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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.

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  • 23 episodes
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  • Avg 31 min
  • English

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  • Wednesday · 26 min

    Papi Killed Mommy Insider

    What exactly is Papi Killed Mommy Insider—and what do YOU want to hear? In this bonus episode, I'm introducing my brand-new Apple Podcasts subscription and revealing the three subscriber-only pieces already waiting for you: • The original Episode 1 that Sarah Turney told me to rewrite and re-record • The cleaned-up audio from my very first video about my mother's case • The original Papi Killed Mommy trailer that I created—and then rejected But the archives are only the beginning. I want Insider to become a place for behind-the-scenes stories, previously unreleased material, Q&A episodes, true-crime discussions, animal-welfare rabbit holes, controversial topics, and anything else you want me to research or talk about. Do you want me to discuss another true-crime case? Ive struggled with this, but I'll really try to talk other cases if that's what you want to hear... Do you want to talk about animal welfare? Let's do it. Do you have a topic you want to debate? Bring it on. Do you want a Q&A episode? Ask me anything. I also preview an upcoming Insider episode with the completely ridiculous—but entirely accurate—title: "Mary Poppins, Murdered Women & Why We Don't Boil Crabs Alive." Yes, cyberbullying, murdered women, animal sentience, and the humane treatment of crabs somehow belong in the same episode. You'll have to trust me. Most importantly, the regular Papi Killed Mommy podcast is not going behind a paywall. My mother's story, case developments, evidence, and continuing fight for justice will remain available to everyone. Insider is simply extra. It's archival material. It's behind-the-scenes material. It's experimental episodes. It's Q&As. It's new topics that you ask me to explore. It's a way for the people who want more to get more while directly supporting what I'm trying to build. I currently have my first three subscribers, and I cannot thank you enough for taking a chance on this with me. A subscription costs $4.99 per month. After Apple's commission, approximately $3.50 from each subscription comes to me. That means reaching 29 subscribers would generate roughly $100 per month before taxes. Twenty-nine people. That's my first goal. Maybe six months from now, we'll have 60 subscribers—and this little experiment will bring in an extra $200 every month. You have no idea how much that would help me continue researching, writing, recording, editing, advocating, and building these shows. Between Papi Killed Mommy and my charting children's podcast, Nanny Nikki's Imagination Station, I may have accidentally taken on a third show. Apparently, my current business model is murder and preschool adventures. Honestly, if you know me, that tracks. I'm also looking for sponsors for both podcasts. If you own a business, work for one, or know someone whose company might fit either my adult true-crime audience or the families listening to Nanny Nikki's Imagination Station, please reach out. I offer personalized, host-read sponsorships that can be tailored to your business and whichever audience makes the most sense. I'm especially interested in connecting with businesses in Cave Creek, Carefree, North Scottsdale, and the surrounding Arizona communities. Maybe five years from now, we'll revisit this episode and laugh about the time I cold-pitched 35 businesses, couldn't land my first sponsor, and had absolutely no idea how to build a media company. But a year ago, I didn't know how to build a podcast either—and, now I have two charting shows. So, I'm pressing the next button. What would make you subscribe? What should I pull from the archives? What have you always wanted to ask me? Which cases, debates, or completely random subjects should I explore? The sky's the limit. Bring it on. 🎧 Become a Papi Killed Mommy Insider: Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts 🚂 Listen to Nanny Nikki's Imagination Station: Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Podcasts 💵 Buy Nikki a sugar-free Red Bull: Cash App: $NicoleWasilishin 💼 Sponsorship inquiries, questions, and episode suggestions: papikilledmommy@gmail.com Thank you for supporting my work—and for continuing to say my mother's name: Stephanie "Stacy" Marie Wasilishin.

  • Sunday · 36 min

    How Do I Turn Two Chart Topping Podcasts into a Paycheck?

    How do I turn two charting podcasts, more than 332,000 downloads, and hundreds of thousands of social-media followers into an actual paycheck? I have built the audience. I have built the studio. I have created two Apple-charting podcasts. I am also the person behind the computer doing nearly everything. I research. I write. I record. I edit. I publish. I create the artwork. I promote the episodes. I answer messages and comments. I contact journalists. I pitch businesses. I study the analytics. I manage the social-media accounts. This has become a second full-time job—one that currently provides me with practically no meaningful income. In this deeply personal bonus episode, I talk about the emotional fight with my dad that forced me to confront that reality. Papi Killed Mommy has become a recognized true-crime and advocacy platform, but I still haven't figured out how to turn everything I have built into a sustainable business. This is not a woe-is-me episode. I am not asking anyone to rescue me. I am genuinely asking for information, connections, sponsorship opportunities, brand partnerships, publishing guidance, and help connecting the dots. Hell maybe a manager??? Any takers? After my breakdown, I created a four-page professional media kit and cold-pitched approximately 35 local Cave Creek and Arizona businesses. By the time I recorded this episode, the score was: 35 pitches sent. TWO no. I got a second no after recording. Very sad. One maybe. Thirty-two possibilities still open. My immediate goal is to generate approximately $1,000 to $1,500 a month from my podcasts, original stories, sponsorships, memberships, and social-media platforms. That would allow me to reduce my school schedule to approximately 20 hours a week—and dedicate another 20 hours each week to working in my studio. Maybe, five years from now, I could eventually make this my primary career. The thought of completely walking away from my school breaks my heart because Nanny Nikki's Imagination Station is fed by the children, creativity, stories, and experiences I encounter as a Pre-K teacher. I don't want to lose that part of myself. But part-time? Part-time would give me the balance I desperately need. Twenty hours with the children. Twenty hours building the business. Twenty hours creating something that could eventually support me. HELP ME UNLOCK SPOTIFY SUBSCRIPTIONS At the time I recorded this episode, Nanny Nikki's Imagination Station was only 76 Spotify followers away from unlocking the ability to offer paid subscriptions and exclusive bonus content. Following is completely free. You are not being asked to purchase a subscription. If you use Spotify, please follow Nanny Nikki's Imagination Station here: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ooZH22U6cBeohp7UwARnL?si=039742abb91146d8 NANNY NIKKI'S IMAGINATION STATION I don't want to put all my eggs into the Papi Killed Mommy basket. Papi Killed Mommy is my advocacy and my fight for justice. Nanny Nikki's Imagination Station is where I can build something from my own imagination. I have written five original children's stories, including The Hidden Library and The Lost Mapmaker. The next installment will be The Door Beyond the Library. My goal is to develop these connected adventures into complete books, continuing series, community readings, museum programming, educational events, and original bonus content for children and families. I don't want to profit from the worst thing that ever happened to my family. I want to earn money from my own writing, my own voice, my own imagination, and the platform I worked so hard to create. SPONSORSHIPS, BRAND DEALS AND BUSINESS CONNECTIONS Are you a business owner, marketing professional, podcast advertiser, brand representative, publisher, sponsorship specialist, or someone who understands how to turn an audience into a sustainable business? I want to hear from you. To discuss host-read advertising, social-media promotion, cross-podcast campaigns, publishing opportunities, brand partnerships, or to request my complete four-page media kit, email: papikilledmommy@gmail.com BUY ME A COFFEE—OR A SUGAR-FREE RED BULL If either podcast has meant something to you and you would like to support my work while I build a permanent membership program, you can buy me a coffee through Cash App. Although, in all reality, my favorite form of caffeine in the summmer in AZ is a sugar-free Red Bull. If you want to send me a case of those, I definitely will not say no. Cash App: $NicoleWasilishin https://cash.app/$NicoleWasilishin FOLLOW ME ON TIKTOK https://www.tiktok.com/@papikilledmommy I built the platform. I built the audience. I proved that people will listen. Now I need to learn how to build the business. Can YOU Help? At this point I think I need a manager...Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?

