The Hours After

Summary

Podcast Summary: Papi Killed Mommy – Episode: "The Hours After"

Title: The Hours After
Host: Nikki
Release Date: July 18, 2025

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Introduction

In the poignant episode "The Hours After" of Papi Killed Mommy, host Nikki delves deeper into the tragic night of her mother's murder on July 8, 1993. This episode unpacks the immediate aftermath, presenting detailed timelines, police procedures, and unedited excerpts from Russell Peterson's first interview just hours after the incident. Nikki aims to shed light on the buried truths surrounding her mother's death, offering listeners an unfiltered glimpse into the events that unfolded that fateful night.

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Recap of Last Episode

Nikki begins by briefly recapping the previous episode, where she provided an overview of her mother's last day and introduced key figures, including her mother's co-workers and Russell Peterson, her mother's boyfriend and primary suspect.

"Last week, I took you through the events of my mother's last day. I painstakingly pored through the case file to build a detailed timeline of July 8, 1993."
—Nikki [00:05]

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Immediate Aftermath: The Children’s Experience

The episode opens with Nikki recounting the harrowing experience of being awakened in the early hours of the morning by Officer Zanit, who escorted her and her younger sister from their home. Her sister's persistent accusation, "Poppy killed Mommy," serves as a haunting refrain that Nikki struggled to comprehend as a ten-year-old.

"As soon as the door opened, she chittered like a parrot, 'Poppy killed Mommy.' She kept repeating it over and over..."
—Nikki [02:18]

Nikki highlights a critical discrepancy in Officer Zanit’s account. According to the case file, Officer Zanit informed her that her mother had a fight with her boyfriend and was staying at a friend’s house, dismissing the sister’s claims of foul play.

"Officer David Zanit is quoted in the case file as saying he did not inform the children of our mother's death. Instead, he told me my mom and her boyfriend had gotten into a fight and she was staying at a friend's house."
—Nikki [02:18]

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Russell Peterson’s First Interview

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to Russell Peterson's initial police interview. Nikki presents the unedited, 32-year-old audio recording of the interview, allowing listeners to hear firsthand Russell's account without any edits.

"Today's episode moves fast. It's packed with timelines, police procedures, and Russell's entire first interview just hours after my mother's death."
—Nikki [00:05]

Christina’s Interview with Police

Before diving into Russell’s interview, Nikki shares the emotionally charged interview conducted with her three-year-old sister, Christina. The interaction is fraught with leading questions from the police, attempting to elicit a confession.

"I saw her bleed. You saw her bleed? Did you see your dad shoot her?"
—Nikki quoting Christina [06:26]

Nikki expresses her distress over how Christina was interviewed by regular officers rather than trained forensic interviewers, emphasizing the trauma and possible manipulation Christina endured during the interrogation.

"Listening to the way the police officer is asking her questions and leading her and telling her no... So utterly angry in my soul."
—Nikki [07:07]

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Detailed Timeline of Events

Nikki meticulously outlines the sequence of events following her mother's murder, highlighting inconsistencies and suspicious actions by Russell Peterson and law enforcement.

1. 2:00 AM - Removal from the House:

   • Officer Zanit wakes Nikki and escorts her and her sister from the house.
   • Entertains children in the dark squad car, fostering confusion about their mother's fate.

2. 2:18 AM - Arrival at Sedona Police Department:

   • Russell Peterson is introduced to Nikki and Christina in the squad car, immediately becoming the central figure in the unfolding drama.

3. Interviews and Investigations:

   • Nikki presents Russell's delayed call to his father, Peter Korn, at 5:20 AM, bypassing CPS who were already on the scene.
   • At 6:15 AM, a recorded smoke break between Russell and the police raises eyebrows about the investigation's integrity.

"At 5:20am Russell called Peter Korn, his boss, to come pick us up. CPS had already been called and they were waiting downstairs."
—Nikki [07:07]

4. Consent to Search and Crime Scene Tampering:
   • At 6:55 AM, Russell signs a consent-to-search form, granting police access to the family home.
   • Evidence suggests Russell tampered with the crime scene, moving the gun from the closet to the vicinity of his mother's body.

"He admits he picked the gun up, put it back in the closet, then staged it next to my mom's body."
—Nikki [41:03]

5. Delayed Autopsy and Family Notification:
   • The autopsy is delayed until 9:55 AM, nearly eight hours after the death, raising concerns about procedural delays.
   • Family members, including Russell’s family and Pietro’s co-workers, were informed before Nikki’s side.

"By 1:10pm nearly 12 hours after her death, Sedona Police Department finally contacted my family."
—Nikki [43:40]

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Russell Peterson’s Interview Excerpts

Nikki plays extensive portions of Russell Peterson's interview, providing raw insights into his demeanor and statements post-murder.

"We're here to talk about the events of the night, which is the death of your wife or your significant other..."
—Russell Peterson [17:00]

Throughout the interview, Russell's account introduces elements such as shared work stress, discussions about his acceptance into Cornell University, and escalating tensions leading to the confrontation that resulted in Stephanie's death.

Key Admissions and Inconsistencies:

1. Admission of Drinking:

   • Russell admits to consuming wine with Stephanie, potentially impairing his judgment during the incident.

   "Stephanie and myself, we did have a bottle of wine."
   —Russell Peterson [18:37]

2. Details of the Confrontation:

   • Russell describes a heated argument over his career advancement and his acceptance into a prestigious culinary program.
   • He portrays the struggle leading to the shooting as unintentional, despite possessing a loaded .44 Magnum gifted by his father.

   "We struggled a little bit... 15 to 20 seconds. That's a long time when someone is holding a loaded .44 Magnum."
   —Russell Peterson [??:??]

3. Tampering with the Crime Scene:

   • He confesses to picking up the gun after the incident, attempting to hide or neutralize evidence before calling 911.

