5. The Day They Told Me

Sunday, July 11, 1993. The day I learned my mother was dead.

In this episode, I take you into the moment that shattered my childhood. That morning, my foster family drove me and my little sister to the Sedona Police Department. Inside a room filled with silver folding chairs and scattered toys, I sat frozen — until the only familiar face in the room, my mother's boyfriend Russell Peterson, broke the news. "Your mom is gone." He was the one who told me. Not a police officer. Not a therapist. No family member. Him.

My sister played like nothing had happened, but my world collapsed. And just hours later, Russell signed us out of CPS custody and took us on a scenic Pink Jeep tour through Sedona — a "family outing" on the worst day of my life. That ride wasn't about grief. It was about manipulation. He pushed me to say I wanted to live with him, using my little sister as leverage.

Later that afternoon, Russell contacted police and asked to walk them through the house where my mother died. In a calm, detached tone, he reenacted the scene — contradicting himself repeatedly. He said my mom told him she was going to shoot him… then turned the gun on herself. He picked the gun up, put it away, then changed his mind and placed it back on the ground — before calling 911.

He added new details: that his father found a bottle of Seagram's in my mom's bag after the shooting. Another attempt to make her look unstable — a pattern that never stopped.

You'll hear that walkthrough. You'll hear detectives gently challenge his contradictions. And you'll hear the line that's haunted me for 30 years: "Whatever mindset she was in at that given moment… it'll never be known."

But it could have been — if anyone had dug deeper.

This episode also includes a interview with my father, Craig. He remembers a long, emotional call with my mom the night before she died — a call she knew Russell was recording. My dad's story has never changed. But the case file summary of his interview? Doesn't match what he actually said.

I end this episode with one of the most vivid memories of my life — seeing my mother at her viewing. Blue dress. Blue makeup. Blue carnations. A sea of blue that made the world feel cold. I've hated the color ever since.

Next episode on Papi Killed Mommy
I'll take you inside Russell Peterson's final police interview. His last story. His final contradictions. And the moment the investigation quietly fell apart.

If you've made it this far — thank you. This podcast is 100% independent. No team. No studio. Just me, telling my mom's story and fighting for justice.

To support the show and help bring her case to CrimeCon, please consider donating:
👉 gofundme.com/f/this-is-my-birthday-wish-help-me-bring-my-mothers-story-to

🐾✈️ Traveling to CrimeCon with my best friend, Dickie Birdie, comes with some unexpected expenses — his recent vet visit alone was $827. If you'd like to help make sure he's safe and comfy on this trip, I've put together a small Amazon Wishlist with his travel essentials (like a stroller, pop‑up kennel, and car seat). Every bit of support means the world. 💙

🛒 Click here to check out Dickie Birdie's Wishlist

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If you have any information about the death of Stephanie Marie Wasilishin, please contact the Sedona Police Department at (928) 282-3100.

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