  • August 10 · 29 min

    BONUS EPISODE~ Three Weeks That Changed Everything

    *]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-6a53f690-8ed0-83e8-9b28-4bf64d8e092b-4" data-turn-id-container= "request-6a53f690-8ed0-83e8-9b28-4bf64d8e092b-4" data-testid= "conversation-turn-96" data-turn="assistant"> Three Weeks That Changed Everything I have never wanted to write show notes like these. I have spent the last year asking people to listen to Papi Killed Mommy because I need them to hear my mother's story. I've asked you to share it. I've asked you to rate it. I've asked you to help me keep Stacy's name alive. But today, for the first time, I'm asking you to help me. The last three weeks have brought me to my knees. Two days before my 44th birthday, I increased my GLP-1 dose—and within hours, my body basically declared war on me. What followed was roughly ten days of relentless nausea and vomiting, dehydration, two emergency visits from an RN to my home, more than $500 in medical expenses, and the discovery of something I barely knew existed: cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, or CHS. After more than 20 years of regular cannabis use, I stopped immediately. Then came the sweating. The chills. The brain fog. The sleeplessness. The stomach problems. The emotional roller coaster. I was trying to recover from being incredibly sick while my body was simultaneously adjusting to life without something that had been part of it for more than two decades. And somehow, I made it through. I'm eating again. I'm working again. I'm functioning again. I'm cannabis-free. I'm still here. But getting physically better didn't undo what being sick did to my life. I'm a Pre-K teacher. I make $16.50 an hour. I love my job more than I can explain, but I live paycheck to paycheck. Despite having two podcasts, viral videos, hundreds of thousands of downloads and a growing social-media following, podcasting does not pay my bills. Papi Killed Mommy generally brings in only about $60–$100 a month, and I don't monetize Nanny Nikki's Imagination Station at all. And today, I learned that because of a school policy, I'm losing an entire week's pay. Forty-five hours. I want to explain this carefully because I don't want anyone attacking my employer on my behalf. I want people to understand how this happened. Our school has a policy that in order to be paid for a school break, employees must work the scheduled workday immediately before the break and the scheduled workday immediately after it. I understand that there is a policy. What is so painful to me is why I wasn't there. I wasn't taking an extra vacation day. I wasn't extending my break. I wasn't simply deciding I didn't feel like going to work. I was sick. I had a doctor's note for the Monday I missed. And then there was a roughly two-hour Meet the Teacher event while I was still sick. I personally called my boss that day and explained what was happening and that I wasn't well enough to attend. At no point during that conversation did I understand that missing that event could mean losing an entire week's paycheck. Had I known, I would have dragged myself there. I don't care how nauseated I was. I don't care what I looked like. I would have sat in a corner with a bottle of water for two hours if I had understood that the alternative was losing $742.50. Because I literally cannot afford to lose $742.50. And this is important to me, too: this is my third year in the classroom. I'm not a brand-new teacher walking into Meet the Teacher to introduce myself to a community that has never met me. My returning families know me. My school knows me. They know how seriously I take my classroom, how much I love my students, and how much this job means to me. I've also been sick around a school break before and was still paid, which is another reason I didn't understand that this time would be different. When I asked about the missing pay, the explanation I received was that it's policy, I don't have PTO, and essentially, "don't be mad at me." Again, I'm not asking anyone to attack my employer. Please don't. Maybe this policy is being applied exactly as it is written. But I would be lying if I said this doesn't hurt. It's incredibly difficult to reconcile having a legitimate medical illness, having a doctor's note, personally communicating with my boss about what was happening, and then finding out afterward that the consequence is 45 hours of lost income. And if I'm being completely vulnerable, after everything I've been through physically, it's hard not to feel like I'm being penalized for getting sick. I can't say that is anyone's intention. I don't know that. I can only tell you how it feels from where I'm sitting. I've worked there for years. I love my classroom. I love my students. I returned for the first day of school while I was still recovering because being there matters to me. And the answer I'm left with is: It's policy. Maybe that's part of what makes this hurt so much. Because during these awful weeks, complete strangers on the internet have checked on me. Parents have checked on me. Listeners have checked on me. People who have never met me have sent messages, offered help, and shown me an amount of compassion I wasn't prepared for. And it's incredibly sad to feel that the institution I actually work for doesn't seem able to offer that same kind of flexibility or compassion in this particular situation. Whatever anyone thinks about the policy, the financial reality doesn't change. At $16.50 an hour, 45 hours is $742.50. My rent is $1,000. It's already late. I have around $355 in my bank account. My next paycheck may only be around $500. And that's before groceries. Before gas. Before health insurance. Before pet food. Before all of the ordinary expenses that don't disappear because you got sick. I'm 44 years old. I work. I pay my bills. I take care of my responsibilities. And I have never been this broke before. There is something incredibly humbling—and frankly terrifying—about realizing that you can work full-time, do everything you can to stay afloat, and still be one illness away from not being able to make rent. That's where I am tonight. And God, I hate asking this. I hate it. I'd much rather sit behind this microphone and ask you to help my mother. I'd rather tell you about a new development in her case. I'd rather celebrate the fact that Papi Killed Mommy is charting again. I'd rather talk about literally anything other than how much money is sitting in my bank account. But pride isn't going to pay my rent. So I started a GoFundMe. If $5 doesn't hurt you, $5 helps me. If $10 doesn't hurt you, $10 helps me. And if donating would put you in a difficult financial position, please don't. Share this episode. Share the fundraiser. That helps me, too. ❤️ If you can help me get through this: Help a Pre-K Teacher Through a Financial Crisis — GoFundMe But I don't want this episode to simply be me asking you for money. I made it because three weeks ago I knew almost nothing about CHS. I didn't fully appreciate what a GLP-1 dose increase could do to my body. And if somebody hears my experience and recognizes themselves in it—if some long-term cannabis user who's been standing under scorching-hot showers trying desperately to stop unexplained nausea suddenly hears this and thinks, "Holy shit. That's me."—then something good came from this nightmare. Please listen to your body. Ask questions. Talk to your medical provider. Don't assume that because you've tolerated something before, your body will always respond the same way. And somehow, there's another little piece of magic happening at the exact same time. Nanny Nikki's Imagination Station is charting on Apple too. My little children's podcast—the one I don't monetize, the one that started because I'm a Pre-K teacher who loves telling stories to kids—is climbing the charts at the very same time as Papi Killed Mommy. I don't even know how to explain what that feels like. These two podcasts could not be more different. One was born from the most painful thing that has ever happened to my family. The other was born from the joy I find every day in my classroom. One exists because I'm still fighting for my mother. The other exists because a bunch of little kids reminded me how magical storytelling can be. And somehow, right now, they're both being heard. In the middle of one of the hardest few weeks I've had in years, that's something I'm incredibly proud of. 🚂✨ If you have little ones—or you're just curious about the completely different side of my storytelling world—you can climb aboard here: Listen to Nanny Nikki's Imagination Station on Apple Podcasts It's whimsical. It's educational. It's completely free. And unlike Papi Killed Mommy, I promise nobody gets murdered. ❤️ While I've been sick in bed, you brought my mother's story roaring back to life. Thousands of new people have discovered Papi Killed Mommy. You've shared Stacy's story. You've rated and reviewed the podcast. And somehow this tiny independent show—made by one woman sitting behind a microphone trying desperately to make the world care about her mom—has climbed Apple's Top True Crime chart for the third time. And being sick didn't stop me from fighting for her. From bed, I've been doing another massive media push. I've reached out to The Arizona Republic. Phoenix New Times. Channels 3, 5, 10, 12 and 15. Channel 12 told me an investigative reporter would be reaching out. And Justin Lum from Channel 10, who covered my mother's case in 2022, emailed me about what has happened since his original reporting and how the story might move forward. I wrote him back. I'm not stopping. So this episode contains two very different kinds of hope. Hope that sharing what happened to my body might help somebody else. And hope that all these new eyes on Stacy's case might finally put her story in front of the person who can make a difference. Tonight, though, I need some of that hope for myself. I'm alive. I'm sober. I'm back at work. I'm still fighting for my mom. But financially? I'm scared. I've never been this broke before. I've never wanted to beg my audience for money. And admitting that I cannot fix this by myself is incredibly difficult. But somewhere along the way, this stopped being just an audience. You became my community. And maybe that's one good thing that has come out of everything I've been through: For the first time in this incredibly long fight, I don't feel like I'm doing everything alone anymore. So if you've listened to my mother's story, shared one of my videos, left a review, donated $5, sent me an encouraging message, or simply cared about what happens to this stranger behind a microphone: Thank you. Thank you for helping me keep a roof over my head. Thank you for helping me get through this. Thank you for helping Papi Killed Mommy climb the charts again. Thank you for helping me keep Stacy's name alive. And thank you for reminding me that after everything these last three weeks have thrown at me... I'm still here. And I'm still fucking fighting. _:empty]:hidden">