   "I picked up the gun, put it in the holster, then staged it next to my mom's body. He says that's when he saw Christina standing in the hallway."
   —Nikki [41:03]

4. Delayed 911 Call:

   • Despite claiming to call immediately, phone records indicate Russell made a call to his father four minutes before dialing 911, suggesting a possible attempt to cover his tracks.

   "But phone records prove otherwise. Before he called 911 at 1:40am he made another call at 1:36 to his father."
   —Nikki [45:48]

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Police Procedures and Investigation Flaws

Nikki highlights several procedural flaws and questionable actions taken by law enforcement:

1. Lack of Forensic Interviewers: Christina’s interview was conducted by regular officers without proper training, potentially compromising the validity of her testimony.

2. Delayed Autopsy Findings: The decision to declare the murder as a homicide based solely on visual assessment, without awaiting further toxicology reports, indicates possible bias.

   "Dr. Philip Keene's findings included a contact gunshot wound... and without waiting any further testing, Dr. Keene told police this was a homicide."
   —Nikki [53:43]

3. Conflicting Statements: Russell’s account of the events contradicts initial police reports, raising suspicions about his involvement and honesty.

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Notable Quotes

• Nikki on Christina’s Accusations:

  "Poppy killed Mommy. Poppy killed mommy... And even then I still didn't believe her."
  —Nikki [14:00]

• Russell Peterson on the Struggle:

  "We struggled a little bit... And the next thing I know, it went off and she dropped."
  —Russell Peterson [31:35]

• Nikki on Police Conduct:

  "Listening to the way the police officer is asking her questions and leading her and telling her no... So utterly angry in my soul."
  —Nikki [07:07]

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Analysis and Insights

Nikki provides a critical analysis of both Russell Peterson's statements and the police investigation. She underscores the inconsistency between his narrative and physical evidence, particularly his delayed 911 call and the handling of the crime scene. The emotional toll on her and her sister, Christina, is palpable throughout the episode, emphasizing the long-lasting impact of the investigation's shortcomings.

The forced narrative of a spontaneous fight leading to an accidental death is juxtaposed against the accumulating evidence of intentional tampering and possible guilt on Russell's part. Nikki's presentation of the raw interview audio serves to let listeners draw their own conclusions, free from editorial bias.

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Conclusions

In "The Hours After," Nikki masterfully intertwines personal trauma with investigative analysis, exposing the layers of complexity surrounding her mother's murder. By presenting unedited interviews and highlighting procedural anomalies, she not only seeks justice for her mother but also advocates for transparency and accountability within law enforcement.

Nikki concludes with a heartfelt acknowledgment of the emotional strain involved in recounting these events, urging listeners to support the podcast to continue unraveling the truth.

"This podcast is independent. No sponsors, no production team. Just me trying to tell my mother's story the only way I know how."
—Nikki [53:43]

She emphasizes her commitment to the cause, ensuring that her mother's story remains heard until all truths are uncovered.

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Final Thoughts

"The Hours After" is a gripping installment of Papi Killed Mommy, offering an unvarnished look into the chaos and confusion that marked the night of Stephanie Marie Wasolation's death. Through meticulous detail and emotional honesty, Nikki not only honors her mother's memory but also challenges listeners to question the narratives presented by those in power. This episode stands as a testament to the enduring quest for truth and justice in the face of personal tragedy.

Transcript

[Nikki]

Hi, my name is Nikki and I'm the daughter of a murdered woman. Welcome back to Poppy Killed Mommy. Before we get started, I need to warn you. This podcast contains discussions of domestic violence, homicide, and other potentially distressing topics. The individual mentioned in this episode is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Listener discretion is advised. Last week, I took you through the events of my mother's last day. I painstakingly pored through the case file to build a detailed timeline of July 8, 1993. You heard from her co workers and from Russell Peterson himself. Today's episode moves fast. It's packed with timelines, police procedures, and Russell's entire first interview just hours after my mother's death. Last week, I gave you the important bits and snippets of his interrogation. But this week, I want to give it to you in full so you can hear it for yourself without any edits. And one more thing I want to address. The audio is 32 years old. I've done my best to clean it up, but you can tell this was recorded on an old fashioned cassette tape and then transferred over to digital years later. So just bear with me. Put your seatbelt on and let's get started. Last week, we left off a little after 2am Officer Zanit had just woken me up and escorted me from the house. He placed me in the backseat of the squad car where my little sister was already waiting. As soon as the door opened, she chittered like a parrot, poppy killed Mommy. She kept repeating it over and over, desperate for me to say something, like to believe her, I think. But I couldn't. That's not what the officer just told me. Officer David Zanit is quoted in the case file as saying he did not inform the children of our mother's death. Instead, he told me my mom and her boyfriend had gotten into a fight and she was staying at a friend's house. And being 10 years old, I listened. I believed the adult. So when my little sister kept saying, poppy killed Mommy, I didn't believe her. I thought she was confused, and I kept trying to convince her otherwise. She said it at least a dozen times in that car. Like if she had just said it enough, I'd finally understand. We sat there in the dark, arguing. I was telling her she was wrong, that mom was just somewhere else and that everything was going to be fine. Then an officer came back. He opened the door, and this time he put Russell Peterson in the squad car with us. The same squad car as the children. A domestic violence suspect was placed with an axis of children with their mother's blood on him. As an adult, looking back, this is the moment that really pisses me off. As a child, this was the moment that I knew something was really, really wrong. Not when the officer woke me up. Not when my little sister begged me to believe her and kept repeating poppy killed Mommy. But when Russell saw me and his reaction to me. Russell was crying and weeping and hugging me, clutching me in a way he never did. He wasn't my dad. He wasn't affectionate. He never hugged me. He never said I love you, never showed me any kind of attention. But now, in the backseat of the squad car, he was sobbing and whispering in my ear. I'll never forget it. He said, I'm sorry. I love you and I want to keep the family together. I just sat there stunned. In my mind, it looked like mom and Russell had fought and she finally left him. That's what I thought this was until that car ride to the Sedona Police Department at 2:18am 18 minutes. That's how long my sister repeated the phrase Poppy killed Mommy before the Sedona Police Department place Russell Bennett Peterson in the backseat of the same squad car. At the station, Officer Zanit read Russell his Miranda rights from a printed card and sat with us until Detective Walter spokes arrived. At 2:50am Chief Bob Irish called the on call Deputy County Attorney Steve Jaynes. It was the first official moment anyone classified this as a possible homicide to 2:50am By 4:20am the officers asked Russell about placing the children into CPS custody. Russell said he was okay with it and that we should get some sleep. At 4:41am Investigators interviewed my little sister. Quote, the child was alert and talkative. She told us she woke up and saw her dad kill her mom. She said she saw him take the gun out of the bedroom closet after her mom was on the floor. She told them this story up to a dozen times. But the case file notes she didn't actually witness it. Why? Because they had no trained child. Forensic interviewer. She was interviewed by regular officers. No one trained in trauma, no one trained in memory recall. The audio in this portion might sound a bit different as it was recorded at a later date. And I always said I was never going to read this again. This time will be the last. There's a lot of garbled, gurgled, redacted parts. But I stress to you the gravity of how many times my sister repeats Poppy killed mommy while listening along count. I'm curious to know what you Hear in this interview. Without further ado, my three year old sister's interview three hours after our mother's death. It's 7993 4, 41 hours. Present is myself, Detective Walter Spokes. Detective Gary Savarrow of the Yavapai County Attorney's office. And the child? How come you have some scratches? What happened to your arm? Let me see. You have a cat that scratched you right there, huh? Boy, cat scratches hurt, don't they? Yeah.

