Content Warning: This case has sensitive information, graphic descriptions, and mentions of domestic violence and suicide. Your health comes first, so take care!
Let's keep the conversation supportive and uplifting for the active family involved in getting justice for this case. Thank you!
Hello there! I'm genuinely grateful for your presence here as we dive into the timeline and details of Stephanie Wasilishin's case. Rather than a traditional story, you'll find a collection of facts meticulously gathered amidst the complexities of various accounts from that night. It's been a challenging endeavor, akin to collecting raindrops in a bucket, and while I've done my best to organize everything, a few items may need to be corrected along the way.
I believe in the urgency of this work, so I'm sharing it in a slightly less polished state than I'd prefer. Your support in this investigation means the world to me and Stephanie's family. Here's how you can help: Consider creating content about her case and amplifying it through your social channels. If petitions are circulating, signing them is a decisive step, and staying connected with the family's social media for updates is invaluable.
As always, I offer my work freely for your use, and while I don't ask for payment, any tips are greatly appreciated. They usually go towards spoiling my beloved pets or indulging in much-needed coffee. 🐾☕
If you notice anything in red within the timeline that needs a source, your help tracking those down would be fantastic. Almost all sources come from police reports, hence the page numbers. That's all, and thank you for being part of this important journey!
https://linktr.ee/weathersrabbits
Content creators, you may benefit from the Google document version of this report. I will be updating this version more often. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u1BMSXg3Gp5ZZ2T0SgtaErHkxXqxO8uXejKM1bTw1vk/edit?usp=sharing
A special shoutout to Edrar 'Bird' Sosa, whose insightful suggestion led us to create this timeline and support the Wasilishin family. Bird is a dedicated advocate for this case and an accomplished movie director and podcaster, known for shedding light on another unsolved case, Saint Louis Jane Doe 1983, fondly known as 'Hope.' If you're as passionate about justice as we are, follow Bird on social media to stay updated on 'Hope' and other vital causes they champion. Your support can make a significant impact. Thank you, Bird, for your unwavering dedication!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2215140
https://314birdstudios.com/clepe-home/
Dear Santa Muerte, We humbly dedicate our efforts to seeking justice and closure in Stephanie Wasilishin's memory. With reverence, we ask for your guidance and compassion as we pursue the truth. May your gentle presence comfort those affected by this tragedy, and may we find the answers we seek. Amen.
"She's still there. I just feel like my mom's there. She's still there, and it's the only reason I'd ever wanna live in Sedona again. If I could live here. I wanna buy this house one day," -daughter Nikki.
Watch Nikki’s TikTok talking about her journey to justice. https://www.tiktok.com/@nicolewasilishin726/video/7273262189417565486?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7273559748814013994
https://shorturl.at/jwQR1
Edits
This is a quick edit log to track updated or corrected information. With this much information, it can be easy to lose.
9/8/23 - Updating information about Mr. Daley's interviews to the correct information. Updating information about Peterson’s new wife and his alleged confession to her.
The Location
Nestled among the lush greenery and majestic red rocks of Sedona, Arizona, the quaint two-bedroom family home on 530 Coffee Pot Drive stood in 1993. It is located at the intersection of Sanborn and Coffee Pot Rd. Stephanie Wasilishin(32), her longtime partner Russell Peterson (31), and their two daughters, Kristina (3 but turning four soon) and Nikki (who was 10 in 1993 and is Stephanie's child from a previous relationship), called this two-bedroom house their home. According to a family member, in 2023, the garage had been converted into another bedroom. So, in total, there were three bedrooms at the time in 1993. At the time of the event, the home was a brown and dark brown home.
https://www.fox10phoenix.com/video/1082140
https://www.redrocknews.com/2020/07/16/sedona-police-department-returns-to-1993-case/
Sedona is a small city of around 10,000 people, renowned for its stunning natural beauty, including the iconic "Coffee Pot" rock formation that resembles an old-fashioned percolator coffee pot. The city also boasts a vibrant arts scene and is known for its spiritual energy, attracting visitors worldwide.
Sedona's weather is generally pleasant, with mild winters and warm summers, making it an attractive year-round destination for outdoor activities and relaxation. However, like any other city, Sedona is not immune to crime. According to available statistics, the city had a crime rate of 33.7 per 1,000 residents in 1993, higher than the national average. However, the city has since made significant strides in reducing crime, and today, it has a much lower crime rate compared to the early 1990s.
Despite the time, the family home on Coffee Pot Drive still stands in 2023 and was visited by Wendy Wasilishin in 2022.
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/sedonacityarizona
https://www.weather.gov/fgz/sedona
https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/az/sedona/crime
https://dreamsedona.com/coffee-pot-rock.html
History Before Incident
1987 (Estimated) to July 1993
Prior to the incident, there had been a history of conflict between Stephanie Wasilishin and her boyfriend, Russell Peterson. The two had been in a tumultuous relationship with arguments over money and Peterson's spending habits. According to the original police report, Wasilishin had confided in her mother more than 50 times that Peterson had physically and emotionally abused her.
"I think this was the end of the road for that relationship," she said. "She was thinking about leaving. My mother offered her home."
Police Report Pg. 43
Police Report Pg. 28
In a 1993 interview, Peterson says he had not raised a hand to her in six years. Based on this information, they began to date around 1987.
"I never in six years ever raised a hand to her."
Pg. 49
However, an interview with her brother Lance Wasilishin had to step in after witnessing Peterson shoving his sister and yelling at her in an incident about two years prior in Phoenix, AZ, at their apartment.
Pg. 43
Peterson admits to investigators that the relationship wasn't always a good one.
Pg. 91
January 1993 - July 9, 1993
According to older sister Kathlean Colm-Anderson, her sister Stephanie Wasilishin confided her unhappiness about six months before her death which had increased over time. Stephanie wanted to leave Peterson due to his physical abuse but hesitated because they had a daughter together. Sister Colm had offered to help her go.
Sister Wendy and Brother Lance mentioned that Stephanie had told them the couple had stopped having sex for about seven months.
Pg 28
Pg. 48
According to Peterson, there were gaps sometimes, but the intimacy he thought had been good.
Pg. 147
In January, Ted Blutter and Peterson go to the Superbowl together because a customer offered it to Blutter. Blutter is the full-time manager of the restaurant where both Peterson and Wasilshin worked. Since being hired by Blutter, Peterson, and Blutter have been close friends who did things together.
Pg. 30
June 29, 1993 (Tuesday)
Bernice Wasilishin (Mother) speaks with Stephanie on the phone for the last time. They were making plans to go to Disneyland.
Pg. 43
The Day Before Incident
July 7, 1993 (Wednesday)
11:30 AM
The couple wakes up together. Peterson makes coffee, and they both have a bit of coffee before their work shifts start.
Pg.23
Pg. 82
12:00-12:30 PM
They both go to work. According to Peterson, they work together with no problems.
Pg.23
5:30 PM
Peterson gives 5:30 PM as Wasilishin's shift ends.
Pg.23
11:00 PM
Peterson said he left work and went home. There, he gives Wasilishin a little kiss, and she's a little aggressive after having been home with the kids. Then he takes a shower, and he goes and sits with her, and they talk. Then they go to bed. There were no problems.
Pg.23
Estimated Time Unknown
Peterson gets a haircut for the trip.
Pg. 121
There is some date confusion in the transcription tapes. They describe events leading up to work shifts on Wednesday, but this is condensed in the police report, causing confusion. It's not a significant issue, but it clarifies Peterson's timelines. Check the police report on page 23 and transcription pages around page 80 for details.
Workshift Leading Up To Event
July 8, 1993 (Thursday)
Early Morning (Estimated)
According to Peterson, he was woken up early, as was custom by the two girls. Wasilishin slept in as was custom because nobody wanted to wake her up.
Pg. 115
11:00-12:30 PM
Wasilishin wakes up, and both Peterson and her get ready to go to work. Then they go to work together. Peterson says they weren’t “necessarily” arguing but outlines that there had been an issue with the dirty house with the kids. Peterson also says Wasilishin was “off,” but it was typical for her to be like this, so he was taking things with a grain of salt.
Pg. 115
5:00 PM - 5:45 PM
Wasilishin and co-worker Cathrin Dinler see each other in the parking lot. Dinler says Wasilishin was not having a good day and asked her to speak with Peterson about the upcoming trip. Wasilishin’s work shift might have ended around this time.
Pg 26
Mr. Korn (Restaurant Owner) gives Chief Irish the 5:45 PM work shift end time for Wasilishin.
Pg.14
Unknown Time / Estimation
Ms. Corbett tells investigators that she had spoken with Wasilishin several times on 07/09/1993. (I think she had meant 07/08/1993) Anyway, according to Ms. Corbett, Wasilishin was upset about something. Ms. Corbett said that she had made plans to get off work early and go over to Wasilishin's residence and visit with her. After visiting, she was going to take the two children with her for the night, but she could not because another employee went home early. Ms. Corbett and Wasilishin are good friends.
Pg 27
Mr. Korn tells Chief Irish that Wasilishin had been distraught lately and that his employees had said she was upset, unhappy, and disturbed about something. The employees felt it was the pending trip Peterson was going to make. Mr. Korn and the employees all seem to be aware that Peterson would be gone for about ten days to New York for a culinary seminar/special training program. They also seemed to know he would be leaving Saturday.
Pg.14
There is some date confusion in the transcription tapes. They describe events leading up to work shifts on Wednesday, but this is condensed in the police report, causing confusion. It's not a significant issue, but it clarifies Peterson's timelines. Check the police report on page 23 and transcription pages around page 80 for details.
Wasilishin Afterwork At Home
Wasilishin allegedly began to drink after her shift but sometime before 11:00 PM, and she also reportedly had a two-hour phone call with her ex and Nikki's father. Nikki said she and her sister watched TV and played hide and seek. Wasilishin was angry with them and kept telling them to go to their rooms and would ask them to go back to their rooms as she was talking to people on the phone.
Nikki wrote some letters after she was sent to her room. Nikki tells Investigator Saravo that her mother was fine at the time and maybe drank a couple of beers. Nikki knew she was on the phone with her father, making arrangements for Nikki to see him. Nikki was aware her mother was upset about the money Peterson was spending for the cooking school and that he was not spending enough time with family, but her interview did not mention when she became aware of this and if it was a topic before bedtime on any phone calls.
Pg. 44
Peterson told investigators that after the fact, he believed Wasilishin was impaired that night.
Pg. 122
7:15 PM
Wendy Wasilishin said she had a phone call with her sister when Stephanie reached out first. Stephanie was in a bad mood. They spoke about her not having sex for seven months and how Stephanie had made plans to have the children out of the house for the evening.
Pg. 43
8:00 PM
The first phone call with Wendy Wasilishin ends, lasting 45 minutes.
Pg. 43
9:00 PM
Neighbors Jeff and Martha Christensen went to bed and said they heard nothing.
Pg. 25
10:00 PM
Detectives ask Peterson when he last spoke with Wasilishin, and he tells them that Wasilishin called him three times while at work and that he thought it was odd. The phone calls allegedly took place between 10:00 PM and 11:15 PM. Peterson implies that these phone calls could mean the events were pre-meditated by Wasilishin.
"I mean once ok, when're you coming home to call me again when you're coming home and to, the repetition of it after the fact leads me to believe, which I have believed from the start, that the conversation, something went on with the conversation. I'll give you my telephone bill, with that she had with Craig, and she called him back at 11:20, which is approximately when I did walk in the door."
Pg. 47- 48
10:30 PM
Wendy Wasilishin calls her sister back, and Wendy says that this time, Stephanie was happy.
Pg. 43
11:00 PM
Nikki goes to bed around this time.
"She was sitting on the couch, and I went up behind her, and I wrapped my arms around her, and I gave her a hug and a kiss, and I told her goodnight, and that was 11 PM on July 8, 1993." - Daughter Nikki.
Peterson says he leaves work about this time and that he got a ride from Suzie. (Ms. Suzie Corbett was later interviewed)
Pg.23
11:05 PM
The phone call with Wendy Wasilishin ends around this time, having been an estimated 35 minutes.
Pg. 43
Peterson Coming Home / Shower
11:15 PM
Is the time given by both Peterson and Ms. Suzie Corbett when they left their workplace and Peterson’s shift had ended. The third and final phone call from Wasilishin to Peterson at his work takes place.
Pg. 47- 48
(Time Estimated) According to Peterson he had one drink at work before coming home.
Pg. 121
Suzie Corbett and her boyfriend (Bradley) gave her and Peterson a ride home that night. Peterson was in a good mood and excited about the trip.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 27)
First Interview Transcript Pg. 84
Second Interview Transcript Pg. 147
Peterson said he was in a good mood because of the upcoming trip. “Happy” and “Excited”
Second Interview Transcribed Tpaes Pg. 121
Nikki said she heard Peterson come in about 15 mins after she went to bed at 11:00 PM.