  • S1 · E19
    July 8 · 9 min

    19. A Message to my Sister

    Thirty-three years ago, on the night our mother was murdered, my little sister was only three years old. As police officers placed us in the back of a patrol car, she kept repeating the same heartbreaking words: "Papi killed Mommy." For the past year, you've followed me as I've fought to keep our mother's story alive. Together, we've uncovered evidence, shared long-forgotten interviews, spoken with investigators, met with the county attorney, attended CrimeCon, and watched a small podcast grow into something I never imagined possible. Thousands of people around the world now know my mother's name and the story of what happened on July 9, 1993. But there has always been one voice missing. My sister's. It's been six years since we last spoke. The last phone call between us was about our mother's case, and I never answered. Looking back, I can't even remember why I was angry. I only remember the regret that followed, because six years is a long time to wonder what might have happened if I had simply picked up the phone. Recently, something changed. Just days before the thirty-third anniversary of our mother's death, I learned that my sister had reached out to someone close to me. Then, someone from her life reached out to me. For the first time in years, I realized that maybe the silence between us wasn't the end of the story. While researching this podcast, I also discovered something I'd never heard before: a recorded conversation between my sister and Investigator Laura Leon from 2023. Listening to that phone call changed me. For years, I told myself that maybe she didn't care. Instead, I heard anger. Hurt. Frustration. I heard someone who sounded a lot like me. Earlier this year, my Aunt Wendy and I sat down with the county attorney and asked the question we've been asking for more than three decades: What will it take? The answer was painfully simple. A confession. Or a confrontation call. That's where this case stands today. This episode isn't an investigation. It isn't a timeline. It isn't about evidence. It's a letter. One sister reaching across six years of silence to ask another if she's ready to take one final step together in pursuit of justice for the woman who gave us both life. I don't know if she'll ever hear these words. Maybe someone will send them to her. Maybe she'll find this episode years from now. Or maybe she'll never press play. But I couldn't spend the rest of my life wondering what would have happened if I never asked. So... This is me asking. If you've been with me since Episode One, thank you. You've carried my mother's story farther than I ever could have imagined, and you've reminded me that hope can survive even after thirty-three years. And if, somehow, my sister is listening... My number hasn't changed. I'm still here. And I'll never stop being your sister.

  • S1 · E18
    June 20 · 39 min

    18. Live with Crime Weekly

    Episode 18: Live with Crime Weekly Three weeks ago, I was exhausted. After years of telling the same story, asking the same questions, and fighting the same battles, I was ready to walk away. I was frustrated, discouraged, and wondering whether anyone was really listening. Then CrimeCon happened. In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of my journey to Las Vegas for CrimeCon 2026, where I had the opportunity to join Crime Weekly Live alongside Stephanie Harlowe and Derek Levasseur to share my mother's story with a room full of people willing to listen. From forgetting my merchandise bag thirty minutes into the drive, to getting lost inside Caesars Palace, to navigating panic attacks, chronic pain, and overwhelming emotions, this episode is an honest look at what happened before, during, and after one of the most important weekends of my life. For the first time, I found myself standing on a stage in front of hundreds of people asking them to do what my family has been asking for more than three decades: Listen. Listen to the evidence. Listen to the interviews. Listen to the facts. And decide for yourself whether the death of my mother deserves another look. I also share my experience reconnecting with Megan Tomlinson, whose journey has become a powerful reminder that answers can still come, even after tragedy. Through her advocacy organization, A Silver Lining of Hope, Megan has transformed unimaginable loss into a mission of support, awareness, and hope for other families navigating homicide investigations and the search for justice. Her story reminded me of something I desperately needed to remember: Sometimes people do get answers. Sometimes people do get justice. Sometimes the fight is worth it. Since returning home from CrimeCon, the momentum has continued. In this episode I discuss: • My appearance on Crime Weekly Live • The overwhelming support from attendees and listeners • New outreach efforts to public officials and government agencies • Additional complaints and requests for assistance • My interview with VT • New opportunities with journalists, creators, and investigators • Why CrimeCon completely changed my outlook on this fight • The response we received after sending the latest media coverage to Russell Peterson CrimeCon did not give me answers. What it gave me was something I wasn't expecting. Hope. Watch Crime Weekly Live Crime Weekly Live featuring the homicide of Stacy Wasilishin: https://youtu.be/o8Kls5j0Uyk A Silver Lining of Hope Learn more about Megan Tomlinson's advocacy organization: https://www.silverliningofhope.com/ A Silver Lining of Hope provides support, resources, advocacy, and hope for families affected by homicide, missing persons cases, and violent crime while helping keep victims' stories alive and in the public eye. Call To Action For more than 33 years, my family has fought for answers in the homicide of my mother, Stacy Wasilishin. Stacy Wasilishin was killed in Sedona, Arizona, on July 9, 1993. The Medical Examiner ruled her death a homicide. More than three decades later, no one has been charged, and the case remains unresolved. Over the years, our family has contacted local law enforcement, prosecutors, the Arizona Attorney General, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Justice, and numerous public officials seeking answers. Most recently, the Arizona Ombudsman-Citizens' Aide responded to our request for assistance and advised that it does not have jurisdiction over municipal police departments such as the Sedona Police Department. The Ombudsman directed concerns regarding this matter to Sedona city leadership, including the City Manager and City Council. We are now asking supporters to respectfully request transparency, accountability, oversight, and answers regarding this unresolved homicide investigation. If you choose to contact any of these agencies or officials, please remain respectful and professional. This is NOT a request for harassment, threats, personal attacks, or misconduct complaints. It IS a request for transparency, accountability, and answers for a family that has spent more than 33 years seeking justice. Questions supporters may wish to ask include: • Why does a homicide ruled a homicide by the Medical Examiner remain unresolved after more than 33 years? • What oversight exists for an unsolved homicide investigation of this age? • What resources are currently being devoted to the investigation? • Is an independent review of the investigation warranted? • What steps are being taken to ensure this case receives the attention it deserves? • Why did Yavapai County Attorney Jim Landis request renewed investigation of this case in 1999, and what became of those efforts? Contact Information Sedona Police Department (928) 282-3100 https://www.sedonaaz.gov/police Sedona City Manager's Office (928) 203-5199 mmccloud@sedonaaz.gov Sedona City Council https://www.sedonaaz.gov/your-government/departments/city-clerk/council-commissions-committees-boards/city-council/contact-the-entire-city-council Yavapai County Attorney (928) 771-3344 https://yavapaiaz.gov/County-Attorney Arizona Department of Public Safety (602) 223-2000 https://www.azdps.gov Arizona POST (602) 223-2514 https://post.az.gov Arizona Attorney General (602) 542-5025 https://www.azag.gov/complaints Governor Katie Hobbs (602) 542-4331 https://azgovernor.gov/engage/form/contact-governor-hobbs Arizona Ombudsman-Citizens' Aide (602) 277-7292 https://www.azoca.gov/complaint-procedure/complaint-form/ U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division (202) 514-3847 https://civilrights.justice.gov And one final request. For more than 33 years, I have believed that somebody out there knows something. People talk. Secrets are shared. Stories are told. Somewhere along the way, someone heard something, saw something, was told something, or knows something they have never reported. Maybe it seemed unimportant at the time. Maybe you assumed someone else already knew. Maybe you've carried it for years without realizing how significant it could be. But after more than three decades, I still believe the truth exists outside of police reports and case files. I believe someone out there knows something. If you are that person, or if you have information about the homicide of Stacy Wasilishin, no matter how small it may seem, I am asking you to please contact the Sedona Police Department. I am begging you. Thirty-three years is a long time to wait for answers. My family deserves answers. My mother deserves answers. And if you know something, now is the time to come forward. My mother's name was Stacy Wasilishin. She was 32 years old when she was killed. She deserves answers. Justice delayed should not mean justice denied. Thank you for listening. — Nikki