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

You were picking up the baby cat and it scratched you? Uh huh. Did it hurt?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

Did it hurt when it scratched you right there?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

I see you got a little puppy. What's your puppy's name? Sunshine. Sunshine, huh? My mommy named him.

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

It is, huh? Does he bite? No. He's a nice little dog. Were you at home tonight? Uh huh. What happened at home tonight? Scratch me.

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

That's a nice little kitty.

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

Were you at home tonight? Uh huh. Did you go to sleep? Yes. Did something happen at home tonight? My mother died. She did? What happened? How did she die? Um. My dad killed her. How did your dad kill her? Um. With a gun. He killed her with a gun? Tell me about it. He killed her with a gun. And then my mom bleeded. Did you see that?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

She was dead. Where were you sleeping at? I was sleeping in my room. Where is your room?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

Is it by your mom's room?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

Tell me what you heard and what you saw. I saw her bleed. You saw her bleed? Did you see your dad shoot her? Huh? No. You didn't? Was there fighting or anything that you know of? They were fighting. What were they saying? Tell me about their fight.

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

What did you say?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

What happened? Do you know what happened there?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

How did he kill her? With a gun. You take a bullet and then he killed her. Did you see that? You saw that But I didn't see. I was sleeping. You were sleeping? Uh huh. Tell me what you saw. I was asleep. And then? Garbled Papa killed her. How did you see papa kill her? She had blood all over her room. How did you see papa kill her? Papa didn't kill her. Poppy did. Poppy did. Poppy killed her? Cause I was sleeping. Sleeping in my own room.

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

Then I come down and the light and. And the blood all over. There was blood on my rug. Did you see that? Did you see anybody shoot her? No. No. Where were you at? I was in my Room. Sleeping. Poppy. Who is Poppy?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

That's my father. What's his name?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

Russell. And what did he do with the gun? He killed my mom. He did. How many times did he do the gun?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

How many times?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

One time. Two time. Three time. Four time. Five time. One time. One time. That's all you heard?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

How many times did you hear it? One time. One time. That's all you heard?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

How many times did you hear it? One time. Then what? Poppy killed her. How do you know Poppy killed her? Because my mother was dead and Poppy killed her. Do you know that's your secret?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

Well, I need to know about your secrets because I had a bad dream about it. You had a bad dream? What was your bad dream about? It was about Garbled. What happened?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

When did you have the dream?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

Tonight or before?

[Christina]

Garbled?

[Nikki]

Tonight. What did you see? I didn't see anything.

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

You did. Uh huh. What did you do when you were in Mommy's room? I walked in there. When you walked in Mommy's room, what did Mommy look like? She was dead. Already dead. When you walked in there, where was Daddy at? Um, he was in Mommy's room. Where was the gun at? In the closet. I mean, he got the gun out. The gun was in the closet. Was he holding it? Uh, it was in the closet. And Daddy got it out? Yes. What did he say? Uh, he said that he shot the gun. Then he cried. He said what? He said that he said that it was hopeless. And he cried. It's hopeless. Mm. And he cried. Mm. Was he already in the room when you went in there? Mm. Where was he standing at or sitting at? Mom was Garbled. Okay. Come here. What is this? Mommy was in the corner. Come on, show me where Mommy was at. This is the room. This is the closet right here. Where was Mommy at? She was in that corner.

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

The gun in the closet. You show me where Mommy was. Like where Mommy was. She was garbled. Lay down. Like where you think. Show me where Mommy was. Just lay down. Like where Mommy was when you go in where the door is. The door was over here. Where was Mommy at?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

Where was Daddy at?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

And he said it's hopeless. And the gun was in the closet.

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

Where was the gun at? It was in the closet. And the gun was in the closet. Mm. Was Daddy holding it or was it just in the closet, Laying there. Daddy was garbled. No. Was Daddy holding the gun, or was the gun just laying in the closet? Daddy was holding the gun. Was it in the closet first, before he was holding it, or was he just holding it? Took it out of the closet.

[Christina]

Who was garbled?

[Nikki]

Garbled again. My dad. Was he in the closet? Who was in the closet?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

Does it still hurt?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

Garbled again. Hurt your finger? It doesn't hurt. So when you went in there, Mommy was on the floor already.

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

Blood. It had blood. Where was the gun at? In the closet. Where was Daddy? He was garbled. Mommy was laying there like this.

[Christina]

Garbled. Garbled.

