I don't think they're in the right
frame of mind, and they will just use the hand
that is most convenient or that they typically natural to
(15:05):
the natural, yes, natural, So this case, because she was
shot in the left side of her neck, they're like, no,
it has to be murdered. She would have not shot
herself in that side. Also, gunpowder residue was found only
on her left palm, again not her dominant hand. Investigators
(15:28):
never tested Russell Peterson's hand for gunpowder residue at all. Later,
when law enforcement simulated the shooting, because of course they did,
and I have to give them props because I really
wouldn't think that they would back in this day, but
they simulated it with a model of Stacy's size, and
they found it nearly impossible to recreate the shot using
(15:52):
a one handed grip in a double action mode, especially
from the angle that the bullet entered. Can you explain
double action mode? I don't even know what that means.
A double action.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
Mode refers to one of two systems and firearms where
the trigger both cocks and releases the hammer. So whatever
you cock also shoots. The hand shoots the thing. Double
action firearms pressing the trigger and drops the hammer. So
if you think on a revolver, you pull that little
nub back, yes, and then when you pull the trigger,
(16:24):
it pushes forward to shoot the bullet that that hammer,
that hammer goes down. That's all in the same mechanism.
So that's a double action gotcha?
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Oh wow? Which I mean for.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
My non dominant hand, my left thumb is no good
for anything.
Speaker 5 (16:39):
Also, I can't even wave with it, so I feel
like that it would take significant time or effort to
do so, because especially if she they found no gunpowder
on her right hand at all.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
Yes, she's definitely not using that hand, and.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
I'm trying to end the simulation.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
If they're simulating a struggle, maybe they're rolling around on
the ground fighting over this gun.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Still blows my mind that they did.
Speaker 3 (17:05):
Not test him for gunpowder residue to at least try
to place him on the weapon. His fingerprints aren't already
on the weapon because he picked it up and moved
it exactly so that.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
Really would have aimed it, probably his gun or the
family's gun, so he held it before. It's just it's insane,
but I'm glad they did that just to prove, Hey,
this is nearly impossible to do. I feel like we
can just even talk about it and we think it's
nearly impossible. The only way the shot could realistically have
(17:40):
occurred is in a struggle between two people. Despite this,
no charges were filed. In his final interview, less than
two months after the shooting, Russell changed his story, as
they all do. He backpedaled on the idea of a
physical struggle and saying instead, I don't know what happened.
(18:03):
I may know, it'll come to me. I never I
don't think I ever put my hands on her. In
twenty twenty, Sadna Police Sergeant Michael Domingez acknowledged the newer
forensic techniques might bring some clarity to this whole situation
because it's been thirty years, but for some reason, this
(18:24):
case has remained cold, so we don't know if they're
really working on anything at this point. The department has
reportedly refused assistance from the FBI, which of course just
frustrates the entire family when they're just trying to get answers.
So remember, Nikki was ten years old when all this happened.
(18:46):
She's now an adult and she remains adamant that her
mom would never touch a gun, just with her kids
sleeping a few feet away.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
So here's my question, what do they haven't classified as
is it a cold case?
Speaker 1 (19:04):
I think they've tried in the past, or like, brought
up the evidence to the district attorney and he's just like,
there's not enough for a conviction. In my mind, at
least a manslaughter. Something happened and someone died because of it,
and we know she didn't do it to herself. So
the only other plausible explanation is Russell had something to
(19:26):
do with it. Could have been an accident, might not
been an accident. However, that's where manslaughter comes in. If
it was an accident, at the very minimum, his actions
played a role in.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Her death, regardless exactly.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
And that's where the system is flawed, right, especially when
it comes to domestic violence, because so many partners that
are victims of domestic violence are murdered because it's looked over.
Nikki has taken on the role of advocate for her mother.
She she realizes TikTok and social media to garner attention
(20:02):
for Stacy, She's been working tirelessly to launch her own
podcast titled Appropriately Poppy Killed Mommy.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
Our advocacy efforts.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
For Stacy is to encourage you to go like, subscribe
and listen to Nikki's podcast. She is. She gives me
the same vibes of Madison McGee, like she's going to
fight for her mom, just like my Madison is fighting
for jac and she's gonna do it her way. She's
telling everything she's coming with the case file. I know
(20:35):
she's written at least eleven episodes, probably more by now,
so I it hasn't released yet. It's about to release,
so I highly encourage you to go subscribe because I
know she's been working on it well, Lincoln in the
show notes, she's been working on it for a very
long time because there's so many when you start a podcast,
there's so many different rules, especially when it comes to
Apple and like your cover art. She's been fighting with
(20:56):
Apple for months over the cover art because she used
the news article and because killed is in the name,
she had to go through a million different channels. So
she's been working on this very very hard and tirelessly.
We'll link it in the show notes, so please follow
Shernicki's social media is to help spread further awareness about Stacy.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
It's been over thirty years since Stephanie was killed. Thirty
years since a mother's, sister, and friend's life was cut short.
Thirty years of silence from a system that should have
delivered answers, thirty years of a family carrying the weight
of unanswered questions. The evidence points towards Thomas side, the
(21:36):
gunpowder residue, the wound location, and the inconsistencies.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
In Russell's story.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
The warning sides were there and they were ignored. Stacy
deserves better. Her daughters deserve better, and the whole family
deserves to know why this case was never adequately investigated.
(22:15):
If you or someone you know isn't a dangerous relationship, please.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Know that help is available.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
We'll list resources in the show notes.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Thank you for.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
Joining us for today's episode of Navigating Advocacy. Be sure
to follow the show and share the story for Stacy,
for Nicki, for Christina.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
This episode was researched, written, and produced by us. If
you are a family member of a missing or unsolved
case I would like us to share their story, Please
reach out to us at info at Navigating Advocacy dot com.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
Yes, Yes,
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