  • S1 · E17
    May 18 · 22 min

    The Independent Takes Notice

    It's been 36 days since the last episode of Papi Killed Mommy. Lots to fill you in on. In this episode, I sit down and talk openly about burnout, obsession, grief, media attention, CrimeCon Vegas, and the emotional reality of spending five years living inside my mother's homicide case every single day. Over the last few months, my mom's case has received major media attention, including front-page local coverage, a national article from A&E, and now a brand-new feature from The Independent https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/cold-case-murder-stephanie-wasilishin-tiktok-b2968369.html after a journalist discovered me through the CrimeCon Facebook community. We talk about what that coverage means to me, why media pressure has always been the goal, and how surreal it feels preparing to walk onto a stage with Crime Weekly at CrimeCon 2026 after starting this journey alone on TikTok years ago. But this episode also goes somewhere I never expected… I talk honestly about hitting a wall with true crime. I don't see my self going forward with other cases. After years of reading police reports, autopsy reports, case files, and reliving trauma publicly online, I've started questioning whether I can continue existing solely inside this world emotionally and creatively. And somehow… that led to the accidental launch of an entirely different podcast. Introducing: Nanny Nikki's Imagination Station https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nanny-nikkis-imagination-station/id1896688793 — where turning the page is just the beginning. A brand-new children's storytelling podcast inspired by my work with kids, imagination, storytelling, voices, characters, and creativity. Episode two, Dickie Birdie Has Two Names, is an original story inspired by my tiny senior chihuahua, Dickie Birdie — and honestly, creating it may have been the happiest I've felt creatively in years. For the first time in a long time, I created something joyful instead of painful. In this episode we also somehow spiral into: • kidnapped classroom hermit crabs. I'm a Crabnapper • why the hermit crab trade is heartbreaking. • senior rescue dogs • Arizona heat • TikTok violations • emotional exhaustion • media pressure • CrimeCon prep chaos • and whether I'm literally just waiting for a deathbed confession at this point So basically… a normal week in my life. If you're coming to CrimeCon Vegas, come say hi. I'll be at my booth with merch, framed articles, giveaway signed front page articles, and Dickie Birdie riding around in his tiny red stroller. 🐾 Support Nikk's zoo of rescue animals, senior pets, and apparently now hermit crabs: Amazon Wishlist Thank you for continuing to keep my mom's name alive after all these years. I'll see you at CrimeCon… or I'll see you right back here after.

  • S1 · E16
    April 12 · 38 min

    16. A&E Delivered

    In this episode of Papi Killed Mommy, Nikki shares a major turning point in her mother Stephanie Wasilishin's case — from national media recognition… to a shift in strategy… to one of the most personal decisions she's made in 33 years. After being told there is no legal path forward without a confession, Nikki opens up about what the last month has actually looked like behind the scenes — the frustration, the burnout, and the moment everything changed. Because this episode marks something important: Momentum. 🎙️ Episode Highlights 📰 A&E Delivers — National Feature Released On April 9, 2026, A&E published a national article on Stephanie Wasilishin's case — bringing long-overdue visibility to a story that has largely gone unheard for decades. 📰 Read the article here: https://www.aetv.com/articles/stephanie-wasilishin This moment represents more than just coverage — it's validation, visibility, and the beginning of something bigger. 🎧 The Last 33 Days — What Changed This episode walks through: Being told the case cannot move forward without a confession The emotional aftermath of that reality Taking a step back — and what that looked like The realization that this case needs bigger media, bigger platforms, and more pressure Why television and national exposure are key to movement in cold cases 🎤 CrimeCon 2026 — Next Steps With CrimeCon approaching, Nikki is preparing to take this story directly to creators, networks, and anyone willing to listen. This is no longer just about telling the story. It's about getting it in front of the right people. 📱 Follow Nikki in Real Time For updates, behind-the-scenes advocacy, and ongoing developments: 👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@nicolewasilishin ✊ Sign the Petition — Justice for Stephanie Wasilishin 👉 https://www.change.org/justiceforstacy Every signature helps increase visibility and keeps pressure on this case. 🐾 Dickie Birdie & Senior Dog + Kitty Wishlist I'm not asking for support for myself. But I will ask for my animals. They are my babies — my dogs and my cats — and right now, they're all getting older at the same time. Living in Arizona, the extreme heat makes it really hard to keep them comfortable and safe through the summer. This wishlist includes things like cooling mats, food, and basic items to help them get through the heat — especially for dogs like Jake who struggle the most in the warmer months. I also have my 16-year-old cat, Manny, whose kidneys are starting to go. He has a prescription for kidney care food that I have not been able to fill yet, and that's something I'm really trying to get for him as soon as possible. If you're in a position to help at all — even something small — it truly means more than you know. And if not, just being here and listening is everything. 👉 https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/49E74TM4J5D8 📣 If You Have Information If you have any information related to this case — no matter how small — or if you know Russell Bennett Peterson or have ever crossed paths with him, please come forward. 📧 papikilledmommy@gmail.com Sedona Police Department: 📞 (928) 282-3100 Please only reach out if you have legitimate information that could help move this case forward. And then… there's this. For the first time in 33 years… Nikki is no longer waiting. After being told that a confession is the only way forward, she made the decision to stop sitting on the sidelines — and step directly into the space she's been kept out of for decades. A message was sent. To Russell Bennett Peterson. Requesting a conversation. Face to face. On camera. An opportunity to speak. To explain. To tell the truth. The message has been read. There has been no response. Yet. This episode is not the end of anything. It's the beginning of the next phase. And this time… it's personal.