[Nikki]

Mommy was laying like what? Show me how. Mommy was laying like this. Okay. Face down. Mm. Like this. Mm. Okay. Mommy was laying like this with her face down, right? Mm. Where was Daddy at?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

Come here. Come here. He's on the bed. He's sitting on the bed. Then what happened? Where's the gun? It was in the closet. The gun was in the closet. And Daddy was sitting over here on the bed. Mm. Then what happened? He was shooting her. And I'll never have a mama again. He was shooting her. Did you see him shoot her? No. No.

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

Okay. So the gun was in the closet when you saw it? Mm. The door. Okay. The gun is in the closet, and dad was sitting on the bed. Mm. Then what happened? Right then. I, I, I. Somebody get the gun out of the closet. Mm. My dad did. And he. What did he do with the gun? And my dad. My dad was just about to shoot her. And I'll never have my mama again. Who got the gun out of the closet, sweetie? My dad. What did he do when he got the gun out of the closet?

[Russell Peterson]

Um.

[Nikki]

Um. He shoot my mom. He shot your mom? Did you see him when he shot your mom?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

I was in my room sleeping. Well, then what did he do when he got the gun that you saw? Uh, the big gun. Oh, yeah. Out of the closet. And then he garbled. What did he say? He said it was hopeless. And Garbled. Did he?

[Christina]

Garbled?

[Nikki]

Mm. Mm.

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

Did he say anything to you? No. I just cried because of my mom. You did? Did you touch your mom? I just touched the blood. You touched the blood? Why did you touch the blood?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

And she was dead. And my dad shoot her. My dad did shoot her. Do you know if he shot her or if she shot herself? My dad Shoot her.

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

He shot her. Really? Did you see that?

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

Garbled again. One of your secrets, because garbled. Dream about that. You had a dream about that? It was a bad old dream. When did you have your dream.

[Christina]

Garbled?

[Nikki]

Tonight when it was dark out. I did. But you didn't see.

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

My dad shooted my mom.

[Christina]

Garbled.

[Nikki]

We're going to stop talking to you right now. We may talk to you a little bit later. Okay? Okay. Thank you. End of interview. How do you feel after that? Reading my little sister's interview decades after the fact is completely heartbreaking and devastating for me. I had no idea what she saw at that time. I mean, I had no idea how much she saw, let's put it that way. And listening to the way the police officer is asking her questions and leading her and telling her no. I remember being so furious the first time I read this. So utterly angry in my soul. I want to know how you feel. So feel free to comment on this episode. By all means. We could dissect my little sister's interview for hours, but this is a loaded episode and I want to get through the timeline in the hours after. So let's Continue on. At 5:20am Russell called Peter Korn, his boss, to come pick us up. CPS had already been called and they were waiting downstairs. But Russell went around them and called his work supervisor. That always struck me as odd. Despite this, CPS did take custody of us and brought us to a foster home. Just a normal house with bunk beds and a quiet bedroom where we finally fell asleep. At 5:42am Detective Spokes and an investigator from the Yavapai County Attorney's Office read Russell his Miranda rights again. They told him he wasn't under arrest and that he could leave any time Russell agreed to be interviewed. What you're about to hear is the whole interview in total incompletion, edit free except for bleeping out the redacted beeps that you don't need to hear. But other than that, this is it. And I want to talk to you on the flip side. So please stay with me.

[Russell Peterson]

At 79 of 93542 hours. President is myself, Detective Walter Spokes with the Sedano Police Department. Investigator Jerry Siravo with the Yaupi County Attorney's Office and Richard Cut. Your full name? My name is Russell Bennett Peterson. Russell Bennett Peterson. Yes, sir. Russell, we're here to talk about the events of the night. Follow involving the death of your wife. Were you married or. No Bridge. We've been together for six years. Six and a half years.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

By which you understand your daughter to rest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to talk to a lawyer and have terms present with you while you are being questioned. If you cannot afford to hire a lawyer, one will be appointed to represent you before any question. If you wish. If you could decide at any time to exercise these rights and not answer any questions or make any statements. Do you understand each of these rights that I've explained?

[Russell Peterson]

Yes, I do.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay. Have these rights in mind. Do you wish to talk those about.

[Russell Peterson]

I've got no problem.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Anything about your rights that he did not understand?

[Russell Peterson]

I understood them 100%.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay. Are you intoxicated?

[Russell Peterson]

Stephanie and myself, we did have a bottle of wine.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

A bottle of wine? Yes. Do you feel that you're imperative in any way, shape or form at this time?

[Russell Peterson]

No, not at this time.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Not at this time?

[Russell Peterson]

No.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay. Have you taken any drugs and medication?

[Russell Peterson]

No, I have not.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Are you suffering from any kind of mental disorder or seeking counselor counseling of any kind?

[Russell Peterson]

No, I'm not.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay. Do you. Do you feel that you're emotionally. All right to talk to us now? To be truthful and honest to and answer that the questions we present you Truth.

[Russell Peterson]

I can answer anything. What you asked me to explain.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay. Follow you earlier. We're here to talk about the events of the night, which is the death of your wife or your significant other, whatever it may be. What is her name?

[Russell Peterson]

Stephanie was her spelled her last name. W A S I L I S H I N. Okay.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Does I understand? You're not correct?

[Russell Peterson]

No, we are not.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay. But you've been together for six years?

[Russell Peterson]

Yes.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay. How long have you been living together?

[Russell Peterson]

Six years.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Six years. You have two children?

[Russell Peterson]

Yes.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Is there any more children?

[Russell Peterson]

No, there is not.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay. Of the two children or any of those children, yours and.

[Russell Peterson]

Yes.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

The youngest one.

[Russell Peterson]

Yes.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay. And the oldest one is through via another rely.

[Russell Peterson]

Another relationship.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Yesterday.

[Russell Peterson]

Okay.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay. What time did you guys get up.

[Russell Peterson]

Yesterday? We got up 11:30. 11:30, 11:30, quarter 12.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

About that same.

