Transcript
Nikki Wasslichen (0:04)
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 is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Listener discretion is advised. Last episode I introduced my mother to you and the world. Stephanie Marie Wasslichen, who liked to be called Stacy, who died during a domestic violence altercation with her boyfriend while I was sleeping. Her death was ruled a homicide by the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office. And not only that, the medical examiner found evidence her hands were up in defense when she was shot. Her boyfriend, Russell Peterson, or just Russell in this story, admits on the 911 call that he might be responsible. A witness, his three year old daughter, who tells police again and again, poppy killed Mommy. Despite all these facts, no charges were ever pressed against him. After 28 years, my curiosity got the better of me and I decided to investigate my mother's death and the events leading up to it. So today I'm taking you back to July 8, 1993, my mother's last day. For storytelling purposes, I'll call her by her chosen nickname, Stacey. Breaking down the timeline from the last day of my mother's life, July 8th started at 11:30am when Stacy and Russell got up for work. They both worked at Pietro's, an Italian restaurant in Sedona, Arizona. According to the case file. Russell said, we woke up, we had some coffee, we went to work around 12 to 12:30pm Multiple reports in the case file from coworkers all stressed the fact Stacy was not having a good day that day. One was Susie Corbett, a co worker who spoke to Stacy several times. She said Stacy was upset because Russell was working too much and not paying attention to her or the children. Susie also said Stacy was stressed over money and Russell's upcoming trip, which I'll explain later in more detail. Susie had made plans to get off work and visit Stacey's house. After that, she was going to take the two kids to her home for the night, but couldn't because another employee went home early. Another coworker, Kate Ellen Gant, told investigators she was very close with Stacey and thought of her like a sister. Over the past year and a half, Stacy had confided in her about her problems. Kay said Stacy was upset because Russell seemed married to his work and wasn't paying enough attention to her. From what I can find in the case file, Katherine Dindler was the last one to see Stacy in person. She told police Stacy was upset and not having a good day. Catherine last saw Stacy on Thursday, July 8, 1993 between 5:30 and 5:45pm in the parking lot of Pietro's just before her shift. This last conversation with Katherine happened during that 15 minute window outside the restaurant. After that, Stacy got into her tan Nissan truck and drove home to the house on Coffee Pot Drive, arriving home around 6pm from 6 to 7:42pm Stacy's activities are unknown. In my police interview, I'm quoted as saying my sister and I watched TV and played hide and seek until mom got angry and sent us to our rooms because she was on the phone. I also told the police my mom and Russell seemed to argue about his working too much and that he didn't spend enough time with the family. Mom was also upset about the money Russell was spending going to cooking school. The police asked if Russell drank a lot. I answered he might. At work, when Russell drinks too much, he just bumps into things. After studying the phone bill from that night, Stacey's movements become clear. At 7:42pm Stacy called her sister Wendy in El Cajon, California. The call lasted 24 minutes. Wendy told police Stacy was not in a good mood. The case file also said Stacy hadn't had sex in seven months and had arranged for the kids to be gone so she and Russell could be alone that evening. Those plans fell through when Susie Corbett had to stay at work. The call with Wendy ended at 8:06pm within the same minute of hanging up with Wendy, Stacey called her ex, Craig Daly, my father, at 8:06pm this call lasts 107 minutes, 1 hour and 47 minutes. Stacy and Craig didn't talk every night and if they did, it was usually quick and about money or visits with me. This phone call was different. Stacy was upset and drunk. Craig's longtime girlfriend had just moved out and he was sitting alone in an empty house when Stacy called. The conversation with my dad, Craig ended around 9:53pm Wendy called Stacy back at 10:30pm around 37 minutes after Stacy got off the phone with my dad. Craig. Wendy spoke with stacey for about 35 minutes. Then, in this second phone call, Stacy's attitude was different. In the case file, Wendy reports Stacy as happy just after that second phone call with Aunt Wendy. A little after 11pm I walked up to my mom to say goodnight for the last time. The house in Sedona had an unusual floor plan. Mom arranged the front room with a floating couch so she could watch TV and look out the big picture window because the red rocks were absolutely gorgeous. This let me come up behind her and give her a backward neck hug and a kiss on the cheek. She asked if I brushed my teeth or walked the dog. I knew she'd been drinking, so I gambled and I lied. Mom didn't get up to check. That's when I turned and walked away. In my head, I was scheming about lying and getting away with it. I walked through the living room into the kitchen, into the laundry room hallway and turned left. That's where I found my three steps to go down to my bedroom, which was a converted garage at basement level. Several minutes later, I heard Russell come home from work. That's the last thing I remember of July 8, 1993. So I was able to obtain the audio files from Russell Peterson's interrogations with the Sedona Police Department in 1993. What you're going to hear next is bits and snippets of his first interrogation with Sedona Police Department just hours after my mother's death. I'm going to do my best to tell his story through his words. What I can't fit in, I'll definitely fill in myself. Russell told Belize he left work around 11pm his coworker Susie Corbett and her boyfriend gave him a ride home.