  • S1 · E15
    March 9 · 33 min

    15. Defeated

    Every time I sat down to write the script about what has happened in the last 30 days in my mom's case, I got stuck. Angry. Frustrated. Completely overwhelmed. So this episode isn't really written. Instead, I walked into the studio, turned on the microphone, and treated this the same way I treat my morning TikTok videos — like a vlog. Just sitting down and talking through everything that has happened. Because a lot has happened. In early February, true crime creator Stephanie Harlowe released a two-part deep dive into my mother's case, focusing on the interrogations of Russell Peterson. Between the two videos, Stephanie spent more than four and a half hours analyzing the evidence, timelines, and statements in this case. If you haven't seen those yet, you can watch them here: Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-OckJoNghk Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOqvB1j2cGI Watching someone dissect the story that has defined my life since I was ten years old was overwhelming, but also incredibly validating. Tens of thousands of people listened to those interrogation recordings and heard the same things my family has been saying for decades. For a moment, it gave me hope. Shortly after that, I finally received something I had been requesting for months — the updated case file from Yavapai County, including crime scene photographs from the night my mom was killed that I had never seen before. Seeing my childhood home frozen in time like that was surreal. Some things I remembered immediately — the blanket on the couch, my mom's plants, the telescope she bought me because I loved space. Other things felt completely unfamiliar, like I was looking at the house through someone else's eyes. But one photo stopped me in my tracks. In the kitchen, on the bar counter, there was a children's canvas craft with crayons and markers scattered around it — something my sister and I had been coloring while my mom helped us. Because when people look at my mom's case, I want them to see what I see: a loving mother who spent her time doing crafts with her kids. Not the story that was written about her after she died. This episode also covers the long-awaited meeting my family had with the Yavapai County Attorney's Office on February 27th — a meeting I had been pushing for since launching this podcast. After months of emails, media pressure, and requests, we finally sat down with them. And within minutes, I realized something devastating. They weren't there to move the case forward. They were there to explain why they wouldn't. According to the county attorney, the only way this case can move forward now would be with a confession or a confrontation call. After more than thirty years… the system is essentially asking the family to solve the case ourselves. That moment left me feeling something I didn't expect after fighting this hard for this long: Defeated. But even in the middle of that feeling, there are still things moving forward. In this episode I also share some unexpected updates, including: • Signing my contract to attend CrimeCon 2026 in Las Vegas • Returning to Creator's Row with a booth for Papi Killed Mommy • And being invited to appear on stage with Stephanie Harlowe and Derrick Levasseur for a live Crime Weekly show I also recently sat down for an interview with A&E Digital, and they will be releasing an article about my mom's case next month. Right now, I don't know exactly what the next step in this fight will be. But I do know this: This isn't the end. You can follow my daily updates on TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@nicolewasilishin If you want to support efforts to reopen my mom's case, you can sign the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/demand-a-complete-homicide-investigation-for-the-murder-of-stephanie-marie-wasilishin Contact the podcast: PapiKilledMommy@gmail.com If you have investigative skills, private investigator connections, or information that could help move this case forward, please reach out.

  • S1 · E14
    January 25 · 28 min

    14. Front Page and A&E

    In this episode of Papi Killed Mommy, Nikki shares jaw‑dropping real‑time developments in her mother Stephanie Wasilishin's cold case — from viral TikTok traction, to national recognition, to major media momentum and strategic advocacy work that's finally putting this case in front of the right eyes. This episode covers everything that's happened in the last 35 days: documentary‑style updates, personal reflections, and exactly what has shifted since the last episode — including acknowledgment from major creators and outlets who've helped amplify Stephanie's story. 🎙️ Episode Highlights ✨ Stephanie Harlowe True crime creator Stephanie Harlowe — YouTuber, podcaster, researcher, and co‑host of Crime Weekly — saw one of Nikki's TikToks and reached out. Stephanie has agreed to feature Stephanie Wasilishin's case on her YouTube channel, and she's currently reviewing case files and interrogation audio. This is a huge moment of visibility for a case that's stayed in the shadows for decades. 📺 Stephanie Harlowe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephanieharlowe 📱 Stephanie on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephanieharlowe 📰 A&E Recognition – Mikey Brieaddy Cold cases influencer Mikey Brieaddy included Stephanie Wasilishin's case in an A&E Crime + Investigation article highlighting the "5 Cold Cases True Crime Influencer Mike Brieaddy Most Wants to See Solved" — a nod that puts national spotlight on this long‑overlooked story. 📰 Read the A&E article here: https://www.aetv.com/articles/the-5-cold-cases-true-crime-influencer-mike-brieaddy-most-wants-to-see-solved 📱 Mikey Brieaddy on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@makingatruecrimerer?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc 📺 Mike's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@makingatruecrimerer 📂 Case Work & Advocacy This episode goes deep into the ongoing legal and investigative push: 🔹 Civil rights packet sent to attorneys — documents, timelines, and evidence packaged and mailed to civil rights lawyers, searching for someone who will take this case seriously. 🔹 UPDATED Records requests — new case files and crime scene photos requested, including a quote being obtained for these records. 🔹 Upcoming meeting with Yavapai County Attorney's Office — February 27, 2026 — Nikki and her aunt are driving to Prescott to confront the long silence and demand answers about why years of inaction and inconsistency went unexplained. 💰 Support the Investigation & Story Pushing for justice costs money. Your support directly helps with things like public records costs, travel, and storytelling infrastructure: 🔗 GoFundMe — Case files, crime scene photos & Prescott travel: https://gofund.me/7ad47648b 🔗 GoFundMe — Book ghostwriter fund: https://gofund.me/aa526e170 Every contribution helps keep this work going. And even if you can't donate — sharing, following, and engaging matters. 📱 Follow Nikki in Real Time For the most up‑to‑date updates and behind‑the‑scenes advocacy: 👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@nicolewasilishin?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc 📣 Call to Action If you believe this cold case deserves accountability — especially given the inconsistencies and unanswered questions — you can respectfully reach out to the office now handling the investigation: Yavapai County Attorney's Office 📍 Prescott, Arizona 📞 (928) 771‑3300 📧 county.attorney@yavapaiaz.gov

  • S1 · E13
    Dec 21, 2025 · 27 min

    13. I'm Baaaack

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  • Nov 3, 2025 · 27 min

    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 📧 cca@prosecutor.yavapai.us 📞 (928) 771-3344 ✉️ 255 E Gurley St, Prescott, AZ 86301 Sedona Police Department 📧 spdrecords@sedonaaz.gov 📞 (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) 📧 editor@larsonnewspapers.com "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 https://www.change.org/p/justice-for-stacy-marie-wasilishin Every signature proves people are paying attention. 4️⃣ Stream & Share Season One Every play counts as proof that this story matters. 🎧 Apple Podcasts | Spotify 5️⃣ Follow and Amplify TikTok → @nicolewasilishin Instagram → @nicolewasilishin Share the clips. Tag the outlets. Keep the momentum alive. 6️⃣ Support the Mission 🛒 Amazon Equipment Wishlist → https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/49E74TM4J5D8 💰 GoFundMe for Merch & Travel → https://www.gofundme.com/f/this-is-my-birthday-wish-help-me-bring-my-mothers-story-to 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: 📧 PapiKilledMommy@gmail.com 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 🌐 www.thehotline.org 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.