[Russell Peterson]

Yeah.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Why don't you go through the events of the day?

[Russell Peterson]

Well, the events of the day, they're pretty consistent and easy. I mean, I get up, we make some coffee, we go to work. She's the pastry chef at the restaurant where I am the chef of. We work. It's at Pietro's restaurant. And we work real well together. We Go into work at 12, 12:30. We can check her time card when she got there. She takes care of all the desserts, I take care of all the other things that go on at a restaurant. She left at 5:30, quarter to 6. I left at 11, came home, took a shower.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

If you always start when you boy. Was there any problems at work yesterday?

[Russell Peterson]

No, nothing whatsoever.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay, so she left about five thirty, you said four or six. No problems then?

[Russell Peterson]

None.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay, then you got off at 11, okay. And went home. What's she called? Yes, she was a children home.

[Russell Peterson]

Yes, I was.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Was there anybody else at the house?

[Russell Peterson]

No, there was.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay, well, why don't we get detailed now, okay, about what happened there. Just female narrative, well detailed.

[Russell Peterson]

I come home, I give her a kiss, I go, how's everything? And she has a tendency sometimes to.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Be.

[Russell Peterson]

A little aggressive because she's home with the kids and all this. I go into the shower, I come back out, we sit, we talk, we go to bed. And the next morning happens.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay, what happened last night when you got follow up?

[Russell Peterson]

You're talking about this night?

[Detective Walter Spokes]

This night or it's actually this night or last night?

[Russell Peterson]

Right. This night I worked. I got a ride home from Susie, who was a waitress at the time. She was working as a hostess slash bartender, bus person. Just kind of fill in wherever needed. We left, I come home. Stephanie is sitting on the couch.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

What's Susie's last name?

[Russell Peterson]

Susie's last name? No, I do not know her last name. But she's an employee at the restaurant. Very easy to find out.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay, is there any kind of relationship between you?

[Russell Peterson]

None whatsoever.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay. Has there been in the past?

[Russell Peterson]

Never.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay, so she gave you a ride home?

[Russell Peterson]

Yeah.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay. We get home and I get home.

[Russell Peterson]

I give Stephie a little kiss.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

She's sitting on the couch.

[Russell Peterson]

She's sitting on the couch. I have a bottle of wine. I have a bottle of Jordan Cabernet. I go and took the shower, I take a shower.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Did you guys have this bottle of wine before you went to the shower?

[Russell Peterson]

I brought it home with me. Yeah.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Did you drink it then and take a shower or his brother?

[Russell Peterson]

No, I brought it home, I set it on the table. She had already had. She had already been drinking something, whatever it was. So I go into the shower, I come back out. Uh.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

What time are we talking about at this time?

[Russell Peterson]

We're talking about 11:15, 11:30.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay.

[Russell Peterson]

I'm sitting next to her on the couch. I open the bottle of wine. She has a glass, I have a glass. We drink it and there becomes a confrontation. She tells me that she talked with.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Father.

[Russell Peterson]

I do.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

What she.

[Russell Peterson]

His name is.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Where does he live?

[Russell Peterson]

He lives down in Phoenix.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Do you know what his phone number is?

[Russell Peterson]

You know, I didn't visit at the house. That's it. I don't know. Okay, so she tells me that she's been talking. She talked with him for about two hours, two and a half hours, whatever it was, and had a nice conversation with him. Fine and dandy, no big deal. It becomes a little confrontational.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

What?

[Russell Peterson]

I don't know why.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

On your part.

[Russell Peterson]

On her part, I don't know why. You know what it is? I was accepted. I was the 9th or 10th accepted to go to Cornell University, which we can go to my house right now. I can show you my plane tickets, my agenda. I'm going there for a taste of the corn on Bleu, which is a professional advanced program for chefs.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay, where's that?

[Russell Peterson]

Sex and Ithaca, New York.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay.

[Russell Peterson]

Now where.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Where is the stuff located at your house?

[Russell Peterson]

It's sitting right on the mantle.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

I.

[Russell Peterson]

Plane tickets, everything.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay.

[Russell Peterson]

And ever since she knew about that, she has felt like, well, why you and not me?

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Did she. A fire or do you have. You have to understand. Neither one. I'm not a shadow.

[Russell Peterson]

Okay. No, no, no, no, no. What? I mean, the fact of.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

How do you get to this point?

[Russell Peterson]

I've done this for 15 years.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay. Do you have to apply for this?

[Russell Peterson]

I applied for that. I called them up. I saw it in the Ass and the Food Narc magazine. I called them up. They sent me an application. I filled it all out. I sent back my application. And after being reviewed, because, I mean, it's a $4,000 course. Just because you may have the money to pay for it doesn't mean you're accepted. They want professional people. So I get a call back, russell, you've been accepted. And it has. I don't say it's created a confrontation, but it's been like, you know, why you? Why not me? Well, you know, for 15 years, I basically learned this from the get go. No formal training, no nothing.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Did she apply?

[Russell Peterson]

No. She's not a boy.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay.

[Russell Peterson]

And so I was accepted. And I am supposed to lead to. My father's gonna come and pick me up. Are supposed to come and pick me up. Saturday, I leave at 11:30 at night. Saturday night, I fly from Phoenix to Pittsburgh. I arrived in Pittsburgh at 6:30. I leave Pittsburgh at 8:30, and I arrive in Ithaca at night. And I'm there for two weeks.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

It's a two week course. It's a two week course dot okay. So it's not like you're going to be gone for.

[Russell Peterson]

No, it's a two week course.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay.

[Russell Peterson]

It's a two week course.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay. So things are becoming a little bit confrontational.

[Russell Peterson]

Very minute.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay.

[Russell Peterson]

I mean, it all depends on kind of how she is at any given point in time.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay.

[Russell Peterson]

For the most part, we were very stable. And I, for the life of me, I swear to God, I don't know why she went into the bedroom.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay, let's do it. All right. You come out of the shower.

