Podcast Summary

Podcast: Papi Killed Mommy
Host: Nikki
Episode: "A Small Podcast, Notwithstanding"
Date: September 27, 2025

Overview

In this raw, emotionally charged episode, host Nikki continues her quest for justice and truth surrounding the 1993 murder of her mother, Stacy Wassolichen. Nikki dissects a recent condescending email exchange with local journalist Christopher Fox Graham, shares a revelatory, edit-minimal interview with her father, and for the first time, plays a powerful call from her younger sister to police. Across 70 gripping minutes, Nikki exposes how institutions evade accountability, highlights the resilience of families left to piece together justice, and calls on listeners to join her fight against silence and erasure.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power and Peril of Media Coverage (00:33–07:14)

• Nikki recaps previous episodes that examined how media shapes public perception of cold cases, particularly in the context of her mother's murder.
  • Early media coverage (Red Rock News) echoed police narratives uncritically, erasing her mother's story.
  • In contrast, broader coverage and true crime podcasts have amplified the case, generating public pressure.
  • “Media is public pressure. It’s what forces institutions to answer questions they’d rather ignore.” – Nikki (03:56)
• Nikki sets up the main focus: an email exchange between a listener ("Jane") and Red Rock News editor Christopher Fox Graham, highlighting Graham’s dismissive stance.

2. The ‘Small Podcast’ Dismissal: Email Exchange Analysis (03:50–14:17)

• Nikki reads the full, chronological email chain:
  • Jane urges Graham to cover the case from the family’s perspective.
  • Graham responds with links to old articles and repeatedly says they will only report if police provide new information.
  • He refers sarcastically to Nikki’s show as “a small podcast, notwithstanding.”

    “A small podcast notwithstanding, Sedona PD has no updates.” – Christopher Fox Graham (08:29)

  • His tone grows defensive and condescending, downplaying media’s role and public interest.
• Nikki dismantles Graham’s claims using industry data:
  • Shows with 100 downloads in 7 days fall in the top 50%; 1,000 means top 10%.
  • “Papi Killed Mommy” consistently achieves 5,000 downloads in 48 hours, now at 160,000 total downloads—placing it in the top 5–10% globally.
  • Letters and downloads prove there is significant public interest.
• Nikki points out ethical failures: Graham’s responses reflect defensiveness, snideness (using quotation marks around “we”), and a lack of empathy.
  • “These weren’t just careless words…they reveal an attitude that minimizes, deflects, and ultimately protects institutions instead of challenging them.” – Nikki (13:43)

3. Revelations from Nikki's Father’s Interview (14:17–44:23)

• Nikki shares an unedited 2023 interview between her father and a detective (with minimal privacy edits).
• Key revelations:
  • Her father reveals for the first time (to Nikki and on record) that he and Stacy were having an ongoing affair during her relationship with Russell Peterson—reframing motive and volatile dynamics.

    “I learned on this tape that my mom and my dad were still sleeping together while she was with Russell. My dad has never told me that in my entire life.” – Nikki (41:26)

  • He is skeptical Stacy would have handled a .44 Magnum or shot herself, suggesting the physical evidence and temperament do not align with the police theory.

    “That’s not something you grab and shoot one time with your left hand...She had no interest whatsoever with guns.” – Nikki’s dad (18:50)

  • The notion of a “pizza guy” as Stacy’s affair partner, details of a phone recording device, and the assertion Stacy planned to leave Russell the day she died.
  • He critiques earlier police interviews as biased and one-sided, implying officers were not open to evidence contradicting their theory.
• Nikki reflects on the pain and surprise of hearing her dad’s candid comments, and acknowledges that her advocacy was the only reason police ever spoke to him in this detail.
  • “If justice means being a pest, I’ll own it. Because sometimes, it takes a pest to make the system squirm.” – Nikki (43:11)

4. A Daughter’s Fury: Nikki’s Sister Confronts Police (44:23–61:58)

• For the first time, Nikki airs a recorded call between her younger sister and Sergeant Leon of Sedona PD (with redactions for privacy).
• Her sister is blunt, relentless, and furious—demanding accountability and action from the police.
  • Expresses disbelief that Russell Peterson was never prosecuted despite strong circumstantial evidence.

    “This is like a joke, you know what I mean? I mean, there’s 22 adults in the house. Look at the police reports...Obviously he did it. Obviously she didn’t shoot herself. Well, how the fuck did he get away with it?” – Nikki’s sister (49:00)

  • Provides police with Peterson’s address, phone, and hospital info—highlighting how families often do investigative legwork themselves.
  • Police repeatedly urge her to stage a confrontation call or in-person meeting, placing the burden back on the victim’s children.