  • Nov 2, 2025 · 4 min

    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: 📧 papikilledmommy@gmail.com Sign & share the petition Add your name and pass it on. Every signature increases public pressure. 🔗 Petition: https://www.change.org/p/demand-a-complete-homicide-investigation-for-the-murder-of-stephanie-marie-wasilishin 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: ycao@yavapaiaz.gov 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 • editor@larsonnewspapers.com 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. 📧 papikilledmommy@gmail.com 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. 📧 papikilledmommy@gmail.com 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: https://www.gofundme.com/f/this-is-my-birthday-wish-help-me-bring-my-mothers-story-to Dickie Birdie's wish list is still active—stuffies & toys make his day. 👉 Amazon Wish List: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/49E74TM4J5D8?ref_=wl_share 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: https://gofund.me/e8245f703 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: papikilledmommy@gmail.com

  • Nov 2, 2025 · 10 min

    BONUS EPISODE~ Crime Con 2025

    In this special bonus episode of Papi Killed Mommy, I share my very first CrimeCon experience — a three-day whirlwind in Denver that was emotional, overwhelming, and unforgettable. The journey started on the road: 900 miles, 14 hours, my best friend Melissa by my side, and my emotional support pup, Dickie Birdie, curled up in the backseat. Between reroutes, pouring rain, thick fog, and deer threatening to dart across the road, the drive was intense. We kept each other laughing and passed the time listening to hours of Crime Weekly. By the time we rolled into Denver at 3:00 a.m., I was exhausted but ready. Nothing could have prepared me for the emotions of walking into the convention hall the next morning. Within minutes, I spotted Sherrilyn Dale — one of the first creators to cover my mom's story, and someone who had donated to help get me to CrimeCon. I burst into tears. Suddenly I was surrounded by people who had spoken my mom's name out loud, who had amplified her story on their platforms. The rest of the weekend felt surreal. Podcasters I'd admired from afar — Generation Why, Killer Queens, Crime Salad, Moms & Mysteries, Navigating Advocacy — all stopped by. Media giants like Court TV, Dateline, and Law and Crime were everywhere. But the most powerful part wasn't the "big names." It was the listeners, survivors, families, and advocates who came to my booth, looked me in the eye, and told me they cared about my mom's story. CrimeCon also forced me to face a big decision. A company approached me about monetizing my podcast. At first, I resisted — I've always been afraid of looking like I was profiting from my mom's death. But after conversations with other creators and advocates, I realized this isn't about profit. It's about sustainability. If I want to keep sharing my mom's story, traveling to events, and building this platform, I can't keep relying only on my listeners to carry the financial burden. So, I've decided to monetize the rest of Season One and all of Season Two — not for me, but for my mom, for justice, and for every family like mine. And here's the announcement: Season Two of Papi Killed Mommy is officially happening. This season belongs to my mom and will continue until justice comes, but Season Two will expand to cover other domestic violence cases. My best friend Melissa — my partner in Denver, my rock through CrimeCon — will join me as co-host. Together, we'll bring new voices, new cases, and new energy to the show. CrimeCon also made one thing painfully clear: despite encouraging words from officials, my mom's case is not being actively investigated. Emails from both the Yavapai County Attorney's Office and Sedona PD reveal contradictions and carefully chosen language — "ongoing investigation," "annual review," "if any" new information. In the end, Sedona PD admitted the truth: this is a cold case review, not an open homicide investigation. My mom deserves better. So here's my call to action. Please stand with me: 📞 Call the Yavapai County Attorney's Office at (928) 771-3344 📧 Email them at ycao@yavapaiaz.gov — demand they pursue justice. 📞 Call the Sedona Police Department at (928) 282-3100 📧 Email sfoley@sedonaaz.gov — insist they reactivate my mom's case. 📞 Contact the Sedona Red Rock News at (928) 282-7795 📧 Email editor@redrocknews.com — tell them to report this story from the family's perspective. CrimeCon reminded me that I am not alone. People care. My mom's story matters. And with your help, I'll never stop fighting for justice. Support the show

  • Nov 2, 2025 · 31 min

    BONUS EPISODE~ Interview with her friend: Laurie Swift

    Bonus Episode: Laurie Swift Remembers Stacy I'm Nikki—daughter of a murdered woman. This bonus episode features longtime friend Swifty sharing candid memories of my mom, Stacy, that bring her to life beyond the headlines. Recorded back in May, these clips are raw, unscripted, and mostly unreleased. Through Swifty's voice you'll see a young Stacy who thrifted, cleaned obsessively, and lived through music like Aerosmith and Foghat. We're halfway through this journey—six episodes complete, six more to go. The first half covered 1993, the year my mom was murdered. The second half will span the next three decades of silence, missed opportunities, and my fight for justice. Before moving forward, I want to pause and remind you: Stacy wasn't just a case file. She was a daughter, sister, mother, and friend. 📞 Calls to Action If you believe Stacey's story deserves another look, please reach out: Sedona Police Department • Phone: 928‑282‑3100 • Email: sfoley@sedonaaz.gov (Chief Stephanie Foley) Ask them to reopen Stephanie Marie Wasilishin's cold case. Yavapai County Attorney's Office • Phone: 928‑771‑3344 • Email: victim.services@yavapaiaz.gov Request reinvestigation and witness reconsideration. Sedona Red Rock News • Phone: 928‑282‑7795 • Email: editor@larsonnewspapers.com Encourage them to re-report the case from the family's point of view. 🎗️ Support the Podcast & Merchandise Just yesterday I spent $650 (Sticker Mule), $110 (Vistaprint), and $25 (Zazzle)—nearly $785 total—to prepare merch for CrimeCon. I still need more shirts, stickers, and materials. Every donation helps keep my mom's name visible. 👉 Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/this-is-my-birthday-wish-help-me-bring-my-mothers-story-to Every donor gets a first-generation Papi Killed Mommy sticker and a handwritten thank-you card. 🐾 Help Dickie Birdie Travel My best friend Dickie Birdie just had a vet bill of $827 to make sure he's fit for CrimeCon. He still needs a few more small things for the trip, if you're willing. 👉 Check his Amazon Wishlist 💌 Special Thank-Yous 💖 Stacey Wheaton — my angel. You've carried this podcast more times than I can count. 💖 Alex — thank you for always supporting the show. 💖 Brittany Wells Art — a Kansas City-based artist, author, and true crime junkie who designed and PAID for my banners. Find her work in the Facebook group 👉 Brittany Wells Art — facebook.com/groups/brittanywellsart 🖌️ 📲 Stay Up to Date Follow me on TikTok & Instagram: @nicolewasilishin for behind-the-scenes updates, merch drops, and reflections. 🔔 Next up: Episode 7 — "Mommy Killed Herself." My sister, who had always said "Papi killed Mommy," suddenly changes her story a year later. Was it coached? Manipulated? Or something more? Thank you for listening, supporting, and fighting for justice with me. This is Papi Killed Mommy. Support the show