[Russell Peterson]

I come out of the shower. We're sitting there, step by step, we talk.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay.

[Russell Peterson]

She's on the left hand side. I'm in the center of the couch talking. We're talking. It becomes a little heated, but nothing that a relationship hasn't had happen in the past. So I didn't think anything of it. I've had this.44 Magnum that my father gave to me as a gift for over two and a half years. It sits up in the closet. I've only taken it out once to go shooting, which is like Lower Red Breath Loop Road. And you can pull off to the side, me and the son of Emil, Colonel's coffee pot. We went over there. He had a couple of shotguns, rifles. I had this. He had a.45. Only time it's ever been shot. But it's been loaded and it's been sitting up there.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Is it completely loaded?

[Russell Peterson]

It was completely loaded.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay.

[Russell Peterson]

With the hollow point Bonacci Italian bullets in it. And she goes into the bed, she goes into the bedroom and she comes back out, she has a gun in her hand and she cocks it back and she goes, russell, I'm going to shoot you. Then I put my hands. I said, casta, why? What are we talking about here? And I don't think her intentions truly were to shoot me as opposed to maybe a fight.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

What did you think at that point in time? I mean, do you think she's just screwing around or you think, what is going on here? I mean, you tell me what you state of mind.

[Russell Peterson]

No, I've been with her for six years, okay? So I kind of felt that she was screwing around. Maybe a little more than screwing around because it's been sitting up there untouched. And now she goes and picks it up and I mean, she's got the hammer cockpit and she's about to point that at me. It's pointed at me. And you're sitting where I'm sitting in the center of the couch. Okay.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay.

[Russell Peterson]

So now she fires it. And like I said, I wouldn't be here if it would have hit me. I'm sure you saw the bullet in the Putin's. Wherever it hit in the wall.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Did she fire it at you or above you or what?

[Russell Peterson]

It was above me.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Do you think it was purposely above you or she just missed you?

[Russell Peterson]

It was probably purposely above. If she wanted to hit me, she wouldn't hit me.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay.

[Russell Peterson]

Yeah. At that point they said stuff. I mean, what, are you crazy? I mean, what's the matter with you? And she goes walking into the bath, into the bedroom, and she cocks it back again and she goes, first of all, I'm going to kill me.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Where are you at this time?

[Russell Peterson]

At this time, I get off the couch and I am following her into the hallway, into the bedroom.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay.

[Russell Peterson]

And we're talking. She is standing right in front of the closets. And, you know, after. After having one that rang above my head and everything else, I grabbed her hands and we struggle a little bit. And the next thing I know, it went off and she dropped. And at first I thought it was. I don't know what went through my mind. None of it was accidental. Yes. Thinking that it's really not true. Yes. And I look down at her and I see her fists on the ground and her glasses and I see blood.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

How was she faced at that time?

[Russell Peterson]

She was face down on the ground, kind of on her side with her legs somewhat up to her chest. Then I looked at her. I didn't believe what happened. I did not believe what happened. And I panicked. I looked. I saw down the hallway. I went into the bathroom. I came back out and I thought, you know, well, you know, she's going to be up. No, she was not up. She was not up. Then that's when I called 911 and I said, I need help. I need help. There's been an accident. I need help.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

You go into the bedroom and she talks the person again.

[Russell Peterson]

It was already cocked when you went.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Into the bedroom, it was already cocked for him.

[Russell Peterson]

The second time.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

For the second time. Yes. And she said, I might treat you again.

[Russell Peterson]

Yes. And you. I mean, we love each other. I mean, you can talk to people, you can do whatever you want to do. We have a very. We had whatever, I mean, a good and semi bad relationship, just as relationships felt. And after the first time, I mean, the gun was never grabbed before. I mean, after six years, I mean, it sat up there for a year and a half almost to have never died before.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

But you go in the bedroom.

[Russell Peterson]

Yeah.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

She's already caulked again. For a second time.

[Russell Peterson]

Yes.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Do you see this? Do you hear this? How do you know?

[Russell Peterson]

How do I know? Because after she shot the first time and I said, steph, what's the matter with you? She cocked it again the second time and she turned around and walked into the bedroom.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay. You followed her in there?

[Russell Peterson]

Yes.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay, then what happens? Detail. Real detail.

[Russell Peterson]

Real detail. As detailed as I can give you.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

How you're facing, how everybody's facing, what it said every time.

[Russell Peterson]

I can't tell you exactly what was said. We were standing in front of a closet.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Facing each other.

[Russell Peterson]

Facing each other. And she has the gun.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

On which hand? Oh, my God.

[Russell Peterson]

She's right handed. It had to be her right hand. It had to be her right hand. And she's kind of flinging it around to a certain extent.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Pointed at you or not at you?

[Russell Peterson]

Well, I mean at me. At the. I mean, just pointing it around.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay.

[Russell Peterson]

And I. Right for head.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

How did you breath her?

[Russell Peterson]

I grabbed my wrists.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Like her wrist? Yes. Okay.

[Russell Peterson]

And there was a struggle.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

How long of a struggle?

[Russell Peterson]

Couldn't have been more than 15 seconds. 20 seconds.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Did you go to the ground? Did you get the vet?

[Russell Peterson]

No, we never hit the ground.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Just right there in front of.

[Russell Peterson]

Just right in front of the closet. And you never hit the ground.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Did you bend over?

[Russell Peterson]

Did she bend over?

[Detective Walter Spokes]

I mean, read four. I know, I just drift straight up out.

[Russell Peterson]

We were standing straight up. Obviously, if there's going to be some kind of a struggle. It happened so fast. It happened so fast. It was never meant to happen. It happened so fast. It shouldn't have been.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Were you trying to get the kind.

[Russell Peterson]

Of way to learn what we.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

What was going on here?

[Russell Peterson]

See, I can honestly look at you and tell you I don't know. Whatever possessed her to pick it up in the first place? I don't know. We're not talking about the first place. We're talking about the struggle.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

What were you trying to do? Were you trying to break it up in her hand? We just trying to. What were you trying to do?