11:20 PM
Peterson tells investigators that Wasilishin called Mr. Craig Daley again when he walked into the door of his home. Once again, Peterson implies that he believes this phone call was a catalyst for Wasilishin firing the gun at him later.
"So the, there was something that, there was no reason for after our two-hour conversation which was highly unusal. There was no reason for her to really have to call back. To call back because to confirm something? I feel that the act, I for..., no I Can't forgive for wanting to kill me, but I feel that the act was premeditated."
Peterson said he sat down after coming home and had the bottle of wine, and then Wasilishin said, "Russell you fuckin' stink.” Peterson says that he takes a shower after that.
Peterson Transcribed Tapes (Fourth Interview) Pg. 48, 49
11:00 - 11:20 PM (Estimated)
Peterson initially tells Officer Brooks that when he arrived home, Wasilishin had already been drinking, and she was sitting on the couch.
Officer Brooks Report
Police Report Transcribed First Interview Pg. 85
11: 15 - 11:30 PM
Peterson gives the timeframe of 11:15 - 11:30 PM as the time he comes into the home, gives Wasilishin a kiss, and then takes a shower.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg.23) Peterson’s First Interview
After the greeting kiss Wasilishin was snippy and snide, but Peterson said that was just her and she was spunky.
Pg. 97
"She's the first one to say, Russell, you stink. After the way you work you smell like grease, take a shower, clean yourself up. Come back, come back out."
Second Interview Pg. 149
Couch And Argument
At this point in the timeline, the estimated time is about 11:30 PM. Peterson has already arrived home and has greeted Wasilishin. Wasilishin was already sitting on the couch when he got home. Peterson came home with a bottle of “Jordan Wine,” a cabernet that he had brought in specifically to celebrate his trip. This bottle is placed on the table, and then he takes the after-work shower at Wasilishin’s prompting. After the shower, he returns and sits on the couch in the living room with Wasilishin. Peterson tells multiple versions of how this time on the couch goes, but the gist is that he and she are drinking together, talking, and, in some versions, arguing. It was also implied that both Peterson and Wasilishin had expected to have intimacy that night. The television is on in the living room, and there is a candle burning on top. The room had the makings of romance, according to Peterson.
Peterson's Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 49
Police Report Transcribed First Interview Pg. 85
Second Interview Pg. 149
A small note here about intoxication. Peterson said that both he and Wasilishin had shared the entire bottle of wine. They had each had two glasses, and he had one drink while at work. Peterson said he was slightly impaired.
Police Report Transcription First Interview Pg. 81
Second Interview Transcription Tapes Pg. 125
911 Call Report
Peterson tells 911 that he and his wife had been in an argument.
911 Call Recording around the 20-second marker.
Initial Statements
Peterson tells Officer Brooks that Wasilishin was "quite upset" about his upcoming trip; he brings up that Wasilishin had been drinking and her extended phone conversation with her ex-boyfriend. Sgt. Stinson put in his initial report that Peterson said the two had been arguing. Officer Brooks writes in the synopsis of his report that Ms. Wasilishin died of a large caliber gunshot wound to the throat after a reported domestic fight with her live-in boyfriend.
Peterson's Initial Report To Officer Brook Pgs 1-6
Sgt. Stinson Report Pgs 7-8
Officer Brooks Report Pgs 1-6
First Interview
Peterson tells them that his kiss to Wasilishin and shower took place between 11:15 - and 11:30 PM. In this version of events, the conversation on the couch takes place sometime after 11:30 PM. However, Peterson gives no exact timeframe. Peterson tells them he shared a bottle of wine that night with Ms. Wasilishin. Peterson said he talked with her, and she started to tell him about a two-hour phone call with her ex Craig Daley. Peterson said the conversation became heated over his upcoming trip. Peterson tells them he's not concerned by the argument because it was not uncommon for Wasilishin to become upset.
Peterson's First Interview Det. Spokes Report Pg. 23-25
There are more details added to this in the transcribed version of this first interview. Peterson said he sits next to her on the couch in the center, and she is on the left-hand side, and he opened his bottle of wine. They each have a glass. "We drink it, and there becomes a confrontation. She tells me that she talked with N(Blanked) father." Peterson said she told him she's been talking, talked with him two hours two and a half hours, and it was a nice conversation. "Fine and dandy. No big deal. It becomes a little confrontational."
Q: Why?
A: I don't know why.
Q: On your part or her part?
A: On her part. I don't know why. You know what it is? I was accepted. I was the ninth or tenth 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 Cordon Bleu", which is a professional advanced program for chefs.
They had to bring Peterson back around to this point in the conversation, and he says this. "I'm in the center of the couch. We're 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.”
The conversation goes on, and he describes the other events, but eventually, they ask him again what the argument is over. "You got a ride home with a girl. Was it over that?" and Peterson replied, "No. It had nothing...Susie's a good friend of hers." They press him a little further on the subject, and he denies she had anything to do with the argument. Eventually, they ask him again what the fight was about. "What are the words over?"
"Um, work. She feels that I work too much and I put forth more at work than I do in my home life. The bottom line is, I mean, in a small town like Sedona I've been lucky to be up here and I make good dollar doing what I do. Not great, but enough to put a roof over everybody's head, food on the table. I mean ______ and everything else. And then it developed into, maybe I'll be better off when you do go to Ithaca. You know, two weeks apart from each other and you know. We've never been apart for six years. And would give us both a chance maybe to chill, to really look at our relationship, to do whatever. Just to have a little bit of separation. There's nothing wrong with separation on a limited scale."
Peterson's First Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 85-86
Second Interview
Peterson describes coming home with his bottle of wine. Wasilishin was on the couch, and she had been drinking. They asked Peterson if she was impaired, and he said he would describe her as impaired after the fact of what happened. Wasilishin tells Peterson of her phone conversation with Craig Daley.
Q: OK, what did she tell you about the conversation with Craig?
A: We've always felt a little bit difference on that point. Meaning that I have no problem with Craig as N(Blanked) father and you caan talk to Craig, you can talk to N(Blanked). There has never been a time where I have said "no its not right." I mean you should have those lines of communication open cause that is your father. It all has to go to how Stephanie puts it. And two and a half hours was not like her. Normally she would call Craig maybe for anything for 12, 8, 10 minutes for the money that he might or might not have owed Bea, Stephanie's mother, for dental bills, for things that have happened. Which I would have paid but Stephanie always siad "no its Craig's responsibilty And uh, what happened? I came out of the shower.
Q: We're still on the…
A: On that, yes.
Q: What was the conversation about, did she say? Did she just, what, tell you "I've just talked to Craig for two and half hours" or what?
A: Craig for two and a half hours and he may and had not may have invited her back to go and stay with him to see if they couldn't patch things up. I don't know the level of conversation they were at.
They asked if she had told Peterson this and if she threatened him. Peterson said she had not threatened him. They asked him how he felt about that conversation and he said "I was uncomfortable but because of the fact that I know that its N(blanked) father and the relationship that we have had, it didn't really bother me all that much." Peterson said it did not make him angry and he did not think she was considering the offer.
"He may or may not have. Gentlemen, I'm telling you everything. It all happened so fast. I told you this the other night. I mean whether what you see on TV through sitcoms, through movies, I mean the next thing I know there was not a heated conversation. There wa nothing where we were like at eye to eye, blow to blows, looking for something confrontational. I was sitting there, she was sitting there."
Peterson then says she did not say a word just got up.
They questioned him on if the situation where Wasilishin was trying to stop him from going on his trip by bringing up her boyfriend and maybe trying it over with him made Peterson angry. Peterson said no but it made him question why, after all he did to help her.
The conversation moves on, but eventually, they ask him if they thought she was seeing anybody. Peterson said she would throw names out, but what she was doing was implying it and then would reject the fact. They asked him if he got tired of actions like that, and he replied
"Uh, no, I didn't, I didn't get tired. It made me more than get to wonder. And the wonder being of, you know, I'm giving you a beautiful house. I'm giving you shelter for your kids. I mean I'm doing everything I can. I'm taking another step in a direction to try and pinnacle not only myself but her cause she's going to be part of the whole thing after its said and done. And I think, you know it became almost her ploy on me to try and invoke a reaction, whether it be one of negativeness or positiveness. And because in my whole life, I mean I'm not one if you want to confront me very aggressively, I'm not going to be the one to come back at you and then cause a step and be out of that type of confrontation. I would rather sit on the outside and you can come and you can provoke, you can talk, you can do whatever you want then I become a real good listener. Ok, fine. Ok fine. Ok, fine. And sometimes for some people, or for a lot of people it works. I like to think of it working adversely. If you become aggressive at me and you want an aggressive reaction, you have established and you are successful in what you kind of wanted to happen. That seeing what you're gonna... my reaction on that kind of level. As opposed to if you get as aggressive as you can and come at me and I just kind of like here and talk to you, or whatever, its puts more of a wonderment as opposed to justification of yes. I see and I know where and how I can press his buttons more or less."
Q: So she was looking for buttons?
A: She was more or less looking for buttons that she can push, yes.
Q: Did she have buttons she could push?
A: No.
Eventually, the conversation comes back to the moment on the couch. Peterson said, "I can't remember exactly the gist of the conversation of how it started but we were talking and it went into, "Well I talked to Craig tonight. I maybe talked to him for 45 minutes and it was almost a two hour...conversation. OK, that's fine and I heard from there there that she kind of picked out little bits and pieces from that kind of, like throw at me to try and see what the response would be. Of which I, you know, but that's not my nature, that's not my demeanor. I mean you're not gonna get at me that way. So, this kind of went on on the couch for abrief period of time and like I said, then it just kind of stopped.”
Second Interview Pg. 149
He goes on to say she didn't say a word, just got up and left, and it was calm and relatively complacent, as can be based on any given night he had.
Peterson's Second Interview Poco Diablo Resort Transcribed Tapes Pgs 115-122
Third Interview
Peterson describes sitting and talking on the couch. "After these issues of the Craig, the uncommon two and a half hour conversation with Craig went back and forth. Not loud. I don't know if you talked to neighbors or whoever, you know not really aggressive."
Pg. 155
Then Peterson said she got up, but that was not uncommon either. She may have been going to lie down or go to the restroom. The interview continues and then steers itself back around to the point on the couch.
Pg. 156
"You know, compounded with a couple of glasses of wine and the pressures of the face of me doing this, but there's no pressure on her really, going to Ithaca. And I think they key point that nobody will never know what transpired. How it transpired. Is that two and a half hour very uncommon conversation between Craig and herself."
Peterson's Third Interview Tapes (Walking Interview At Residence)
Fourth Interview
Peterson says they were sitting on the couch and just talking and goes on to describe this conversation as "no relevance." and "not argumentative, it was not vicious, it, most of it was based on this conversation that she had with Craig."
"We're just talking, and you want to know something? I, I, because it was no relevance because the conversation, it was not, it was not argumentative, it was not vicious, it, most of it was based on this conversation that she had with Craig. Oh, I talked to him, Oh I did this, Oh, Everything else. Fine. You know, I don't have the buttons that you can push to maybe want to put me into that mode. We're just sittin' talkin' talkin' not a big deal. Phew, you know, it's, I may or may not have told you this, It's one thing to see something on television, it's another thing to come home on the verge of a what you're doing and everything else, and then the person a person, the person that has been part of you life for six years, that you, I trained her, I gave her the skills in the restaurant to do desserts, I have ger a sense of ? but she comes home, I'm sure you've checked her out, she comes from a very unstable shitty background, one of which that I don't come from.”
In this interview, Peterson tells investigators that he had expected to come home and have sex with Wasilishin and wanted to celebrate the trip since he knew Friday was going to be busy. Peterson tells investigators on the couch they had a glass of wine and that he was sitting in the center of the couch. Then without any aggression or words, Wasilishin gets up and goes to the bedroom.
“Just get up. Ok, Fine. You get up, you go to the bedroom. Uh huh. You could have went to the bedroom to piss, you could have went to the bedroom to lay down, you could have went to the bedroom to do whatever, but to go to the bedroom and to come out and want to kill me.”
Peterson's Forth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pgs. 47- 63
Kristina Wasilishin Interview
Kristina does mention that her parents had fought in her interview briefly. However, it is unclear if this was something she had actually overheard. Later in the interview, she said no to hearing anyone fighting. In the interview, she mentions only hearing the gun go off one time and that she had been asleep in her room.
Kristina’s Transcribed Interview Tape
The First Gunshot
Prior to the fatal shot, Peterson said that Wasilishin went and got a gun and took a shot at him while he sat on the couch. This event has happened in multiple ways, according to his different interviews.
Initial Statement
Peterson said that Wasilishin became angry and went to the bedroom, got a handgun, and pointed it at him while he sat on the couch, she fired a round at him and said she was going to blow his head off or words to that extent.
Initial Statement To Officer Brooks
Sgt. Stingson Report
First Interview
Wasilishin got up walked into the bedroom, and came back out with the gun in her hand. "Russell, I'm going to shoot you" Then she cocks the hammer and shoots at him as he sits in the center of the couch.