    “You are our best hope in a confrontation call with him...Everybody wants a confession out of him, and you, you are my best hope.” – Sgt. Leon (56:46)

  • Sister describes estrangement from Peterson and willingness to wear a wire for the sake of closure.
• Nikki’s reaction:
  • Shock at her sister’s candor and anger, especially since she’s typically avoided public involvement.
  • Frustration at the burden shifted onto the family: “This isn’t just unfair, it’s fucking dangerous. My sister isn’t law enforcement. She’s the victim’s daughter.”

5. Systemic Failures and Unanswered Questions (61:58–End)

• Nikki considers the implications:
  • Police and prosecutors continue to claim lack of evidence, dismissing context and witness accounts assembled by the family.
  • Leads on possible confessions to ex-wives or partners have apparently not been followed up.
  • She points out that only relentless advocacy by herself and her family has forced any progress or reevaluation.
• Listener call-to-action:
  • If listeners knew, dated, or worked with Russell Peterson—especially ex-wives or employees—they’re urged to contact the Sedona PD or Nikki directly.
  • Raises the unsettling workplace reputation of Peterson (reported by a listener), including inappropriate behavior and repeated, self-exonerating comments about the case.

    “He regularly told people...that his girlfriend shot herself. Not once, not twice—over and over again.” – Nikki (70:00)

• Nikki reflects on the episode’s themes:
  • The failure of local media and law enforcement to pursue truth with rigor or empathy.
  • The need for persistent, collective voices to fight institutional silence.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Christopher Fox Graham Dismisses the Show
  “A small podcast notwithstanding, Sedona PD has no updates.” (08:29)
  Analysis: Used repeatedly to undermine Nikki’s impact and the reach of independent media.
• Nikki Counters with Industry Facts
  “Numbers don’t lie...If this show was small, it wouldn’t even show up in Apple’s rankings.” (09:44)
• Father’s Revelations
  “My dad has never told me that in my entire life...It reframes motive, jealousy, and danger.” (41:26)
• Sister’s Outrage
  “This is like a joke. Obviously he did it. Obviously she didn’t shoot herself. How the fuck did he get away with it?” (49:00)
• Institutional Deflection
  “You are our best hope in a confrontation call with him.” – Sgt. Leon (56:46)
  “This isn’t just unfair, it’s fucking dangerous...” – Nikki (62:00)
• On Persistence
  “If justice means being a pest, I’ll own it.” – Nikki (43:11)

Important Timestamps

• 00:33 – Nikki’s episode introduction & trigger warning
• 03:50–07:14 – Recap of media’s dual power and introduction to the Red Rock News email chain
• 07:14–14:17 – Nikki’s statistical breakdown of “small podcast” claims
• 14:17–44:23 – Extended, candid interview with Nikki’s father detailing new family and case revelations
• 44:23–61:58 – Nikki’s younger sister confronts police in a powerful, unfiltered call
• 61:58–70:00 – Nikki’s closing reflections, listener call-to-action, and story of a listener who worked with Peterson
• 70:00–72:00 – Final thoughts and preview of the next episode

Tone & Language

• Candid, unfiltered, and often raw.
  Nikki balances vulnerability (sharing personal pain, family secrets) with righteous anger and analytical clarity.
• Empathetic but unflinching:
  Blunt assessment of institutional failings and sexist media dismissiveness; refuses to sugarcoat trauma or roadblocks.
• Direct calls to action paired with recognition of collective power—the family, listeners, and the broader justice community.

Key Takeaways

• Media Justice Matters: Dismissing new media efforts as “small” ignores their measurable, global impact—traditional journalism risks irrelevance by failing to engage.
• Family-Led Advocacy is Essential: Law enforcement has repeatedly offloaded investigative work onto Nikki’s family, yet it’s been the family’s persistence that has kept the case alive.
• Systemic Complacency: Both police and media have chronically underplayed Stacy’s murder, resisted public scrutiny, and have not properly pursued all leads (including potential confessions).
• Community Can Shift Outcomes: Listener involvement—through sharing stories, pushing institutions, and lending platforms—remains a crucial tool in the fight against erasure.
• The Battle Against Silence: Every step toward justice has been carved out against resistance; Nikki vows not to let silence win.

Next Episode Preview

Nikki will revisit the moment the case went viral, the role of social media in amplifying the story, and feature an interview with attorney Mike Hanson, the first lawyer on social media to analyze the case in detail.

Calls to Action:

• Sign the petition linked in show notes.
• Contact Sedona PD and Yavapai County Attorney’s Office: ask for thorough re-examination and accountability.
• Urge Red Rock News to provide real, family-centered coverage.
• If you have any information about Russell Peterson, contact Sedona PD or Nikki directly and confidentially.

Through heartbreak, anger, and determination, Nikki’s message is clear: she—and her listeners—will not permit silence to triumph. The fight for Stacy’s truth continues, one story and one act of courage at a time.