  • Nov 2, 2025 · 36 min

    BONUS EPISODE~ Interview with my father: Craig Daley

    Hi, my name is Nikki and I'm the daughter of a murdered woman. Welcome to a special bonus episode of Papi Killed Mommy. ⚠️ Before we begin, a quick trigger warning: this podcast contains discussions of domestic violence, homicide, and other potentially distressing topics. Listener discretion is advised. One of the questions I get asked most often is: What about your dad? What does he remember from that night? What does he think really happened? How does he feel all these years later? Today, you'll finally hear his story — in his own words. This is unlike any episode I've released before. What you're about to hear is my father's full, unedited interview. Nothing cut. Nothing polished. Just raw audio — including my own questions. I've chosen not to edit myself out, because I want you to hear the conversation exactly as it happened. You'll hear us overlap, stumble, even ramble a little — but that's the point. This isn't a script. This is real. 💔 My dad was one of the very last people to speak to my mom before she was killed. Their nearly two-hour phone call on July 8th, 1993, may have been the very spark that set Russell Peterson off. She told my dad she was leaving. She told him she was coming home. She even admitted she knew Russell was recording her calls — and she didn't care. Yet despite how critical my father was to understanding the truth, investigators never once drove down to Phoenix to interview him in person in 1993. They never recorded his statement. They never transcribed it. Instead, they took a single phone call, dismissed what he told them, and left his words out of the official case file. When he spoke about the phone recorder, Russell's drinking, and my mom's plans to leave, he wasn't met with interest — he was met with anger. They minimized him. They silenced him. That failure is still one of the most damaging gaps in my mom's case. My dad has always carried the weight of knowing she was supposed to come back — that she was ready to pack up me, my sister, the dog, the cat, and come home. And when you hear his voice today, you'll understand why this interview matters. 🎙️ It's raw. It's emotional. And it's crucial. Because without my dad's voice, the picture of who my mom was — and why she was taken from us — is incomplete. 💌 If this episode moves you, here's how you can help keep my mom's story alive: ✨ 👉 Support the Show — scroll down and tap the button at the bottom of the notes. Every bit helps me continue producing this podcast independently. ✨ 👉 GoFundMe for CrimeCon — help me share my mom's story at CrimeCon this September. Your support covers merchandise, travel, and awareness. Every donor will receive a thank-you card 💌 and one of my first-generation Papi Killed Mommy stickers while supplies last. 🐾✈️ 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 & Instagram: @nicolewasilishin for behind-the-scenes updates, clips, and more ❤️ 📞 And if you or anyone you know has any information about the death of my mother, Stephanie Marie Wasilishin, please con Support the show

  • Nov 2, 2025 · 6 min

    BONUS EPISODE~ Letter from her daughter: Nikki Lee

    Hi, my name is Nikki. I'm the daughter of a murdered woman, and welcome back to Papi Killed Mommy. In this bonus episode, I'm reading a letter I wrote to my mom, Stacy Wasilishin Writing it was healing. Reading it out loud was harder than I expected. I cried multiple times during the recording, and I seriously considered re-recording it to make it cleaner, easier to listen to, more "together." But the truth is, I wasn't together. I'm not. And in the end, I realized that starting over would've meant hiding the real emotion — and I've spent enough of my life doing that. So what you'll hear is raw. The end especially is rough — you can hear my voice breaking, and my tears. I ask you to bear with me, and if you can, listen all the way through. This letter means everything to me. It's the beginning of a conversation I've waited 32 years to have. My mom was murdered on July 9th, 1993, by her boyfriend, Russell Peterson — the father of my younger sister. She had just gotten off the phone with my dad, Craig Daly, after making plans to leave Russell for good. Just a few hours later, she was shot and killed. I was ten years old. My little sister was three. That night was the last time I ever saw my mother alive. And to this day, no one has ever been arrested for her murder. This podcast is my way of changing that. I've spent the last few years fighting for justice — contacting police, speaking with attorneys, getting our story on the news, and building a community of people who believe in my mom, who believe she deserves answers. In December 2021, I started sharing her story on TikTok. Two years later, a video of me saying "I am the daughter of a murdered woman" went viral, reaching over 13 million views. Since then, more than 200,000 people have joined me on this journey. People are learning her name, saying it out loud, and helping me demand what's long overdue: justice. If you're new here, thank you for listening. And if you've been with me from the beginning — I appreciate you more than you know. This podcast premieres on July 8th at 11 PM — the exact time I said goodnight to my mother for the very last time. It's taken me months to prepare, and every step has pushed me far outside my comfort zone. I built a home studio with my dad. I learned how to record and edit. I've made mistakes and started over and cried in front of the mic more times than I can count. But I've kept going — because she deserves to be remembered. Not just as a victim. But as a woman. A mother. A fighter. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please reach out. 📞 National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788. 💻 thehotline.org If you have any information that could lead to the arrest of Russell Bennett Peterson or anyone involved in Stacy Wasilishin's murder, please contact: 📞 Sedona Police Department: (928) 282-3100 🐾✈️ 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 our journey and stay connected: TikTok: @nicolewasilishin Instagram: @nicolewasilishin Petition for justice: change.org/justiceforstacy Support the show

  • Nov 2, 2025 · 6 min

    BONUS EPISODE~ Letter from a friend: Cheryl Mendel

    Hello, I'm Nikki, daughter of a woman whose life was tragically cut short. Welcome back to Papi Killed Mommy. These bonus episodes share letters from my mom's closest friends — a way to meet the woman I never fully knew. She was taken when I was ten. These letters bring her memory alive and reveal parts of her story missing from Episode 1, which premieres July 8 at 11 PM MST — the moment I last said goodnight to her. Before this podcast, I had almost no audio experience. Social media helped keep her name alive, but I needed a louder way to tell her story. I built a home studio, wrote these episodes, and started speaking from the heart. It's been emotional and challenging, but each episode brings the truth forward. This episode features a letter from Cheryl Mendel, a friend of my mom's in 1976. Cheryl saw Stacy as a spirited, resilient teen with a bold personality and gentle soul. Though brief, their friendship reveals the woman behind the mother — the woman inspiring this fight for justice. If Cheryl's memories bring you closer to my mom, stay with me. There's so much more to uncover. Papi Killed Mommy launches July 8 at 11 PM MST — the moment my life changed forever. Each week, we'll explore facts, memories, and the ongoing search for truth. Next week, I'll share one last bonus letter — from me to my mother. It's deeply personal, and I hope it helps you feel closer to her. How you can help Subscribe, follow, and share to amplify this story. If you have info, contact Sedona Police at (928) 282-3100 or tips@daughterofamurderedwoman.com. Sign the petition for a full homicide investigation: https://www.change.org/p/demand-a-complete-homicide-investigation-for-the-murder-of-stephanie-marie-wasilishin. Support the show to fund interviews, FOIA requests, and forensic work via the "Support the Show" link. 🐾✈️ 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 Resources This podcast discusses domestic violence, trauma, and homicide. If you or someone you love needs help: National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 | thehotline.org Sedona Police Department: (928) 282-3100 More resources at the podcast website. Stay connected TikTok & Instagram: @nicolewasilishin YouTube: Daughter of a Murdered Woman Website: daughterofamurderedwoman.com Thank you for listening, caring, and standing with me to give my mom's story a voice. Support the show