Peterson First Interview Det. Spokes Report
The transcribed tapes add more details to this starting with how Peterson put his hands up and said, "Steph, why?" What are you talking about?" Peterson then tells them, "I don't think her intentions truly were to shoot me as opposed to maybe a fright tactic."
Peterson said, "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. I mean, she's got the hammer cocked back, and she's got it pointed at me."
Peterson's First Interview Tape Transcripts
Then she fires at Peterson just above him and aims at his head. Peterson said that he felt like if she had aimed for his chest he would have been hit. That if aimed for purposely above because if she wanted to hit him she would have hit him.
First Interview Transcribed Tages Pg. 90
Second Interview
Peterson said that the event happened quickly.
"It all happened so fast. I told you this the other night. I mean weather what you see on TV through sitcoms, through movies, I mean the next thing I know there was not a heated conversation. There was nothing where we were like at eye to eye, blow to blows, looking for something confrontational. I was sitting here, she was sitting there. Next thing I know she got up, she came into the room.."
Wasilishin went to the bedroom and she came back out and said, "Russell, I'm going to shoot you." Peterson said he put his hands up and said, "Steph, What are you crazy?" No, no, no, no, no, no." They asked him if the gun was cocked or not, and he said that it was, and then she fired.
They asked him if she had said anything, and he said, "Not a word." Peterson tells them he might have sat for a second. They asked him if he said anything and he replied, "I said to her before she even shot the shot when the gun was cocked and pointed at me, "Steph, come on. What are you, crazy? What's going on over here."
Peterson said he was looking at her, and she turned, recocked the gun, and walked to the bedroom without a word.
They asked him, "Did you think she was serious?" and Peterson replied, "Anytime anybody is holding a piece of equipment like that on you, yeah, you have to think on a certain level of seriousness."
Peterson’s Second Interview Tape Transcripts From Paco Diablo Resort Pg. 125
Third Interview
Peterson shows them where he is sitting on the couch again and says, "She goes into the bedroom, which was not uncommon to have gone in there and peed, went to the bathroom, her having (garbled), whatever. She comes back out and stands right in the general area of where the light switch would be (garbled.) She looks at me, I look up at her, and she says, "Russell, I'm going to shoot you." I put my hands up and said, "Stephanie, stop wait, come on?" What's going on? The shot was fired. There was complete and total silence from that point. She turned around. I can't say I looked up at her, and I really don't think that she looked back at me. And me sitting here if I were to stand up and say, "Stephanie, No." I'm done. Then, like I said, there was complete silence. She turned around. I did hear the gun cock again. Now, in the period of a minute, maybe a minute and a half. I finally, I mean, there was silence in the bedroom, and I'm completely silent out here aside from what was even on TV, I have no idea."
Third Interview Pg. 155-6
Peterson noticed during his walkthrough that the trajectory of the bullet at him was a decent shot.
Third Interview Pg. 155
Fourth Interview
Peterson explains that he believed Wasilishin may have had the gun placed in a more accessible location because she had retrieved it very quickly to shoot him.
Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg 47- 48
Wasilishin had gotten up and been in the bedroom 10 seconds before she came back out to the living room with a gun. (Walked in there and walked back out)
Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 61
" The last words I ever heard out of your mouth were Russell I'm going to kill you. You're not tall enough to get it. you didn't leave your, it was put somewhere where it was more accessible to her. Uh, uh, I don't know what else I can tell you."
Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg 47- 48
Peterson says that she had been standing about eight feet "if that" from him, and she had come out of the hallway. Peterson said he was sitting in the center of the couch watching television, and he saw her out of the corner of his eye. According to Peterson, she says she is going to kill him and he protests by putting his hands up and saying “Wait, Stephanie, what’s going on? What’s the matter? BOOM!”
Peterson Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 50-51
The first bullet had gone into the east living room wall between the window and front door, with the curtain by the window also having a bullet hole in it. Outside, the bullet was visible in the exterior wall, the bullet jacket, and splinters on the walkway and stoop. The hole outside is just right of the front door.
Sgt. Stinson’s Report
Det. Spokes Reports
The last account from Peterson is secondhand through sister Wendy Wasilishin who said Peterson had called her on July 26, 1993, and outlined to her that Ms. Wasilishin had shot at him and gone into the bedroom.
Investigator Saravo Report 7/30/93
Reactions After First Gunshot
Peterson’s reaction to the event of the first shot also varies, and he puts emphasis on where he is sitting.
Initial Statement
Peterson tells Officer Brooks that after the bullet missed him, he got up and met Wasilishin in the hallway between the bedroom and the living room. Sgt. Stinson also documents that Peterson said he followed her into the bedroom.
Initial Statement To Officer Brooks
Sgt. Stingson Report
First Interview
Peterson says he's sitting in the center of the couch, and he is shot at. Then he says Wasilishin is walking back into the bedroom, and she cocks it back again, and she goes, "Russell, I'm going to kill you." Peterson, as she is saying this, had got up off the couch and was following her into the hallway into the bedroom.
Peterson's First Interview Tape Transcripts Pg. 90
Peterson First Interview Det. Spokes Report Pg. 24
In the summary report from Det. Spokes about this same interview, it says that Peterson stood up and began to talk with Wasilishin as she went back to the bedroom, and he followed her down the hallway. When she was standing in front of the closet that’s when she cocked the hammer a second time, saying she was going to kill him.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg.24) Peterson’s First Interview Summary
Later on in the First Interivew Transcribed Tapes, however, Peterson does clarify that Wasilishin had already cocked the gun before she went into the bedroom and that she had said she was going to kill him for a second time. Police asked him how did he know this.
"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."
Police Report Transcribed Tapes Pg. 92
Police Report Transcribed Tapes Pg. 91
Second Interview
Peterson was speaking about how Wasilishin shot at him. "After the shot was made, I believe, I know that she recocked it. She turned around and walked into the bedroom. I sat on the couch for a moment or two, just absorbing everything that happened. I came through the hallway. I came down the other hallway into the room.”
Investigators: "Are you peeking, or just walk in there, or what?"
(Long Pause)
Peterson’s Second Interview Tape Transcripts From Paco Diablo Resort Pg. 125
Eventually detectives circle back around to what Peterson had felt right after this gunshot. Peterson tells them he was in shock.
A: Shocked. I'm stunned. I'm amazed. I'm every emotion that you can possibly put into your mind, plus that. And she didn't look to see. She came out, she walked, she pointed, she said Russell, I'm going to shoot you." I put my hands up. I said Stephanie, what's going on over here." She shot. she turned around and she went right back into the bedroom with the gun cocked.
Second Interview Pg. 145
Peterson says he sat momentarily and went to the bedroom where he took steps in.
"(long pause) maybe I did see her shoot herself. i just can't come to grips with it in myself. I don't know. I mean I, I hate to tell you I don't know, cause I should know and you guys (garbled) Russell, you were there but with the way it happened and the split-secondness of everything. I turned around and she (garbled)...
Second Interview Pg. 150
A few moments later Peters says that he was in the hallway just entering the room when he heard the shot and she dropped.
Second Interview Pg. 151
Third Interview
Peterson tells Det. Spokes that after the shot, he took about a minute to a minute and a half, and then he got up and followed Wasilishin back into the bedroom, where he approached the doorway of the bedroom.
Peterson is talking about what happened right after the shot. As he already mentioned, it was silence, and he wasn't sure if they looked at each other. "I did hear the gun cock again." Then he says there is a period of a minute to a minute and a half. There was silence in the bedroom and out there, minus the TV. Peterson says at this point, he got up and walked from the hallway into this other hallway.
Peterson's Third Interview Tapes (Walking Interview At Residence) Pg. 156
Fourth Interview
Peterson says that he had pretended or reacted to Wasilishin’s gunshot by falling back into the couch like he had been shot. Wasilishin turned around without checking on him and goes to the bedroom and Peterson heard the gun recock as she did so.
"And uh, I fell back into the couch as if I was.”
Peterson Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 51
"The shot goes off, I fall back into the couch. I hear the gun recocked, she turns around and she doesn't wait to look or to see if I am dead, if I've been hit, you guys know from what I've told you from where that bullet went through and went outside from where I was sitting, that if I was a more reactional person, and if I would have went wait, Steph, she'd have hit me here. If she would have aimed for my chest she wouldn't have missed. She aimed for my head she was only about this far off. uh. It becomes, I almost thought I was shot."
Peterson Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 50-51
Peterson then said his daughter had gotten up because of the noise.
Peterson Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 51
"Time becomes very difficult. Now I'm not talking minutes, I'm talking seconds. I get up off the couch. Now I know that there's a loaded, cocked, .44 magnum in the bedroom, and I'm not going in there, I'm not going in there, I'm going in there basically to see 'cause I know of know, what, what are your choices?."
"Uh I go through the hall, I walk, the door is 3/4 of the way closed. I open the door, I take a step. I'm in the bedroom…”
Peterson Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 51
In the same interview Detectives asked Peterson about the moment after the gunshot again for more details.
"No, I fell back into the couch almost as if I thought I felt I was shot. It wasn't, it wasn't less than a minute? Less than 30 seconds."
Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 61
The Second Gunshot
The second gunshot that follows is the fatal gunshot. At this point in the timeline Peterson is at the doorframe and Wasilishin is inside the bedroom.The accounts vary and are broken down here.
July 9, 1993 (Friday) 1:10 AM or 1:15 AM
(Police Chief Bob Irish said the fight was at 1:15 AM. The 1:10 AM is calculated based on the fact he took 30 mins to call 911)
Initial Statement
Peterson tells Officer Brooks that the fatal shot to Wasilishin was fired in the master bedroom.
Initial Statement on Officer Brooks Report Pg. 5
First Interview
Peterson and Wasilishin are standing in front of the closet in the bedroom together and they were facing each other. Peterson tells investigators that the gun was in her right hand at this point which seems to distress him with the realization. Then he describes that she is pointing it around but not at him. It’s possible the gun is cocked again here or is already cocked. Wasilishin again says (this is the second threat) "Russell, I'm going to kill you." They talk a bit (Peterson says he can’t say exactly what was said here) but Peterson grabbed her hand (in the same interview later he said wrist) and they struggled upright with no bending or going to the ground for about 15 to 20 seconds. The gun went off and Wasilishin dropped face down onto the floor "kind of" on her side with her legs "somewhat" up to her chest.
Police Report Transcribed Tapes Pg. 91
Peterson First Interview Summary by Det. Spokes Report (Pg 24)
First Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 91
The investigators looking for details about this moment question Peterson further and ask him if after following her to the bedroom he had taken the gun and shot her. They also ask him if Wasilishin had shot herself. Peterson replies to this by saying, "No, I won't say she shot herself, and I won't say I shot her." The investigators tried to clarify by asking him if the fatal shot happened during the struggle and Peterson corrected them to say, "During our struggle."
First Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 99
During this interview, they all took a smoke break, but when they got back, they discussed the struggle again, and they asked him where the gun was in relation to him and her.
Investigators: “OK, what was the gun when it went off in relationship to you and her? Waist high? Head high? In between you? Were you close together? Or far apart?”
Peterson: "No, we were not far apart. We were close together. I can't give you exacts on that. It all happened so fast I don't know. I mean we were there, there was a struggle, next thing I know there was a pop and she dropped."
The investigators again tried to ask Peterson where the gun was in relation to him, looking for details, but he was only able to say, "It was, it was close to her."
Peterson's First Interview Tape Transcripts Pg. 102
Peterson says the whole event happened so fast and that it was never meant to happen. Investigators tried to ask him what the intention of the the struggle was but it took Peterson a moment to try and answer.
"I don't know. I can honestly look at you and tell you, I don't know what ever possessed her to pick it up in the first place. I don't know."
Once detectives clarified Peterson admits he was trying to get the gun out of her hand but can't give details to their positions and if he had one hand or both hands on her.
Police Report Transcribed First Interview Tapes pg. 93-93
Second Interview
Peterson had a long pause during this interview right after investigators asked if he was walking into the bedroom, peeking, or what. Since he paused, they then asked him how much he had to drink and if he felt impaired. Peterson said that he did feel slightly impaired after two glasses of wine each, and Peterson had one extra drink at his work.
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 125
Wasilishin is in front of the closet and in front of the TV. In her hand is the gun but Peterson is unable to tell them which hand in this account.
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 128
Peterson tells the investigators that he didn’t think any words were exchanged in the bedroom.
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 128
Peterson then continues saying, "And so as I walked, it all happened so fast. I mean you guys have the ability to check the powder residue or whatever. The gun was never in my hand. There may or may not have been a scuffle, as I think we might have scuffled a little bit, and then it went off. And then she dropped.”
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 125-6
Peterson again explains to investigators that time was so fast at this point. "Officer, I wish I could look at you as I look at you right now and say, I know, I don't know. I happened, and what happened within those seconds was fast. I don't know."
