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Laurie Swift
In this special bonus episode, I'm honored to share a deeply personal letter written by one of my mom's oldest and closest friends. Through her words, we step into the past and glimpse the woman my mom was her laughter, her kindness, and the moments that shaped her life. This letter brings to light memories and stories that only someone who truly knew her could tell. It's a tribute to my mom's spirit, shared by someone who loved her like family. Join me as we remember her through the eyes of her dear friend. My friend Stacy was a beautiful woman with great strength and determination. She loved her daughters more than anything in this world. Stacy had the best laugh, great smile, big personality, and was brutally honest with her words. Growing up in the mid-70s was great. There were no cell phones, no caller ID, no Internet. We could buy cigarettes from a machine for 45 cents at the neighborhood bar and drinking age was only 19. Fake IDs were easy to get. We had the best music and went to many concerts together. Dodgeball was a favorite sport and Red Rover, Red Rover. There were rumors of a game called Ding Dong Ditch, ringing a bell, leaving a bag of burning dog crap. Sometimes we were feral and we had a friend who had a big German Shepherd. Stacy loved Track and Field day at Saguaro Elementary. She won many ribbons and events. We started cutting classes in grade school to lay in the sun. I met Stacy in the summer of 1974 or 1975 through our mutual grade school friend, Tracy. Summers were filled with baby oil, laying in the sun with lemon juice in our hair. Being in Arizona wasn't hot enough for us, so we laid out in the sun on the roof of Tracy's house. That's where we'd smoke joints too. There was a mass amount of Aqua Net hairspray used because every girl wanted hair. Like Farrah Fawcett. Stacey got her first job at a daycare in our neighborhood. She had to walk to work in the hot Arizona summers. Arizona minimum wage was only $4.25 an hour. Stacy worked hard to save enough money to buy her first car. It was a used 1976 or 1977 turquoise gremlin. She bought it from our friend Darlene. Fun fact. Stacy did not know how to drive. We hid the car in my apartment complex, which was two blocks from her home. Stacey didn't want her siblings or her mom driving her car. We had to hide the Gremlin from my family and Tracy's family too because her dad was a Phoenix cop. Finally, Stacy learned to drive the Gremlin. I was only 14 or 15 years old and had no driver's license. My driving experience was off road in the Arizona desert. She'd drive us to Thunderbird High School and all over. Back in the day we could leave school campus for lunch. Oh my God, we thought we were so cool. I know now our angels were watching over us. The Gremlin had no AC but good stereo and kick ass speakers. We did a lot of cruising around our community called West Town and Metro Center Mall. The passengers would do the Chinese fire drills at red lights. One night we drove the Gremlin to a bad area called Maryvale and ran out of gas. To Stacy and I had to push the Gremlin across multiple lanes of traffic. Barefoot and in shorts, we looked like Fred Frickin Flintstone pushing a Gremlin into the gas station on grand and Indian School. Lucky for us, some dudes ran over to help push. Our big boobs and shorts always helped. During Stacy's lifetime, she had many different vehicles. She would always stop for lemonade stands. If we drove past any construction site, we would yell, blow kisses and whistle at the guys. Fast forward to 1985. Stacy went to a dealership to buy a truck. She was living with Craig at this time. Stacy calls me from the dealership and I hear Swift. I just bought a truck but I can't drive it. It's a stick. Can you come help me drive it home? What the hell. Laugh my ass off. I wasn't able to go help her. The salesperson had to show her how to drive the clutch. She pulled out onto busy Camelback Road to get home. She made it back to Craig's house with whiplash. I showed her how to drive a clutch after that and she learned pretty quick. We always laugh so hard our bellies hurt with tears in our eyes. The Wassalishin home. When I first met Stacey, her mom was married to Bruce the balloon guy. We didn't like him very much. Then she married Miles. We liked Miles. Miles had a big heart and was so very kind to Stacy. Her mom had a nickname, the Wicked Witch of Windrows. They lived in a cul de sac on a road called Windrows. The Wicked Witch would be found most nights sitting on her perch at the kitchen table, usually drunk. We had many parties with kegs of beer and swimming at this house. There was lots of fornication done in that pool house and yard. We could not tell her mom the keg barrel was being picked up early because she'd want to tap the keg immediately. Stacy's brothers were really good at hiding the keg barrels from the Wicked Witch. The Wicked Witch was a petite woman and consume a lot of booze. Stacy would walk around our parties with beer and a solo cup but she never drank the beer. Stacy loathed beer just like she loathed guns. I remember when Stacy got her job at the Crescent Crown Hotel. She was so very excited. We jumped up and down like kids with joy. She loved working there. Then she met him. RP Russell Peterson. In the very beginning I told her he wasn't good enough for her and Nikki Lee. He gave me the ick feeling. RP wooed Stacy with all the fancy dinners, flowers, wine and fun. This was everything Craig was not. Craig wore construction and only wore blue jeans and T shirts. Moving to Sedona was a career chance of a lifetime for Stacy, but I wish she had never moved. In 1987 my ex husband had borrowed three guns from Craig. I tried to get Stacy to take the guns back to Craig's home. She refused because Nikki Lee was in the car. See, I offered to put the three unloaded guns in the trunk and she told me to F off Swift. Stacy loathed guns. She would never grab a gun to make a point. Stacy was so strong and could hit so hard like a man. I'd seen her hit a dude and bring tears to his eye. Stacy would be the first person to help anyone in need. She was the Mother Goose to all of her friends and made all the birthday cakes. Her home was decorated like a Hallmark commercial for every holiday. She loved to make costumes for Halloween. Every Christmas she had family pictures done as adults. Stacy and I went on to many step aerobic classes and happy hours at Bobby McGee's and other fun places. Too many crazy stories to tell because blood sisters don't tell their secrets. They hold your hair back when drunk and puking. I've always felt Nikki Lee would do best living with her dad and not the Wassalition family. I did not see Nikki lee again until 2022 when I found her by accident on a podcast telling her mom's story. Daughter of a murdered woman. I feel the Waslichen family deserves a day of justice. I believe Stacey's case was grossly mishandled by many people. In 2024, the Sedona Police Department had issues with the chief. Our local news reported Sedona officers were being bullied by the Chief of Police. A few officers even filed a claim against the chief. One of the officers is handling Stacy's cold case. I know My friend Stacy is saving me a seat in the smoking section in heaven. RIP my blood sister. Thank you for sharing Stacy's story. Love and peace, Laurie Swift. If this letter touched you and you want to know more about who my mother was and what happened to her, please join me for the full story. Poppy Killed Mommy premieres July 9, with new episodes every week. Diving into the truth, the trauma, and the fight for justice. Subscribe now so you don't miss it.