[Russell Peterson]

I'm just trying to get it out of her hand.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Both hands on her hand? On one hand on each wrist. How were you?

[Russell Peterson]

I don't know. I can't honestly tell you that. I can think back and say I know exactly how we were. No, I don't know. All I know is that it went off again and she dropped.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Where was it?

[Russell Peterson]

Gunman was in her hand. It's like it was in her and was in her hand. I didn't believe it. I went into the bathroom. I saw standing in the hall. I turned back around and I forgive nasdaq. You're just going to stand up? I know she didn't stand up. And.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

I got nervous.

[Russell Peterson]

I didn't know what to do. Well, I knew what to do. I mean, but the only thing to do was call 911 and say, I need help. I need an ambulance. There has been. There has been a bad accident from.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

The time of the shooting till you go and bring them up how long it touched, but he's dead.

[Russell Peterson]

Two and a half minutes at best. Two minutes.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay, then. Did you ever touch her or the gut after that?

[Russell Peterson]

Yes, I did. I picked her up by her head as I saw the blood and there was no life. And after I did that, I said to myself, I didn't know what to do and I didn't want to be accused of murder of anything like that. As if you picked up the gun. I put it in the holster, I put it back in the closet. I brought it back down and I said, no, I mean, that's stupid. It's happened. There's nothing that can. You can do about it at this point. And I set it back on the ground and then you guys can.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

So if I get this right, you tell me if I'm wrong. I'm missing. You picked her, rolled her over or whatever with her head in your hand?

[Russell Peterson]

Yes. Which hand?

[Detective Walter Spokes]

And how did you roll her? Or what did you do?

[Russell Peterson]

How did I roll her? What did I do?

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Did you pick her up, lift her.

[Russell Peterson]

Up or did you. No, if I would have lifted her up, there would have been just up all over my shirt. I just picked up her head and I looked and I saw her glasses were cracked and I saw. I saw the blood on the ground. That's how this gets. It got all in the sand.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

There's a. Is that a woman right there?

[Russell Peterson]

No, it's probably just coagulated blood. I would like hands and not left tapes. Okay, then.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Then you picked up the gun, put it in the holster.

[Russell Peterson]

Shooting gun was laying next to her. Okay. I didn't know what to think. I was very nervous. I put it in the holster. I put it back up in the closet.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Where was the holster at?

[Russell Peterson]

The holster was on the floor. The holster was on the floor.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

So you put it back in the holster. Put it back in the closet.

[Russell Peterson]

Up on the shelf. Okay. 15, 20 seconds fast. I took it back out of the Holster. I set it on the ground, and I called nine uncle.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay. Did you take it back out of the holster?

[Russell Peterson]

Mm.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

You can just set it down. You got to ride home with the girl. Was it over that?

[Russell Peterson]

No. I had nothing. Susie's a good friend of hers. I mean, we're. It's a small restaurant. There's only 14 tables. I mean, there's six employees. Eight employees. But I could see.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

I could see getting the right home with a woman. Yeah. And. And have nothing to do with that other being angry.

[Russell Peterson]

When I came in, she had already been, like, brewing or stewing. Maybe. It had to have to do with the fact that she spent an hour and a half or two hour conversation with Craig, her ex, whatever the case may be. Then I come in, I give her a kiss. She's a little snippy and snide, but talk to anybody who knows her. I mean, that's Stephanie. She's spicy. And I take a shower. I come back out, sit. That happened.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

What is the fight over? What is the. What are the words Over.

[Russell Peterson]

As she feels that I work too much and I quit for more at work than I do at my home life. But the bottom line is, I mean, in a small town like Sedona, I've been lucky to be up here. And I make a good dollar doing what I do. Not free, but enough to, you know, put a roof over everybody's heads, food on the table. I mean, the refrigerator and everything else.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

And.

[Russell Peterson]

And then it developed into, you know, maybe. Maybe I'll be better off when you do go to Ithaca, you know, two weeks apart from each other and, you know, never been apart for six years and will give us both a chance maybe to chill, to relook at a relationship, to do whatever, just to have a little bit of separation. There's nothing wrong with separation on a limited scale.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Yes. Did I. You go to work, she goes home around 5:36. You come home around 11. You bring a bottle of wine off, you set it down, and you go take a shower. Correct. You come out, you talk. Things get a little heated for whatever reason, she goes out and gets a guy, comes out, confronts you because it says you got to shoot. She went. Absolutely. Do you talk for a few minutes.

[Russell Peterson]

Or she just crank up on it? It happened when I tell you sometimes, I mean, my time span might be long, but when you're. I mean, I've never been confronted in that situation whatsoever in my entire life, then, you know, you're looking down the barrel of what that is, and I won't say I was looking down because she's standing in the hallway.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay, so you're in the middle of the couch. Where's she standing?

[Russell Peterson]

She's standing in the hallway.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

About how far is that?

[Russell Peterson]

Oh, it's probably 15, 20ft.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay.

[Russell Peterson]

And she stands in the hallway and she's just. Just talking. I can't remember the exact conversation. And she's shot and that. I mean, you know, my hands are not stuff. What are we doing here? What are we talking about? Come on. I mean, you know, we're friends, we're lovers. We're everything. I mean, you know, we work together. We were a perfect mesh and combination of teamwork. I mean, there's one Italian restaurant in the whole town, really, and that's Pietro, since Spice is closed. And if you want to count Hideaway, which is nothing. And.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Again. Right.

[Russell Peterson]

Copped it again.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Yes. And then goes in into there.

[Russell Peterson]

Yes. And I followed her into the bedroom.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Keep on. Why did you go in there? Take the gun from her and did you shoot her?

[Russell Peterson]

No, I did not.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Did she go in there and shoot herself?

[Russell Peterson]

No, I won't say she shot herself. But when I once said I shot at her, what exactly?