Q: (Garbled)
A: She would not ____. I do not think that I _____ her. All I remember is I walked down the ahll as I was coming through I heard another shot. She dropped.
A (Garbled)
A: I thought I did. I'm not lying. I'm not saying I may or may not have. I don't know. (garbled) bruises or anything that would show____ (banked) a brutal thing (garbled.) I told you it was a confrontation and then I remember you asking me "Well, where was the gun. Where was it in relation to her? and everything else."
In the later part of the interview, Peterson is asked if he saw Wasilishin shoot herself but he is unable to answer this question and starts to say he just does not know. He did not know if she did or not, or if they fought or not. Peterson admits that he knows what he said yesterday was different and says he was not impaired but he was just numb. Today he says he does not know. Detectives wanted to know if Peterson got any more information or memories back when he went to the house on July 10, 1993, with Wasilishin’s step-brother Kevin. Peterson was not able to give any more details and detectives offered to go with him to the home. Peterson says that the event was too fast and detectives sympathize saying that they had been in traumatic situations as well and they understood. They attempt talking to Peterson more about it hoping he would remember more.
Second Interview Pg. 140-144
They tried to ask him again and this time they told him they had a problem with trajectory if it truly was suicide.
"I mean, I told you last night that I thought there was a struggle. And there very well may have been a struggle. I can't..."
At this point, detectives tried to get Peterson to show them how he might take a gun from them in a struggle but Peterson refuses. Detectives ask if he had taken martial arts and he tells them no.
Second Interview Pg. 145
Peterson is unable then to answer questions about how high the gun was or any other details about it but insists that he never had possession of the gun until after the fatal shot.
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 129
Peterson said the gun fell to the ground after he was asked, and then they asked which side of her did it fall. Peterson replied, "It would have had to have been the right-hand side of her, I believe. The left-hand side of her." They asked if it was toward the closet or bed, and Peterson said the bed. (Her right)
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 126
Peterson then said; "I looked down and I looked across and I saw C(Blanked out) (Daughter) who was in the hallway. Peterson did not know how long she had been there but said it couldn't have been more than seconds. The police had Peterson clarify that he did not know what all his daughter had seen. However, he added "and she looked right up at me and she said, you killed mommy. Mommy's dead." and I said no, C(blanked) I did not kill Mommy. Go back into your room." Peterson then said that he got very nervous.
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 126
Third Interview
Peterson said when we approached the doorway of the bedroom coming around the corner, he heard the second fatal shot and witnessed Wasilishin falling to the floor. This placed him in the door jam of the bedroom and not in the bedroom. No words are exchanged except for Wasilishin’s last words which were something to the effect of threatening to shoot Peterson.
Pg. 159
"Mr. Peterson advised that after thinking about it, he did not wrestle with Ms. Wasilishin for the gun and that he was in the door jam area when he heard the gun go off."
Det. Spokes Report On Thrid Interview (Pg.28)
Peterson’s words about the struggling.
"Well if there was, how did you grab her wrist and everything else? What makes me come to this conclusion or determination is, as I am about here, the shot was fired and I remember distinctly seeing her, I can see it, I can see exactly how she fell. I mean she didn't, it wasn't a drop like this or, I mean it was just a sink, a boat. And I saw her head hit onto this and came out to rest under the counter, under the table. Of which, like I believe, at that point I'm so nervous, another state of mind then altogether whatsoever.”
Peterson's Third Interview Tapes (Walking Interview At Residence) Pg. 156
"And that's uh, you know the thing that really came to me the most is after me and my brother were here and we talked I broke down and I gathered myself and everything else, and he like drilled me. "Russell, what was it? Russel, what was it?" "Russell, what did you see? What do you remember?" "And the point being that being anywhere from about here to here and the way it comes back that I saw her drop. That I saw her legs just buckle underneath her and just umph and come to rest underneath that table.
Pg. 157
Det. Spokes: "Ok, so you don't know, you're still are not sure if you wrestled with her to get the gun, or anything like that?"
Peterson: "I thought about that too and what makes me come to the conclusion of "no I did not wrestle with her" with having a a gun that size already being cocked. If there was any kind of a wrestling match, the first thing to do would be possibly make it point down, point up, point somewhere where it's out of harm's way, which would then have necessitated a second shot being fired into the ground or the wall or to somewhere else. I'm not, do you know what I mean?"
Pg. 159
Det. Spokes asked him if he remembered where the gun was, if he saw the gun, what he was focused on, and if he remembered her face or her hands. Peterson was unable to give him an answer and replied, "At that time there might have been like a small lack of focus." Peterson knew where he was when the shot went off but did not know what he was looking at.
Pg. 160
Peterson tried to talk on a personal level with Det. Spokes and wanted to know if he had ever heard of cases where someone may have imagined wanting to struggle with someone to stop them. Det. Spokes deflected, and Peterson went on to say he did not know what happened or if he struggled or not. Then Peterson brought up her blood alcohol content and wanted to know what it was but Det. Spokes denied him the info. Peterson went on to say, "It was relatively high, I would imagine." The interview closes with Peterson wanting to speak from the heart and Det. Spokes encouraged him to consider writing his own timeline down.
Peterson's Third Interview Tapes (Walking Interview At Residence) Pgs 154- 162
Fourth Interview
Peterson tells investigators that he did not see the fatal shot because it was so dark he did not see her hands.
Peterson Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 62
Peterson says that there had been no physical struggle but only a struggle in his mind.
“…I know I told you guys of this fight. I know I told you guys of this confrontation, of this struggle, I really don't think, and I am not excluding that maybe it did or did not happen, and that's the point of like darkness for me. I don't think there was a struggle, the struggle was my own struggle. I wanted to, I wanted to grab her, I wanted to stop. What did you shoot him? Stop the madness? Why did all this happen? You never gave me the chance."
Peterson Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 51
The detective asks Peterson again what had happened.
"I don't know what happened. I don't know what happened. I I may know, It'll come to me. I never, I don't think ever put my hands on her."
Peterson Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 51
Peterson goes on to say after the detective asked him “Why don’t you think that.” that he saw Wasilishin fall from a distance and that’s why he no longer thought the two had physically struggled.
Peterson Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 51
With more prompting from the detective for details Peterson adds that he saw Wasilishin’s legs buckle. The detectives ask Peterson more questions about how she had fallen down and the position she landed in Peterson gives several more bits of information.
"Her head, because she was in the corner, She was in the corner, and the corner was created because the television sat there and the closet. She was standing right there. She just went limp, boom. The life was gone from her."
"Her head, her head hit the television the knobs on the television. And then it hit the table 'cause the table was on top, The television was on top of the table. And her head went onto the table. She landed on her back. She landed on her back. And I saw all of this and it was just God, No, This isn't part of reality, this isn't my life, this didn't happen."
"Too much. Too much. And I looked. I, I, I, I, Kind of knew she was dead at, but I, I didn't want to accept it."
Peterson Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 51-52
Peterson was confronted about his multiple stories in this interview. They also press him with their knowledge. Peterson starts to give single-word responses to detectives.
"Uh huh, Ok and Yes." but at some point he asks them "How do you know where she was shot?", and he points out the gun they have is not his exact gun, and he continues to deflect his changing stories by simply saying "I can't explain it.")
Detective - "You know, one minute you were saying she crumpled forward, now you're saying she went on her back?"
Peterson- "No, she just dropped in her tracks."
Detective- "She just dropped and we asked you how she landed you said she was on her back. But, that's not what initially was reported, initally you said that she fell forward down, because of the struggle and that she just dropped straight down forward almost into a fetal position straight down, you know face down."
Peterson Forth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 59
Wendy Wasilishin Phone Call
Wendy Wasilishin tells investigators that when she and Peterson talked on the phone he had told her that he came around the corner into the bedroom and Stephanie Wasilishin was dead in the bed. Then he told her he had not heard the fatal shot.
Police Report Pg. 45
Bernice Wasilishin Interview (7/10/93)
Bernice Wasilishin tells investigators that Peterson had called her on the 9th and told her that Stephanie Wasilishin had shot herself and did not mention them wrestling over the gun.
Police Report Pg. 43
Reactions After Second Gunshot
In the timeline this is directly after the fatal shot and after Wasilishini has fallen down.
First Interview
Peterson said Wasilishin was still holding the gun after the fatal shot.
Police Report Transcribed First Interview Tapes pg. 93-93
Peterson does not believe what happened and panicked. During the panicking moments, he rolled Wasilishin over by her head picked up the gun put it back in the holster, and placed it on the shelf. Then after about 15 to 20 seconds, he laid it on the floor. Then he saw his daughter Kristina in the hallway. Then he went into the bathroom. Then he came back out Wasilishin had not gotten up, so he called 911.
"And at first I thought it was, I don't know what went through my mind. Knowing it was accidental, yes. Thinking that its really not true. Yes. And I looked down at her and I see her face is on the ground and.... and I see blood." After they discuss how she fell he goes on saying "And I looked at her and, and, and I, I, I, I didn't believe what happened. I did not believe what happened. And I, I, I, I panicked. I looked. I saw Kristina down the hallway. I went into the bathroom I came back out and I thought, "well, she's gonna be up." Well, she was not up. And that's when I called 911, and I said that I need help, I need help (garbled)”
First Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 91
Detective Spokes Report (Pg 24.)
Peterson re-tells this event again in a later part of the interview and shortens it to this.
"The gun was in her hand. I didn't believe it. I went into the bathroom, I saw C(Blanked out) standing in the hall. I turned back around (garbled) ... she's just going to stand up, I know (garbled). And uh, I didn't know what to do. Oh, I knew what to do, I mean (garbled) just call 911 and say I need help, I need an ambulance. There has been, there has been a bad accident."
Police Report Transcribed First Interview Tapes pg. 95
The detectives wanted to clarify if he picked up the gun first or Wasilishin.
"Yes, I did. I picked her up by her head. Oh, my god. And after I did that, I said to myself, "(garbled) she's got to be hurt bad to (garbled)." I didn't know what to do and I didn't want to be accused of murder or anything liket ath I picked up the gun, I put it in the holster. I put it back in the closet. I brought it back down and I (garbled), I mean that's stupid. (garbled). It's happened. There's nothing you can do about it at this point. I set it back on the ground and then you got here."
Q: “So have i got this right? You tell me if I'm wrong, will you?"
A: Uh-huh.
Q: " You picked her or rolled her over, or whatever, with her head head in your hands.?"
A: Yes.
Q: "OK and how did you roll her, or what did you do?"
A "How did I roll her or what did I do?"
Q: "Did you pick her up, lift her up or did you..."
A: "No. If I would have lifted her up there would have been stuff all over my shirt. I picked her head and I looked and I saw her glasses were scratched and I saw, I saw all the blood on the ground and it got all over this hand."
Q: (Garbled)
A: "No, It's probably just coagulated blood (garbled)"
They asked him if he picked up the gun and put it into the holster and he replied "(Garbled) I didn't know what to think. I was very nervous." Then he explained he put the gun into the holster and that in the closet. They asked him where the holster was and he explained it was on the floor. Peterson waited about fifteen to twenty seconds and then he took it out of the holster and set it on the ground. Then called 911.
Peterson's First Interview Transcribed Tapes 91-92
**This info is not entirely clear but it seems according to Peterson from the time of the shooting to the time of the 911 phone call it was about 2- ½ minutes.
Second Interview
Peterson said the gun fell to the ground after the fatal shot and it fell towards the bed and next to her which would have been his left and her right according to Peterson. Then he said he looked down and then across and he saw Kristina who was in the hallway. Peterson did not know how long she had been there but also added it couldn't have been more than seconds. Peterson admits he did not know for sure how much she had seen.
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 130
“And then there was, and then there was the franticness of you you know, what happened? what is it? I mean, there she was. As I said before, in the hecticness of it all I didn't know what to do”
Second Interview Pg. 151
Q: Ok, and you know we have talked to her?
A: Yes, I know you have. And she looked right up at me and said, "You killed mommy. Momy's dead." And I said, No, Kristien I did not kill Mommy. Go back into your room" And I got very nervous. I mean people who've never put in this situation cannot explain the anxiety, what's going through everything"
Peterson said he looked down picked up the gun, and put it in the closet. When they asked him where the holster was this time he said it could have been in the closet or on the bed. The conversation goes on for sometime but circles back around to this point in time where says the only time he was in possession of the gun.
"I picked it up, put it in the closet, I put it in the holster. No, I put it in the closet. The holster, it does not make sense. I put it back down and I called 911 and said (garbled). I said there had been a very bad accident.”
Peterson goes on to say this whole action took less than five minutes maybe around 25 seconds to a minute and a half but then also mentions how could someone tell time when they were in an environment where something just happened.
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 130
The conversation goes to other things before coming back to this moment.
Q: You have to understand, we can't, you have to answer some..
A: I know, you guys have to answer to someone..
Q We're not going to go away.
