The Cold Case of Stephanie Wasilishin

 The 30 year old Cold Case of Stephanie Wasilishin is indeed very heartbreaking. A mother of two, Stephanie or Stacy to her loved ones was in the prime of her life when it was tragically cut short. 

On July 9th, 1993 in the early hours of the morning a 911 call was received by Sedona Police Department in Sedona, Arizona, USA. The caller was Russell Peterson and he told the 911 operator there had been a domestic dispute. Officers were dispatched and arrived shortly after 1:40 am. 

Arriving on the scene, the officers tried to piece together what had unfolded. Stacy was laying deceased on the floor from a large caliber gunshot to the neck. A. 44 magnum was a over Stacy's right shoulder. Paramedics arrived a short time later and after beung unable to find a pulse she was pronounced dead. Russell was notified of this, but the two children, three and ten years od age, were not told at that time. Russell accounted his version of the events to the officers, which have changed multiple times. He stated that he finished work at 11pm at a restaurant where he and Stacy worked. He said Stacy was already home and apparently drinking. Russell had a plane ticket for a two week cooking course he was to attend in New York and this allegedly upset Stacy. According to Russell, Stacy went berserk, went into the couples bedroom and retrieved Russell's handgun. It was then that one round is fired at Russell who is sitting on the couch at this moment. It was then that Stacy moved to the bedroom and where a second shot is fired. In the 911 call, Russell was very vague on details. Specifically, on who was in control of the weapon. When the 911 operator asked who shot her, Russell says this "We were... I don't know Who." when the operator pressed, he continued "I might have... She might have." In later interview, Russell divulge there had been a struggle and that "there was a pop and she dropped". It is also revealed that Russell had returned the handgun into the holster and then closet in a bizarre move before realising what he had done and then returned the gun to where the police would initially find it. 

The autopsy was classed as a homicide, with the biggest piece of evidence being that gun powder residue had been found on Stacy's left hand,which was her non dominant hand. Unfortunately, Russell's hands were never tested for GPR. This being one of the worst mistakes the police did. The medical examiner also concluded that Stacy was in a defensive posture when she had died. In September of 1993, Russell would do his final interview with police. He changed his story to where there had been no struggle and that she died some distance away from him. When asked if there had ever been any abuse in the relationship on his end, he denied it. However  Stacy had told her mother there were over 50 instances of physical and verbal abuse. 

Over the course of the investigation, Russell would be classed as a suspect or an "investigative lead". The case would be submitted twice to the Yavapai County Attorneys office for charges but would be rejected due to insufficient evidence. An FBI agent would meet with the family but alas dis nor go anywhere as FBI have to be requested by the police department investigating to help, and the Yavapai PD rejected such help. The biggest question remaining is, if murder, what was the motive? Seldom reported on in the proceeding years is the fact that on the night that Stacy was killed, she had spent an hour and half talking to her ex husband and making plans. Plans to leave Russell when he was out of town. This and the revelations of countless occasions of abuse Stacy had told her mother. This makes it only only too clear what realky happened in her daughter, Nikki’s eyes. Nikki and her aunt Wendy would be responsible for being Stacy's main advocates fighting for justice in a now 30 year spanning saga. If you were impacted by Stephanie Wasilishin's case, please consider signing this petition to get law enforcement agencies to act 

https://www.change.org/p/demand-a-complete-homicide-investigation-for-the-murder-of-stephanie-marie-wasilishin

You can follow Nikki's Tik Tok to stay up to date with her journey for justice:

https://www.tiktok.com/@nicolewasilishin726?_t=8mrvqCJ0IJE&_r=1