  • Nov 2, 2025 · 54 min

    BONUS EPISODE~ Interview with her friend: Cheryl Mendel

    Bonus: Cheryl remembers Stacy (Downers Grove '76–'77) In this bonus episode, I sit down with Cheryl—one of the few friends willing to remember my mom out loud. For 45 minutes we go back to 1976–77: unincorporated Downers Grove summers, the black-lagoon pool in Phoenix, eighth-row Kansas tickets worth getting fired for, bedroom-window entrances, "Free Bird" on a battered karaoke box, and the late-night calls that began, "Cheryl, baby… did I tell you how much I love you?" This isn't paperwork; it's texture. It's Stacy before the headlines—fun-loving, tough on the outside, soft at the center—and a friendship that kept showing up even when life got hard. What's inside How Stacy landed in Downers Grove and instantly built a tribe Party stories, near-misses, and neighborhood nicknames (John Boy, Marty, Larry & Jerry) Phoenix memories: tubing the river, the black-lagoon pool, and that Kansas concert Late-'80s/early-'90s phone calls—what they did (and didn't) say Why some memories stayed off-mic on purpose Production note: my first remote interview on Riverside (two brief audio dropouts; conversation preserved) Cover art I tracked down the airport photo Cheryl mentions (she's in The Loop radio tee, taking my mom to fly back to Phoenix) and made it this episode's cover. It shows on Spotify; Apple Podcasts may not display it after my Libsyn switch. Call to Action: Keep Stacy's name moving If you knew Stacy in Downers Grove, Phoenix, or Sedona—or you knew Russell Peterson—please share what you remember. Even a small detail can matter. Yavapai County Attorney's Office Prescott: (928) 771-3344 • Camp Verde: (928) 567-7717 • Email: ycao@yavapaiaz.gov Sedona Police Department (Non-Emergency) (928) 282-3100 • Front Office: (928) 203-5002 Sedona Red Rock News Newsroom: (928) 282-7795 • Tips/press: editor@larsonnewspapers.com Be respectful and factual when you reach out. If you're contacting the paper, include your name, best call-back number, and any documentation or links. Share a memory or a tip with me 📧 papikilledmommy@gmail.com DMs open: @nicolewasilishin (TikTok/Instagram). Tell me if you want your message read on air or kept anonymous. Season 2: Case submissions (open now) We're collecting cases for Season 2 (DV-related, cold cases, or cases with accountability gaps). Send pitches, timelines, links, and how we can reach you: 📧 papikilledmommy@gmail.com Support the show & community events We're keeping the GoFundMe open to help with upcoming appearances and community events—like my school's Fall Festival—so we can keep printing merch and saying yes to every booth we can find. Thank you for helping us keep Stacy's name in motion. 👉 GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/this-is-my-birthday-wish-help-me-bring-my-mothers-story-to Also: Dickie Birdie's wish list is still active. If you want to make his day, he loves toys and stuffies—it's the highlight of his day when a package arrives. 🐶💛 👉 Amazon Wish List: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/49E74TM4J5D8?ref_=wl_share Safety resources If you or someone you know needs help, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Call, text, or chat 24/7. Credits — Host: Nikki Wasilishin • Guest: Cheryl Mendel • Recording: Riverside (remote) • Edit: minimal; select private moments removed at guest request If this episode moved you, follow, rate, and share Papi Killed Mommy. Keeping Stacy's name in motion helps more than you know.

  • S1 · E12
    Nov 2, 2025 · 1 hr 7 min

    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: https://www.instagram.com/potatos.journey Wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/23U6FVRNJB6DX Donate (Venmo): @AmandaMednansky Rescue: Hacienda de Sato Amor / https://silkysato.com True Creeps Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-creeps-true-crime-ghost-stories-cryptids-horrors/id1533487681 True Creeps IG: https://www.instagram.com/truecreepspod 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: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/49E74TM4J5D8 GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/this-is-my-birthday-wish-help-me-bring-my-mothers-story-to Business / Press / Sponsorship / Legal Inquiry: 📧 PapiKilledMommy@gmail.com 📬 Share Your Story If you knew her — I want to talk to you. Your memories are everything to me. 📧 Email: PapiKilledMommy@gmail.com 💜 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 📧 cca@prosecutor.yavapai.us 📞 (928) 771-3344 ✉️ 255 E Gurley St, Prescott, AZ 86301 Sedona Police Department 📧 spdrecords@sedonaaz.gov 📞 (928) 282-3100 Ask clearly: "Is the homicide of Stacy Wasilishin currently classified as an open investigation?" Red Rock News 📧 editor@larsonnewspapers.com (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: www.thehotline.org You are not alone. You deserve to be safe.

  • S1 · E11
    Nov 2, 2025 · 37 min

    11. Contracts, Clauses, and Zero Coverage

    Episode 11 — Contracts, Clauses, and Zero Coverage Content warning: This episode discusses domestic violence and homicide. The man mentioned is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Listener discretion advised. What this episode is about Nikki picks up the timeline after last week's pushback to "small podcast notwithstanding." We hear how viral moments (Dec 2023) briefly opened doors—then how 2024 became a year of contracts, clauses, and zero coverage. Inside: reconnection with Laurie "Swifty" Swift, two viral breakthroughs, documentary interest and pullbacks, a national-TV almost, a chilling FB request from Russell Peterson, DNA results confirming a brother on Nikki's father's side, the validation from Mike Hansen (TX attorney)—and the decision to stop waiting and build a studio with her dad. Next episode: opens with Mike Hansen on Stacy's case, then the closet-to-studio build, bringing the series to "now." Special thanks Erin (host of Sipping on Some Crime)—thank you for covering Stacy's case and for reconnecting Nikki with her mom's friend. Listeners, please follow and support Erin's work: • Apple Podcasts: "Sipping on Some Crime" Apple Podcasts • Spotify: "Sipping on Some Crime" Spotify • Instagram: @sippingonsomecrime Instagram Do something today If you know or saw anything 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: ycao@yavapaiaz.gov Sedona Police Department (Non-Emergency) Main: (928) 282-3100 • Front Office: (928) 203-5002 Ask local media to cover this case Sedona Red Rock News — Newsroom: (928) 282-7795 • editor@larsonnewspapers.com Request balanced, ongoing reporting and note that the community is watching. Sign & share the petition Add your name and pass it on. Every signature increases public pressure. 🔗 Change.org: https://www.change.org/p/demand-a-complete-homicide-investigation-for-the-murder-of-stephanie-marie-wasilishin Send a tip or share a memory If you knew Stacy in Downers Grove, Phoenix, or Sedona—or have any information about her death—reach out. Anonymous tips are welcome. 📧 papikilledmommy@gmail.com Social: @nicolewasilishin (TikTok/Instagram) Media & creators (of any size) Journalists, podcasters, YouTubers, bloggers—please cover this story. If you have one follower or a million, it helps. 📧 papikilledmommy@gmail.com 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 records, and your contact info. 📧 papikilledmommy@gmail.com Support the show & community outreach We're keeping the GoFundMe open to fund booths and merch at community events (like Nikki's school Fall Festival) so Stacy's name reaches new people. 👉 GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/this-is-my-birthday-wish-help-me-bring-my-mothers-story-to Dickie Birdie's wish list is still active—stuffies & toys make his day. 👉 Amazon Wish List: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/49E74TM4J5D8?ref_=wl_share 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 • Series: Papi Killed Mommy (Ep. 11) Tips & media inquiries: papikilledmommy@gmail.com

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