A: You guys need to know. And you want to know something? That's as bad as you need to know, that's as much as I want to know. I mean, with the tragedy, I mean your mind as a way of just kind of like blocking it out. I was in a very bad car accident once and I heard everything that happened, but yet the next thing I knew I was just sitting in the front seat of my car and I was just looking. And I was walking into the hall-way, I was entering the room. I heard a shot. She dropped and there was the franticness of you know, what happened? What is it? I mean, there she was. As I said before, in the hecticness of it all I didn't know what to do. The gun was sitting there on the floor. I picked it up. I put it back out on the shelf. I took it back of the shelf and set it back on the ground and I called 911 and I told them I need help. That Stephanie needs help.
Second Interview Pg. 151
From here the conversation turns personal and the investigators have to tell Peterson they were there neutrally for the truth. They brought up the discrepancies in the stories and mentioned the trajectory and angle of the wound on Stephanie and Peterson jumped in quickly to ask.
A: I had n, what was the angle? What was the trajectory?
Q: That's why I'm trying…
A: I want to know…
Q: I can't feed you that right now because I have to depose you, ok? Now I want you to tell me what happened so we can try to answer those.
Second Interview Pg. 152
From here Peterson swears he does not know where Wasilishin was shot, he heard the gun go off, and she dropped to the ground. Then he went over to her picked up her head and set it back down. Daughter Kristina was in the hallway, he said "Please get into your room." I called 911. Peterson again agrees that he did not know how much of the event Kristina had seen and confirms again that she came up and said "you killed mommy."
Second Interview 152-3
"She did. She did come to me, and you know, I think in a three-year-old's mind regardless of who was on the floor, visa-versa, the one standing is guilty or the one who did it.”
Second Interview 152-3
Third Interview
Peterson is talking at his residence about what happened after the fatal shot and he says, "So I looked and I saw and this could be, don't ask me why I did this. The gun was sitting there. I took the gun. I put it back up in the closet. I stopped and I looked again. I took it back down. I set it where it had laid. At some point in time, Kristina was in the hallway and I said, "C(blanked), go back to your room, go back to your room." There's been an accident. And that's when I called 911."
Peterson's Third Interview Tapes (Walking Interview At Residence)
Fourth Interview
As previously stated Peterson is aware that Stephanie Wasilishin was immediately dead after the shot. Peterson describes that her life left her and knew she was dead but did not want to accept it.
"I had big stuff to get to her."
Forth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 52
Peterson says he takes another step into the room. Wasilishin is now lying there in a lot of blood with the gun right next to her. Peterson’s next action is to interact with the gun.
"Wait, take the gun, put it over here, which is exactly what I did and I stood there for a second until "something clicked off in my mind that no, you can't do that, Russell. So I took it back, and I set it back down, and I went down to one knee, and I lifted her up her head it was almost to pick her up, come get up, no this come on get up! And I set her head back down."
(Peterson clarified that Wasilishin was on her back at the time.)
Forth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 52
Peterson explains the same event a second time in the same interview. Peterson adds that after the fatal shot and where he first interacted with the gun he had placed the gun in the closet on a shelf.
"I looked, and I say to myself, no Russell you can't do that." I take it back down, I set it where it was. I go and lift her head up and set it back down, and I call 911."
Forth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 62
Peterson is unable to tell detectives where the holster was in the room.
Peterson - "I don't know. I don't know. 'Cause I have a custom Binacchi holster that that thing goes in. I don't know."
Detective - "you don't know where, where it was during the struggle or the uh."
Peterson- "No, 'Cause I didn't."
Detective- You never touched the holster?"
Peterson- "No, I didn't know where the holster was."
"I didn't know what to do, and I didn't want to be accused of murder, of anything like that. 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, that's stupid. It's happened, there's nothing you can do about it at this point,' and I set it back there on the ground, and you guys came,"
Forth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 62
Peterson now stands and turns to get the telephone which is when he observes his youngest daughter. According to him, it was not possible for her to have seen the fatal shot since he would have been standing in her view line when the shot went off. Peterson said that the child was standing right outside her bedroom door in the hallway.
“... I turn around, and this is where I know that C(Blanked) kid of is a little stuck. As I open the door and as I take the step, and as the gun goes off she's up and she's down the hall, but if I'm standing there she can't really see but she saw her mother. And the act of myself, we're talking about a four, she just turned (blanked), one person up, one person down, she sees me pick up the gun, put it here, she sees me pick it back and put it back down. She sees me trying to pick her up, she sees me set her back down to make the phone. With the noise and finality, what else is she gonna think but my dad shot my mom?"
Forth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 52
Kristina Wasilishin
Kristina Wasilishin the youngest daughter, first tells Det. Spokes that she was sleeping and woke up to see her dad kill her mother. Det. Spokes noted that during the interview, they discovered she had not actually seen the killing. However, she had witnessed her father taking a gun out of the bedroom closet after her mother was on the floor, and she saw her mother on the floor bleeding, and she only heard one gunshot.
Kristina's Interview Det. Spokes Report
Kristina's Interview was taped and transcribed, but it is hard to follow. It is unclear from her interview when she woke up or the exact order of events that she had seen. Kristina said that she had only heard one gunshot but confirmed that she had been in her own bedroom that night and was asleep. Kristina had not heard anyone fighting. However, she also mentions having bad dreams and secrets.
A: "Cause I was sleeping. Sleeping in my own room."
Q: (Garbled)
A: "Then I comed out and...the light...and...blood all over. There was blood my rug."
Q: "Did you see that? Did you see anybody shoot her?"
A: "No."
Kristina is able to tell them she saw her mother lying on the floor, and she was already on the ground when she entered the room. Kristina also visually showed them how it looked. (Face-down) and describes her mother being in the corner by the closet. Kristina said her Father said, "It's hopeless." Then he cried, and he sat on the bed. From here, Kristina said she saw her Father take the gun out of the closet and hold it. Kristina said that her father did not talk to her and that she cried, too, because of her mom. Kristina said she touched the blood. They asked her the questions a few different times to try and confirm the order of events. The interview ends with Kristina insisting that her father had shot her mother.
Kristina’s Transcribed Interview Starting Pg. 67
Listen: https://www.fox10phoenix.com/video/1082140
https://www.redrocknews.com/2020/07/16/sedona-police-department-returns-to-1993-case/
911 Call
1:40 AM
A 911 call takes place from Peterson.
Operator: "911, what is your emergency?"
Peterson: "Uh, I need help …."
Operator: "What kind of help, sir?"
Peterson: "Uh, there has been Uh a very bad accident."
Peterson: "My and my wife we were in an argument. And Uh, she's hurt, she's hurt very bad. I need help."
Operator: "OK, what is wrong with her?"
Peterson: "She has been shot."
Operator: "She was shot?
Peterson: "Yes."
Operator: "Who shot her?"
Peterson: "Uhhh, We were (clears throat). I don't know who."
Operator: "You don't know who shot her?"
Peterson: "I might have … She might have shot herself."
Operator: "Mr. Peterson, where does it look like she has been shot?"
Peterson: "It looks like she's been... she's been..been shot in the neck or or the chest."
In the full 911 call, you can hear child Kristina in the background talking and even trying to participate. At one point during CPR, the operator is instructing Peterson, and he tells them there’s too much blood. The operator asks if blood is coming out of the mouth, and you can hear the baby respond affirmatively. Peterson tries to try and get her to leave by telling her to go back to her room. In the call, they also instruct Peterson to unlock the front door, and he directs his child to help.
Listen to some of the call here: https://www.fox10phoenix.com/video/1082140
Officer Scott Brooks (#61 PTL) was en route dispatched via radio and was informed that Peterson was on the line with 911 and doing CPR by direction of the fire department. Sgt. George Stinson and Officer Dave Zanot were also dispatched, and en route, they were all told they were responding to a domestic fight where one person had been shot in the neck.
Officer Brooks Report
Officer Brooks writes his report and timestamps and dates it for this time. The report was filed under homicide under the miscellaneous offense form. The suspect information was open, Peterson was reporting, and Wasilishin was the victim. Officer Brooks marked the gun as means; the premises is a family residence. Special attention was paid because the event involved alcohol. A marked connecting death report and the investigation were marked as continued.
Officer Brooks Report
Sgt. G. Stinson makes a supplemental report, and it's dated this time but no timestamp. Sgt. Stinson marks Wasilishin as the victim and puts Peterson as the suspect. The investigation was marked continued.
Sgt. Stinson Report
Police Arrive
1:43 AM
Officer Brooks, Sgt. Stinson and Officer D. Zanot (#25 PTL.) all enter the home together. Officer Zanot notes that he arrived at the home just after Officer Brooks and Sgt. Stinson. The front door was open, and the screen door was unlocked. They announced themselves as police and asked Peterson to come out.
You can hear the police arrive on the full 911 call.
911 Call
Officer Brooks describes Peterson coming out from a short hallway outside of the master bedroom, which faced toward the living room. Peterson was holding a cordless portable phone with a blood-covered right hand up against his ear.
They go through the living room to get to the master bedroom. Officer Brooks observes Wasilishin on the floor at the north end of their bedroom near the closet and dressed for bed. The wounds are visible to the Officers. Sgt. Stinson notes her body was lying feet to the door, head west with her head cocked to the right, and also lying on her back near the foot of the bed.
(More detailed descriptions of the body and bedroom in a section after the timeline.)
Kristina is on the bed in the master bedroom when Officer Brooks enters the room. The girl tells him, “That’s my mommy.”
Officer Zanot takes charge of securing both Peterson and Kristina in the living room. Kristina is led individually out of the bedroom by Officer Zanot first, and then he gets Peterson second. Officer Zanot notes that Sgt. Stinson and Officer Brooks checked the rest of the home.
Officer Brooks and Sgt. Stinson both attends to Wasilishin and asses her. They tried to find a plus and breathing, but there was none. Sgt. Stinson did try to make an airway for her by pulling her body straight east 3-4 inches. Sgt. Stinson noticed that she was warm to the touch on both her neck and torso. However, her pupils were fixed in dilation.
Officer Brooks Report
Sgt. Stinson Report
Officer Zanot Report
1:50 AM
Officer Brooks says Detective Spokes, Chief Irish, and Investigator Gary J. Sarravo (# 2522 Investigator) were all notified and requested to the scene, and they all arrived. This is the time Detective Spokes was contacted by Dispatcher Rodgers at his home by phone to come to the scene of domestic violence, with one person shot and killed at the request of Officer Stinson.
Officer Brooks Report
Det. Spokes reported being contacted at his home by telephone. Dispatcher Rogers informs him of the event and tells him Sgt. Stinson requested him to assist in the investigation.
Detective Spokes Report (pg 12)
1:55 AM
Paramedic William Bole (Sedona Fire Department) arrived and determined she had died.
Officer Brooks Report
Timeframe Not Exact (Estimated After 1:55 AM)
After Officer Zanot had both Kristina and Peterson secured in the living room, Peterson then tells him about Nikki, who was still asleep. The two of them go and wake her up together and bring her to the living room as well.
"All I remember was a flashlight, and I was scared, and I started screaming," she said.
Nikki did not know what had happened until her three-year-old sister said something.
"She kept saying 'poppy killed mommy, poppy killed mommy,' and she kept repeating it," Nikki said.
Officer Zanot Report
Officer Brooks Report
2:00 AM
Officer Brooks informs Peterson of the death, but Brooks says he did not tell the children. Officer Brooks makes a note that Det. Spokes, Chief Irish, and Investigator Gary Savaro were all notified and requested to come in.
Officer Brooks Report
Chief Irish is informed by telephone by Police Communications Specialist Carole Rogers of the event.
Chief Irish's Report (Pg.13)
Officer Brooks takes the first initial statement from Peterson. The statement is to the point and meager. Peterson explains he is not married to Wasilishin, but they were longtime partners for several years and that he is a natural father of Kristina. He gives his work schedule and a brief overview of events leading up to the death of Wasilishin. Peterson specifically mentions that Wasilishin was drinking, and she had an “extended telephone conversation” with her ex and father of Nikki. Peterson also says that he and she had argued and fought and that she was upset about his cooking school. Peterson said she shot at him first, and he followed her into the bedroom where she was shot. Officer Brooks’s report said Peterson said he met Wasilishin in the hallway first before going into the bedroom. In this statement, it is mentioned that Nikki was asleep on the opposite side of the house as the events took place.
Officer Brooks Report
Officer Sgt. Stinson Report
2:18 AM
Chief Irish arrived on the scene and reported that Sgt. Stinson, Officer Brooks, and Officer Zanot were there or in the area. Chief Irish notes he saw Officer Zanot leaving the residence with Peterson and two small children.
Chief Irish was then briefed by Sgt. Stinson then showed him the bedroom where the victim was, but Chief Irish noted he did not enter the bedroom to avoid the destruction of any potential evidence. Chief Irish reviewed the interior of the residence.