[Detective Walter Spokes]

During your struggle?

[Russell Peterson]

During our struggle. Breaking found the plaza.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

And we talked about this and. And basically before we went on tape, like, I want to clear these things up. We had a cigarette outside. Now it's outdoor, basically. We've been here a little bit, but we were basically trying to clear some things up with your kids. All right. Get them placed. And we really didn't talk about the case up there.

[Russell Peterson]

No, we did not.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay. Did talk to you just shortly before coming in here about a consent search warehouse, and you said you were willing to sign that. Okay. And I explained to you that we.

[Russell Peterson]

Were looking at this thing and we.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Will work at it. We will work it as a homicide until we can clear either way. And we want to do a search of your house.

[Russell Peterson]

And I told you we wanted to.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Do a consent of your house. Consent search your house. You give us permission?

[Russell Peterson]

I give you permission to search my house.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay. And that. That you did not have to do that. You know, I advised you that if you did not do that, we would make application for a search warrant for your house. That does not mean a search warrant.

[Russell Peterson]

Will be granted for your house.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

That means we will apply in a magistrate will review. But we apply it or judge or straightforward judge, whoever and determine if he thinks we have enough probable caused to search for your house. I will tell you right up front, there's a body in your house, Obviously we have some right to investigate and that probably will be granted. Okay. But as you said, you had don't.

[Russell Peterson]

Come with nothing to hide.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Okay, Detectives, folks, has provided us with a consent to search form and I'm going to go ahead and throw it out. Okay? Okay.

[Russell Peterson]

All right.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

What is your full name again?

[Russell Peterson]

My name is Russell Bennett Peterson.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

R U S S E L L. Yes.

[Russell Peterson]

B E N N E T T S O N.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

What's the last name?

[Russell Peterson]

Peterson.

[Detective Walter Spokes]

Figureship.

[Russell Peterson]

Yes.

[Nikki]

Welcome back. Yeah, that was a lot. So let's unpack what he just said. Number one, Russell brings up my dad, Craig, multiple times. That call my mom had with her ex clearly rattled him. Number two, he admits they struggled. His words. We struggled a little and the next thing you know, it went off and she dropped. That's consistent with what he told the 911 dispatcher. He says the struggle lasted 15 to 20 seconds. That's a long time when someone is holding a loaded.44 Magnum. Number three, he tampered with the crime scene. He admits he picked the gun up, put it back in the closet, then staged it next to my mom's body. He says that's when he saw Christina standing in the hallway. Number four. He says he called 911 shortly after, but phone records prove otherwise. Before he called 911 at 1:40am he made another call at 1:36 to his father. That means he waited at least four minutes before calling for help. What happened in those three minutes after the call with his dad? That is still unknown. The timeline continues. At 6:15am the police and Russell took a smoke break together. Yes. Really? A smoke break together. At 6:32am Russell calls his dad again. All lines were recorded, but I've never been able to get that tape. At 6:55am Russell signed a consent to search form of our home. By 7:07am officers accompanied him back to the home on Coffee pot Drive. At 7:20am Russell's mother called the station to ask if my mom was really dead. The police confirmed it. Back at the house, they seized Russell's clothing and began photographing the crime scene. Detective spokes found a yellow chain with a broken clasp by the door and more jewelry underneath my mother's body. The necklace was broken, which is more proof of a struggle. He also recovered bullet fragments. A bullet jacket with long hairs attached, a torn green night shirt, red underwear, a.44 Magnum with two fired cartridges. My mom's glasses were found tangled in her hair on the floor. At 9:55am eight hours later, her body was finally removed from the scene and taken to Phoenix for autopsy. By 1:10pm nearly 12 hours after her death, Sedona Police Department finally contacted my family. Russell's entire family and their co workers from Pietro's had already been informed my side of the family. No one had called them yet. The officer finally reached my Aunt Kathy and asked her to tell my grandmother. At 1:20, Officer Brooks attended my mother's autopsy. Dr. Philip Keene's findings included a contact gunshot wound. The bullet severed her windpipe and spinal cord. It exited through the back of her neck. Stacey died instantly and her BAC was 0.17 and without waiting any further testing, Dr. Keen told police this was a homicide. At that time that was confirmed by observation alone. My mother never had a chance. The last thing I remember from that day was sitting in the Sedona Police Department hallway waiting for CPS to take us away. The foster home was kind. The kids room bunk beds were cool. I slept, but in my dreams I could still hear my little sister's voice. Poppy killed Mommy. Poppy killed mommy. Puppy killed Mommy. And even then I still didn't believe her. This podcast is independent. No sponsors, no production team. Just me trying to tell my mother's story the only way I know how. Truthfully, it's time consuming and emotionally draining, so if you'd like to support the show, there's a Support the show button at the bottom of the episode notes. I've also started a GoFundMe to help me represent my mom at CrimeCon. Right now I don't have the money for a banner or a tablecloth or the merch. As of today, I'll be sitting there with just a fat old Chihuahua, a smile and a wave. If you're able to contribute, I'd be forever grateful. And as a thank you, I'll personally send you a handwritten card and a first generation Poppy killed Mommy merch sticker. You can find the GoFundMe link in my bio. If you have any information about the death of Stephanie Marie Wasolition, please contact the Sedona Police Department at 928-282-3100. And as always, a reminder that the individual mentioned in this episode is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Before I let you go, I want to take a moment to acknowledge something. This entire process, reopening old wounds and digging through decades of pain, recording and editing each word with care. It's emotionally exhausting and physically draining. At one point this week, the pressure of sticking to a weekly schedule started to affect my work and my life, my health and honestly, my ability to tell this story the way it deserves to be told. So from here on out, I'll be releasing each episode as it's ready. That might mean three days, it might mean a week, it might mean two weeks. But please know I'm committed to bringing you an episode every week to the best of my ability. And thank you for your patience and your support and walking this path with me, because I will tell this story until there is no more story to tell or no more breath in my body. Thank you for listening.

[Russell Peterson]

Sat.