Chief Irish's Report (Pg.13)
2:50 AM
Chief Irish returns to the police department and contacts Yavapai Deputy County Attorney on call Steve Jaynes. They are briefed and discuss the possibility of a homicide investigation. Jaynes said he would contact their investigator Gary Saravo and have him contact the department.
Chief Irish's Report (Pg.13)
3:10 AM
Officer Zanot reports this is the time he was reading Peterson his Miranda rights. A short time before that, he had transported them to the police station. Then Officer Zanot sits with Peterson, Kristina, and Nikki until Det. Spokes arrived.
Officer Zanot Report
3:15 AM
Det. Spokes did not put the time he requested that the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office be notified, and he requested assistance from Investigator Gary Saravo. However, it is guessed to be around this time.
Detective Spokes Report (pg 12)
Investigator Saravo received a telephone call from Deputy County Attorney Steve Jaynes, who told him there was a shooting death, and he was asked to respond to the scene. Saravo is told the Sedona PD was already on the scene.
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 41)
3:25-3:28 AM
Chief Irish reported that Investigator Gary Saravo did call him and said he would be responding to the scene. Investigator Saravo had already been briefed.
Chief Irish's Report (Pg.13)
Investigator Gary Saravo called Chief Irish and advised he would respond to the scene of the incident. Chief Irish tells him, "They had a situation where the boyfriend and girlfriend had been arguing, and the female had been shot.” The suspect was at Sedona PD. Saravo said he would respond.
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 41)
3:35 AM
Mr. David Kaminsky (Department Of Economic Security Child Protective Services) arrived at the police department. This department had been in contact earlier about assisting in the possible placement of the children. Chief Irish notes the conversation was lengthy.
Chief Irish's Report (Pg.13)
3:45 AM
Officer Brooks reports notifying the Yavapai County Medical Examiner, Dr. Harvey, around this time.
Officer Brooks then says he stays on the scene from this point out to help Det. Spokes preserve evidence.
Officer Brooks Report
Sgt. Stinson did not give a time for when he started to help review the scene for evidence, but he also helped.
3:55 AM
Investigator Saravo leaves his house for Sedona and reports the weather is clear and the wind calm.
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 41)
Timeframe Not Exact / Unknown
Det. Spokes arrive on the scene and are given an overview by Officer Brooks, including Peterson's initial statement. Officer Brooks walked Det. Spokes through the home and Det. Spokes start taking notes of evidence, such as the wooden splinters on the walkway in front of the home, the bullet holes, and more.
Detective Spokes Report (pg 12)
4:11 AM
Investigator Saravo arrives on the scene, and he is taking notes of what the house looks like. The home is a single family, located at the intersection of Sanborn and Coffee Pot Rd. There was a sports car in the drive with AZ. HFY-576. The light on on the front of the house. The house is light brown and dark brown. A secondary vehicle at the rear of the house is a truck AZ, GDF-220.
Saravo says they secured the scene, and he left to speak with the suspect to get consent to search form.
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 41)
According to Det. Spokes once Investigator Saravo was on the scene, then the scene was secured.
Detective Spokes Report (pg 12)
4:20 AM
Chief Irish ends his phone call with Mr. Kaminsky and speaks with Peterson in an office at the police department. This conversation does not mention the events, only the children. The conversation is short "Mr. Peterson seemed amenable to allowing DES to take custody of the children and put them in a foster home at least temporarily so they could get some sleep."
Chief Irish's Report (Pg.14)
Detective Spokes also outlines this event in his reports, and he also said that Peterson had agreed that David Kaminsky was going to help.
4:41 AM
Det. Spokes and Investigator Saravo do an interview with child Kristina in Det. Spokes’s office. Det. Spokes notes that Kristina is alert and talkative, and she has a stuffed dog the police had given her. Det. Spokes summarize the conversation by saying that Kristina realized she was asleep and then woke up and saw her dad kill her mother. When questioned further, it was revealed that Kristina did not witness the actual shooting but did see her mother on the floor bleeding. Kristina saw her father take the gun out of the bedroom closet after her mother was on the floor. Kristina also advised that she had heard one shot. The conversation was transcribed, and the transcription is in a later report.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg.23)
Report page 66 (Signed by Patrol Officer #53 but Unsure of Name)
4:57 AM
The interview with Kristina and Det. Spokes and Saravo end at 4:57 AM.
Det. Spokes had noted that after the interview with Kristina, he had expected her to be placed with child protective services because of the arrangements Peterson and Mr. David Kaminsky had made. The plan was for Kristina to be placed in a foster home for the night.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg.23)
5:15 AM
Investigator Saravo said, "We photographed" the suspect's hands and clothing and then spoke with Peterson about the incident. The conversation had been recorded. Investigator Saravo said they interviewed a child. The information is blanked out on the report but it can be concluded that this was Nicki Wasilishin, as the child is ten years old and was asleep and saw and heard nothing. This conversation was recorded as well.
Peterson signed the permission to search form for Investigator Saravo and Det. Spokes.
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 41)
5:20 AM
Mr. Peter Korn (Owner of the restaurant and Friend Of Peterson) arrived at the police department to take custody of the children at Peterson's request. Peterson had called Mr. Korn while Mr. Kaminsky had been downstairs waiting for further information from the supervisor.
Chief Irish's Report (Pg.14)
5:42 AM
Det. Spokes and Investigator Saravo meet with Peterson in Det. Spoke's office at the police station. They told Peterson his rights and informed him he was not under arrest and that he could leave at any time. Peterson chooses to stay and gives a detailed version of his first statement. (This is Peterson’s first interview, and before this is his initial statement.)
They asked Peterson if he was impaired for this interview since it was clear that some drinking had occurred. Peterson admits he shared a bottle of wine with Wasilishin but was not currently impaired and that he was emotionally able to speak with them.
Peterson tells them they woke up around 11:30 AM, had coffee, and went to work around 12:00 - 12:30 PM. Wasilishin left work around 5:30 PM, and he left work around 11:00 PM. They had worked together with no problems. Suzie Corbett (Later interviewed) had given Peterson a ride home from work. Peterson gives Wasilishin a kiss and showers around 11:15-11:30 PM. They talk, and she brings up a two-hour-long phone call with Craig Daley, her ex-boyfriend. They talk about the upcoming trip, which then becomes heated. Peterson states he is not concerned about their argument since it was not uncommon for Wasilishin to become upset. Then she got up and got the gun from the bedroom, came back with the gun in her hand, and stated, "Russell, I'm going to shoot you." and cocks the hammer back. Peterson was sitting in the center of the couch when she shot at him. Peterson stood up and began to talk with her as he followed her down the hall into the bedroom; she was standing in front of the closet in the bedroom. Peterson said she cocked the gun back again and says, "Russel, I'm going to kill you." Peterson then grabbed her hand and struggled a little bit. Then the gun went off, and Stephanie dropped. Peterson said she was face down on the floor, and Peterson said he did not believe what happened and panicked. Peterson noticed their daughter come down the hallway, and he went into the bathroom. When he came back out, he noticed Stephanie did not get up. Peterson was panicking, and
"he rolled over Stephanie's head and then picked up the gun and put it back in the holster, and placed it on the shelf; after about 15 to 20 seconds, he took the gun off the shelf and laid it down on the floor prior to calling 911."
Then he called 911 and asked for help.
This conversation did not end until 6:55 AM.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 23)
This interview is transcribed and taped which is documented later and placed into the police reports. However, it is marked as 1742 hours instead of 0542 hours.
Report page 66 (Signed by Patrol Officer #53 but Unsure of Name)
6:20 AM
Mr. Korn calls Chief Irish for the first conversation. A second conversation takes place at 8:20 AM. During the course of the conversations, Mr. Korn gives his personal opinions about Peterson and Wasilishin. Mostly it was about his opinion of Stephanie Wasilishin, stating twice that he did not want to badmouth Stephanie, but it was obvious they had relationship problems and that she was the cause of most of it.
Chief Irish's Report (Pg.14)
6:15 AM
Officer D. Zanot (#25 PTL.) writes his supplementary report at this time. Officer Zanot categorizes the event as a shooting, victim Wasilishin, and suspect Peterson.
Officer Zanot Report
6:55 AM
Peterson is given access to a telephone for the purpose of calling an attorney, as he requested. Peterson did not call an attorney but called his father, Kenneth Peterson, and a friend/employer Ted Blutter. Peterson was given a telephone book for the Sedona and Phoenix Metropolitan area, and he was not limited to the duration or amount of the phone calls. Peterson also used the phone in private. After his phone calls, Peterson signed a consent to search his residence standard Sedona Police Department form.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg 24)
Detective Spokes Report (pg 12)
7:07 AM
Investigator Saravo is back on the scene to search.
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 41)
Det. Spokes did not give an exact timeframe, but in his report, he mentioned that Investigator Saravo and himself returned to the scene to process it for evidence.
Detective Spokes Report (pg 12)
7:20 AM
Chief Irish reports a phone call to him from Phyllis Peterson, who identified herself as Peterson’s mother. Phyllis Peterson tells Chief Irish that she and Kenneth Peterson were separated but knew her son had spoken with his father Kenneth that day to tell him Wasilishin was dead. Chief Irish noted that he verified that Peterson had called Kenneth Peterson during his phone call with Phyllis Peterson.
Phyllis Peterson wanted to call and verify that “Stacy.” was “actually dead”
Chief Irish’s Report (Pg. 14)
7:24 AM
Investigator Saravo reports that Peterson is back at the residence and they take his clothes and give him something to wear. Investigator Saravo said "also shows us his plane tickets to New York 7/10/93 to a school." then Peterson took 650.00 in cash from the home.
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 41)
7:37 AM
Investigator Saravo is going through the house and taking photos but also making detailed notes of the crime scene. These details will be added to the appropriate sections to keep the timeline smoother. Peterson is still here with them, and he shows Saravo where he says he was sitting on the couch (center) when he was allegedly shot at. Investigator (Saravo’s detailed notes are added at appropriate times in the timeline and after information sections.)
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 41-42)
8:05 AM
Peterson goes back to his home, and the outfit he wore during the event is taken by Detective Spokes. Peterson was made aware that the clothes would be processed by the D.P.S Crime Labs for trace evidence. Officer Brooks then takes Peterson back to the police station while Det. Spokes and Investigator Saravo begin to process the home for evidence.
The first thing Det. Spokes photographed everything, and then he collected various items of evidence. Det. Spokes inspected the body of Wasilishin as well.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg.25)
8:20 AM
The second conversation between Chief Irish and Mr. Korn takes place.
Chief Irish's Report (Pg.14)
9:55 AM
Wescotts Funeral home attendants Rocha, Rick, and Waddoups removed Wasilishin from residence and were to take her to the medical examiner's office in Phoenix. Saravo gives them a green tag to go with her body. Det. Spokes confirms this transaction took place in his report.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 25)
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 42)
11:30 AM
Chief Irish reported that when he was checking with Det. Spokes and Investigator Saravo at the residence, a woman named Ms. Ruth Baland (another employee of the restaurant), stopped by to speak with him. Ms. Baland gave her opinion about Peterson as "a real nice guy." and said she had known both him and Wasilishin for several months. Ms. Baland also said, "She really had no idea why whatever happened happened, but stated that she felt Russell was a very nice person and this whole incident was very unfortunate." Ms. Baland wanted Chief Irish to know that she had made arrangements for two rooms at Poco Diablo Resort for Peterson and his parents.
Chief Irish's Report (Pg. 15)
12:17 PM
Investigator Saravo and Det. Spokes closed the crime scene. The doors were secured when they left, and a front door key was taken with them. (Later, this key is released to Phylis Peterson.)
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 25)
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 42)
Det. Spokes mentioned that interviews with people he had previously listed in his reports had begun after he had closed the scene. The interviews spanned from now until July 10, 1993. Written reports of each interview would be made.
Detective Spokes Report (pg 12)
After closing the crime scene Det. Spokes and Investigator Saravo go and attempt contact with the neighbors. Det. Spokes take notes and lead. He discovered the only neighbors who were home at the the time were Jeff and Martha Christensen. The Christensens tell Det. Spokes that they did not know the couple all that well but that their children had played together sometimes. They thought the couple were good neighbors. The Christensens had not heard anything from the event and were in bed at 9:00 PM. They said they had not seen any violence between the couple; and that the couple was mostly quiet, but over the past year, they had heard some arguments between the couple.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 25)
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 42)
Det. Spokes and Investigator Saravo go to Mr. Peter Korn's residence on Quail Train in Sedona AZ, to interview him and note that Mr. Korn is Peterson's employer and friend. Mr. Korn tells him that Peterson is staying with him and that he has known both Peterson and Wasilishin for about two years. Mr. Korn was prompted to describe the couple's relationship, and he describes Wasilishin as "very straightforward and coarse." and Peterson as "Calm and quiet." Mr. Korn said that Wasilishin was always antagonizing Peterson and was jealous of his success. Mr. Korn tells Det. Spokes about the school in Ithica, New York, where Peterson was supposed to have gone, and he knew Wasilishin was upset about him leaving.
Det. Spokes and Investigator Saravo both spoke with Peterson at Mr. Korn’s residence. This conversation may have been brief it is not extensively documented on these dates by either Investigator Saravo or Detective Spokes.
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 43)
Detective Spokes notes that Investigator Saravo had interviewed various Peterson family members while he interviewed Mr. Korn and to see his reports.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg 26)
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 42)
Investigator Saravo reports speaking with Ken and Phyllis Peterson outside of Mr. Korn’s residence. Investigator Saravo takes brief notes about the conversation where they discussed Peterson and Wasilishin's temperaments, and relationships.
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 42)
Det. Spokes also interviewed Cathrin Dinler, who was a co-worker at the restaurant. Ms. Dinler knew both Wasilishin and Peterson. Ms. Dinler tells Det. Spokes she had last seen Wasilishin outside in the parking lot of the restaurant prior to starting work. On July 8, 1992, at about 5:00 PM, Ms. Dinler said Wasilishin was upset and not having a good day. Wasilishin had asked Ms. Dinler to speak with Peterson about the trip. Ms. Dinler explained that Wasilishin had confided in her about her rough childhood and past. Ms. Dinler said Wasilishin had told her about her abusive childhood and past relationships. Ms. Dinler explained that Wasilishin was always trying to push Peterson's buttons, but Peterson did not react, and she did not witness any violence between the couple. Ms. Dinler tells Det. Spokes about a close friend of Wasilishin Kay Gantt.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg 26)
Then Det. Spokes and Investigator Saravo went to speak with neighbors. Saravo goes to (blank) Sedona and speaks with Dimmity and Vincent Raniello. A residence located across the street from Peterson and neither heard nor saw anything or knew of past fights, and the couple kept to themselves.
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 43)
1:00 PM
R. C. Irish (Chief Irish, #02) writes his supplemental report. The report is a homicide, and marked investigation continued. This report includes a timeline of Irish's movements and some information from people who had spoken with him during the day. The report was signed on July 12, 1993.
Chief Irish’s Report (Pg. 13)
1:10 PM
Officer R. Stesick (#23 Ptl) attempts to contact Wasilishin’s mother, Bernice (Bee Evan) of Phoenix, AZ. Three times by phone, but there was no contact.
Officer Stesick’s Report (Pg.19)
1:20 PM
Wasilishin's autopsy is conducted at the Maricopa County Office Of the Medical Examiner at 120 S. 6th Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85003. The autopsy is performed by Phillip E. Keen (Maricopa County Medical Examiner) In addendance is Officer Brooks, and Detective Scott Brooks (The autopsy report spells Officer Brooks name as Scott Brocks #261) from SPD and Forensic Assistants Eycherly And Sheonberger.
Officer Brooks Supplementary Report Pg. 16
Autopsy Report Pg. 1
1:40 PM
A vial of blood was taken by Dr. Keen from Wasilishin.
Officer Brooks Supplementary Report Pg. 16
1:20 - 2:20 PM
Officer Brooks takes photographs of the autopsy. Dr. Keen verbally told Officer Brooks that he believed the death was a homicide.
Dr. Keen concluded verbally the gunshot wound was a contact wound with the muzzle of a handgun and that she had died instantly. There was powder burn evidence at entry and under her chin. They also knew Wasilishin's blood alcohol content was .17 by verbal toxicology during the autopsy. Officer Brooks notes the samples taken from the left and right hands of Wasilishin and also from wounds. "Wasilishin would have probably had to have held the gun in her left hand to have obtained the angle and location of the entry and exit wounds." *This opinion was before the gunpowder results. *More details later.
The autopsy report revealed that Stephanie's death was caused by a violent firearm-related injury to the neck, which was classified as a homicide.
Officer Brooks was told by Dr. Keen that a written report would be sent to the Yavapai County Medical Examiners' Office in Prescott, AZ, in about ten days.
Officer Brooks Report (Pg. 16-17)
1:30 PM
Officer Stesick attempts to contact another family member, this time Kathleen Cole Anderson of Phoenix, AZ. (Sister) and he does make contact and is able to inform her of Wasilishin’s death. Cole-Anderson states she would inform their mother. Officer Stesick advises her to talk with Det. Spokes because he was investigating.
Officer Stesick’s Report (Pg. 19)
2:20 PM
Taken into evidence by Officer Brooks from the autopsy is a vial of Wasilishin’s blood that was given directly to him and two twelve exposure rolls of 35mm film taken of the autopsy by himself. The autopsy was concluded around this time as well.
Officer Brooks Report (Pg. 17)
3:30 PM
Officer Stesick called Cole-Anderson back, and he was informed she had contacted their mother to inform her of Wasilishin’s death.
Officer Stesick’s Report (Pg. 19)
5:00 PM
Officer Brooks gives the vial of blood and the film to Det. Spokes at the police station.
Officer Brooks Report (Pg.17)
Timeframe Unknown / Estimated
Bernice Wasilishin (Mother of Stephanie Wasilishin) said that Peterson had called to tell her that Stephanie had shot herself but did not mention wrestling over the gun.
Investigator Saravo Report Pg. 43)
Interviews by Detective Spokes and Investigator Saravo begin on this day and extend out until July 10, 1993. The full list of those interviewed was documented on July 11, 1993. The interviews have written reports.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg.20)
Originally Friday was supposed to be Peterson’s packing day for his trip to New York.
Peterson's fourth interview
Timeline After Initial Day
July 10, 1993 (Saturday)
7:00 AM Originally Peterson’s pick-up day for the trip. Peterson’s father was going to pick him up. Then the flight was at 10:00 AM.
Peterson's fourth interview
Most people were aware that Peterson was flying out this day, including his employer and coworkers.
Chief Irish’s Report (Pg. 14)
11:15 AM
Det. Spokes and Investigator Saravo meet and interview Suzie Corbett at her home in Sedona, AZ. Ms. Corbett was informed the interview was in relation to the investigation of Wasilishin's death. Ms. Corbett was already aware of the death and agreed to speak with them. Ms. Corbett was an employee of the restaurant where Peterson and Wasilishin had worked. Ms. Corbett tells them that her boyfriend had given her and Peterson a ride home that night. Peterson was excited about leaving for his trip. Ms. Corbett tells them that she had spoken with Wasilishin several times on July 9, 1993 (Perhaps this date was a mistake, and she meant July 8th?) Ms. Corbett said Wasilishin was upset about something. Ms. Corbett had made plans to get off work early and pick up Wasilishin's kids and visit with Wasilishin, but the plans fell through when she was unable to do this because another employee went home early. Ms. Corbett had known Wasilishin for a year and was a close friend for the last few months. Ms. Corbett expanded, saying she knew Wasilishin was upset about Peterson working too much and not paying attention to her or the kids. Ms. Corbett said Wasilishin had a strong personality and would cut straight to the point, sometimes in a vulgar manner. Ms. Corbett said that she had seen Wasilishin become angry with the kids but never heard threats at Peterson. Ms. Corbett also knew that Wasilishin was stressed over money and the upcoming trip. Ms. Corbett had never witnessed Peterson get upset with Wasilishin or threaten her.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg 27)
12:00 PM
Officer R. Stesick (#23 PTL) writes a supplementary report categorized as "Shooting.” This report is documenting the calling of Wasilishin’s mother and sister and informs them of the event. The calls took place on Friday.
Officer Stesick Report (Pg.19)
1:00 PM
Det. Spokes interview Louis Covarrubias Rodrigues at the restaurant. Mr. Rodriguez is a co-worker. Mr. Rodriguez described Peterson as a good person and said about Wasilishin that she was always putting people down and trying to dig at Mr. Peterson. Mr. Rodriguez said he asked her one time why she was always mean to Peterson, and she replied that it hurt to be nice.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg 27)
3:20-21 PM
Report page 66 (Signed by Patrol Officer #53 but Unsure of Name)
Det. Spokes and Investigator Saravo meet Peterson at the Poco Diablo Resort Rm. (blanked out). Peterson chooses to speak with them again and is aware this time; the conversation will be recorded. They spoke about the events of July 8 and 9th, 1993. There is a transcript of the conversation, and since the account is lengthy, it was not summarized here.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 27)
After they spoke with Peterson, they interviewed Ms. Kay Ellen Gantt, a close friend of Wasilishin who happened to be visiting Peterson at the time. Gantt considers herself like a sister to Wasilishin, and they had been close for about a year and a half. Gantt was someone Wasilishin would confide in about her life's problems. According to Gantt, Wasilishin had a lot of internal pain, was resentful and jealous of Peterson's success, and felt neglected by him due to his dedication to work. Gantt, on the other hand, had nothing but good things to say about Peterson, describing him as a good-hearted person who never complains.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 27)
Investigator Saravo interviews Bernice Wasilishin (Stephanie Wasilishin's Mother) at the foster home where Wasilishin's children were being cared for in Cottonwood AZ. They discuss when she had talked to her daughter last, the temperament of both Stephanie Wasilishin and Peterson, and their relationship. Bernice Wasilishin reports that Peterson contacted her on July 9th, 1993 to report the death as a suicide.
Investigator Saravo then interviews Wendy Wasilishin (Sister) and they cover the same topics.
Investigator Saravo then interviews Lace Wasilishin (Brother), but this time by phone, and they cover the same topics.
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 43)
Estimated Time
During the interview with Peterson at Paco Diablo Resort he tells investigators that he had been over to the home that day with Wasilishin’s step-brother Kevin. Kevin wanted to pick up her truck and her clothes. The doors were locked and the keys had been given to Peterson’s mother. Peterson called Joel Evartt and Associates locksmiths had to come over to open the house. Peterson got a pair of socks, answered the eight messages on the machine and re-locked the home. Peterson mentions his family had already been there and had covered Wasilishin’s death spot with towels. Peterson had hoped he would remember more about what happened that night by being in the home.
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 142
During the walking interivew with Peterson (Third Interview) He tells investigators that on July 10, 1993 before him and his brother went through the events together other family and Peterson were at the house. Peterson's mother went to the restroom and used t he front bathroom. Peterson's father used the bedroom bathroom and found an item that Peterson felt was evidence. Peterson's father heard something in her red bag.
A: As he lifts it up, you can take it for prints , but I mean it would show the volume that was consumed by her...
Q: I know what was consumed exactly.
A: Oh, you've already go a uh...
Q: I know what the blood alcohol level was.
A: BAC on her, whatever.
Q: Yeah.
A: But I just figured that, you know, I found that I had no idea.
Q: O.k. So that's not a normal place where she would keep a bottle of Seagrams?
A: Its not normal. She used to, like, at times to hide them around to like, shall we call it, her personal stash. But.."
Third Interview Pg. 158
July 11, 1993
2:00 PM
Detective Spokes gets an urgent phone call from Peterson at the office of the Sedona Police Department. Peterson requested that he meet him at his residence as soon as possible and that he wanted to go over the events at the house.
2:20-21 PM
Report page 66 (Signed by Patrol Officer #53 but Unsure of Name)
Detective Spokes arrives at the home to meet both Peterson and Mr. Korn. Peterson walked Det. Spokes through the events of July 9, 1993. Key moments in the previous story had changed now. Peterson said after he was shot at on the couch, it took him a minute to a minute and a half to get up and follow her to the bedroom. There he approached the doorway and was in the door jam area when he heard the second shot, and she fell to the floor. There was no wrestle or struggle. This conversation was recorded and transcribed.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg 28)
Time Unknown / Estimated
Det. Spokes meet and speak with Kathlean Colm-Anderson in his office at the Sedona police department. Ms. Colm was Wasilishin's older sister, and she gave background information about Wasilishin upon Det. Spokes request. Wasilishin was one of five children, and she had a twin brother that died at about eighteen months old. Ms. Colm was close with her sister and would come to visit every couple of months and talk on the phone occasionally. Ms. Colm said Wasilishin was slow on her career goals and wanted to be a mother. Ms. Colm said she was considering leaving Peterson but was hesitant because of their daughter. Wasilishin had told her Peterson was abusive physically but had not witnessed any violence herself or any evidence of violence. Wasilishin was unsure and increasingly unhappy over the past six months. Ms. Colm said that she had offered assistance in leaving Peterson.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg 28)
7:00 PM
Detective W. V. Spokes (#83 C.I.D.) writes a supplementary report that includes a list of people that were interviewed. The report also includes a narrative of events and concludes with "Investigation Continued."
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 20)
The list includes Peterson, Investigator G. Saravo, several individuals from Arizona, including
Martha Christensen and Jeff Christensen from Sedona, Phyllis Peterson and Sken Peterson from Phoenix, Suzie Corbett from Sedona, Cathrin Dinler from Sedona, Kay Ellen Gantt from Sedona, Kathlean Colm-Anderson from Phoenix, and Ken Colm from Phoenix. There's also Luis Rodriguez-Covarrubias (faded ink makes it hard to read the name) from Cottonwood and Peter Korn from Sedona. Lastly, there's someone identified only by their initials, W.K., from Sedona.
Everyone had been interviewed by Det. Spokes and Investigator Saravo between the dates of July 9, 1993, and July 10, 1993.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg12 and Pg.20)
Detective Spokes also created a detailed list of evidence in his report, which includes a range of items found at the scene.
Three wood splinters, a bullet jacket from the outside wall, a pair of cotton men's underwear, a pair of Chicago Bulls Gray and Red Men's Shorts X-Large, a blue t-shirt with "Lake Yellowstone" printed on it, a pair of Nike Air basketball shoes(Peterson’s) drywall section from the living room with bullet hole, a brown and white curtain with flower pattern, an orange curtain, both from the living room window. Other items include red eyeglasses with three yellow chains with a pendant attached found by the victim's head, lead fragments found on the bedroom floor, a bullet jacket and hair from the bedroom wall, lead fragments found on a towel on top of the TV in the bedroom, and a yellow section of the chain found by the bedroom door. Additionally, there was a GFL 44 Magnum fired cartridge case found under the hammer, a GFL 44 Magnum fired cartridge case found to the left of the hammer, and four GFL 44 Magnum loaded cartridges found in the remaining cylinders.
Further items collected as evidence were a photograph and frame from the bedroom wall, a mirror from the bedroom wall, wallboard from the bedroom wall with a bullet hole, a poster, and frame from the bedroom wall, a brown address book, nine exposed and developed rolls of Pertuz color film, four Sony MC60 micro-cassettes, a Pulsar yellow watch, a Moon Valley class ring, a pair of yellow earrings with white stones, a green ladies' nightshirt, a cassette copy of the 911 call to the fire department, a cassette copy of the 911 call to the Sedona police department, and one pair of ladies' red cotton underpants. Additionally, a Ruger Redhawk D.A. 44 Magnum revolver was found along with a Bianchi leather holster, consent to search form, Wescott funeral home receipt for personal effects, Sony T-160 ES VHS tape, and six rolled fingerprint cards for Mr. Russell Peterson.
This report concludes with previous law enforcement contacts that Peterson and Wasilishin had. The check was done in Phoenix, Sedona, and Jackson Hole, and no police department had incidents of domestic violence. The Sheriff's Department of Coconino County, Yavapai County, Maricopa County, and Teton County, the counties had no domestic violence entries.
Wasilishin did not have any instances, but Peterson had an instance involving his driver's license. Most of the information on both was blanked out.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 21-22)
July 12, 1993
The report that Chief Irish started on July 9, 1993, is signed and concluded for this day.
Chief Irish’s Report (Pg.13)
Investigator Saravo reports doing an interview with child Nikki Wasilishin. (The report blanks out her name and age except for initials.) Nikki was at her foster home, the Webb residence in Cottonwood, AZ. Investigator Saravo marks that this conversation was tape-recorded. Investigator Saravo also re-interviews child Kristina Wasilishin, but she has no new information.
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 44)
Investigator Saravo interviews Craig K. Daley by telephone. It was previously thought that Craig had not been interviewed until 2023. Mr. Daley is the father of Nikki Wasilishin and is an ex-boyfriend of Stephanie Wasilishin. They discussed Wasilishin's relationship with him and her temperment as well as if she had shot guns before. They discussed if they had spoken by phone on July 8th, 1993. Daley confirms they had a one to two-hour conversation that night and the topics they discussed in the conversation.
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 44)
Update* In 2023, Mr. Daley clarified that this first interview was not correct. The interviewer yelled at him during the call, and the reports about the conversation in the police records are inaccurate.
Private Family Conversation via text 2023
The results from Toxicological Examinations submitted on 7-9-93 blood and tape, submitted by Medical Examiner Philip E. Keen, M.D. of Stephanie Marie Wasilishin, is received from Chief Forensic Toxicologist Ramon A. Morano, M. S.C.
Blood: 0.17% Alcohol
Tape/Left Hand:
Palm: Positive for powder residue (nitrates)
Web: Positive for powder residue (nitrates)
Tape/Right Hand:
Palm: Negative for powder residue (nitrates)
Web: Negative for powder residue (nitrates)
Tape/Left Neck: Negative for powder residue (nitrates)
Police Report Page 168
July 13, 1993 (Tuesday)
Stephanie's obituary runs in the paper.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123301148/obit-stephanie-marie-wasilishin/
July 14, 1993 (Wednesday)
Det. Spokes and Investigator Saravo go to the Northwest Mortuary and take measurements of Stephanie’s arms and hands while she lay in state. The right arm from shoulder to elbow was 12" and the elbow to wrist 9.5". The right-hand length was 7", and the width was 4.5". Left arm from shoulder to elbow was 12" and elbow to wrist 10". The left-hand length was 7", and the width was 4.5".
Detective Spokes Report (Pg.28)
3:00 PM
Chief Irish got a phone call from Ms. Kathy Bertuglia. Ms. Bertuglia, who identified herself as a co-worker, inquired about the status of the investigation and expressed her high regard for Peterson. She also made a negative comment about Stephanie, stating that she "was not a very nice person." Ms. Bertuglia offered to provide a statement about her association with the two individuals and asked Chief Irish to relay her concerns to Peterson since she was unable to reach him. Chief Irish agreed to pass on the message.
Chief Irish Report (Pg. 30)
3:20 PM
Chief Irish calls the residence on Coffee Pot, and the phone is answered by Peterson's mother. A friend had just picked up Peterson and was out for a drive. She took down the information about Ms. Bertuglia and stated she'd pass the info to Peterson. Chief Irish then calls Ms. Bertuglia back to let her know.
Chief Irish Report (Pg. 30)
4:00 PM
Chief Irish received a call from Ted Blutter, who is the full-time manager of the restaurant both Peterson and Wasilshin worked at. Butter seems upset at first that all his employees reportedly had been interviewed in regard to the incident, but he had not been contacted. He felt that, as the manager of the establishment would be one of the persons contacted to provide the information needed for any investigation. Blutter states that he and Peterson are "very good friends" and have been since he was employed by Blutter. They did quite a few things together and were close, like going to the Superbowl in January after receiving an invite from a customer to do this. Chief Irish told Blutter he didn't know what information more the investigators would need, but he would forward the information that he would be available for an interview if necessary.
Chief Irish Report (Pg. 30)
5:30 PM
Chief Irish starts another supplemental report. This report documents a phone call from Ms. Kathy Bertuglia and a few other entries. The report is signed on July 15, 1993.
Chief Irish Report (Pg. 30)
Visitation was from 6 to 8 PM at Northwest Mortuary, 4033 N. 19th Ave, and scripture service at 7:00 PM.
July 15, 1993
Chief Irish signs his report started on July 14, 1993.
Chief Irish Report (Pg. 30)
July 19, 1993
Officer Brooks reported on July 9, 1993, during the autopsy, that Dr. Keen had told him he would be mailing the written autopsy report to the Yavapai County Medical Examiner in Prescott, Az, around this time.
Officer Brooks Report (Pg. 18)
July 22, 1993
A DPS scientific examination report by Richard A. Erfert #2626 from the Northern Regional Crime Lab was prepared about the Ruger Redhawk revolver and leather holster and examined for latent prints.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg.35)
July 26, 1993
This is the day reported by Ms. Wendy Wasilishin that she had a phone call with Peterson. In this phone call according to Ms. Wendy Wasilishin she is told by Peterson that he would do the polygraph and reconstruction but the police did not need him anymore because they had enough evidence. Peterson also tells her that her sister shot at him and he heard no noises but followed her around the corner to find her dead in her bed.
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 45 )
July 29, 1993, 2:00 PM
Peterson contacted Det. Spokes at the police department and Det. Spokes obtained the set of rolled fingerprints from Peterson to be used for comparison.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 29)
July 30, 1993
Investigator Saravo and Wendy Wasilishin have a telephone conversation. Ms. Wendy Wasilishin wanted to be updated about the case. In this call she tells Investigator Saravo that Peterson had told her what happened July, 9th, 1993. This phone call reportedly had taken place on July 26th,1993. Peterson tells Ms. Wendy Wasilishin that "Stacy" had taken a shot at him, went into the other room and when he went around the corner she was dead in bed. No sounds had occured that he heard. Peterson also says the reconstruction of the shooting and polygraph test were no longer needed. The police had told him they had enough evidence now and did not need those things. Ms. Wendy Wasilishin then asked if he would still do the reconstruction and polygraph anyway and he said yes. Investigator Saravo made a note that law enforement had not adviced Peterson that he was not needed for a polygraph or reconstruction.
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 45 )
August 2, 1993
Det. Spokes received a copy of the D.P.S. Scientific examination report that was dated July 22, 1993. This report had been prepared by Richard A. Erfert #2626 of Northern Regional Crime Lab. It was a report about the Ruger Redhawk revolver and leather holster, and it had been examined for latent prints. The ridge detail developed was not sufficient for identification.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg.35)
August 3, 1993
Investigator Saravo, Nancy Wilson Of Sedona Police Department, and Det. Spokes meet at the office of Det. Spokes in Sedona PD. They measured Ms. Wilson's arms and hands and were found to match Wasilishin. They attempt to simulate the firing of the handgun using a handgun of the same size and model.
“We were unable to have Ms. Wilson pull the trigger when we attempted to obtain the same angle of entry. Ms. Wilson had difficulty in pulling the trigger when the gun was fired one-handed double action. We were able to have the gun discharged when Investigator Saravo struggled with Ms. Wilson.”
Detective Spokes Report (Pg37.)
August 11, 1993
5:00 PM
Officer S. Brooks writes a supplementary report. It documents Officer Brooks returning a phone call to Dr. Philip E. Keen of the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office in Phoenix, AZ, concerning the autopsy of Wasilishin.
"At this time, Dr. Keen again inquired of me whether or not I knew if Ms. Wasilishin was either right or [of] left-handed. I informed Dr. Keep that the investigation was currently being handled by Det. W. Spokes, but to the best of my knowledge, Wasilishin was right-handed."
Dr. Keen then informed Officer Brooks that the results of the gunpowder residue tests were positive on the palm and webs of the left hand. No residue on the right hand. Dr. Keen said that based on that, he would rule his report a "Homicide." Brooks forwarded this to Det. Spokes.
Officer Brooks Report (Pg. 32)
August 16, 1993
A DPS Scientific Examination was sent in and prepared by Robert S. Blackett #2801 of the Arizona Department of Public Safety Crime Lab. This was to test various items for serology and hair.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg35.)
August 17, 1993
Det. Spokes, Investigator Saravo, and Dr. Keen meet in Dr. Keen's office at Maricopa County Medical Examiners office In Phoenix, AZ. Dr. Keen says it was his opinion that Ms. Wasilishin was in a defensive posture when shot and that the powder residue located on her left-hand palm is what made him have this conclusion.
Det. Spokes Report (Pg. 37)
August 23, 1993
Det. Spokes received a copy of the D.P.S. Scientific Examination report dated August 16, 1993
and prepared by Robert. S. Blackett #2801 of the Arizona Department of Public Safety Crime Lab. This is the report of the results of an examination of various items for serology and hair. This entry said to see the report for results and did not list the results
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 35)
Some personal items were released and mailed via U.P.S. to mother Wasilishin by law enforcement.
Police Report (Pg. 170) Signed By W. Bokes? #83
August 26, 1993
A supplement report was made by Officer W. Bokes? #83, and they say at the request of Sgt. Christy #202, they returned the personal items of Stephanie Wasilishin to her mother, Bea Evans (Bernice Wasilishin). The items were listed as
Item #20 Photograph and frame
Item # Brown address book
Item # Yellow pulsar watch
Item # Moon Valley class ring
Item # One pair of yellow earrings with white stone
The items were shipped U.P.S. to (Blanked out) W. Windrose Dr. Phoenix, AZ. 8-23-93 Photograph of the items released was retained with the original property form.
Police Report (Pg. 170) Signed By W. Bokes? #83
September 3, 1993 (Friday) 12:15 PM
Peterson meets Det. Spokes at his office in the Sedona Police Department. Lt. Dana Schmidt was also present. Det. Spokes mentioned he was the one who called Peterson and arranged the meeting. They tell Peterson he is not under arrest and he could leave at any time, plus his Miranda rights. Peterson understood and chose to stay and speak with them, as well as agreed to be tape-recorded. They asked Peterson to review the events of July 9, 1993. This interview has a transcription.
*Special note that the tape recorder stopped on the side and was not noticed for two minutes. The tape was turned over, and Lt. Schmidt re-asked his question.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 36)
Det. Spokes received a copy of transcripts for the reports in October.
This is Peterson’s last official interview with investigators, and the narrative of the story changes again. Peterson claimed there was no struggle between him and Stephanie. Instead, he described his emotional struggle:
"I wanted to grab her. 'Why did you shoot at me? Stop the madness. Why did all this happen? You never gave me the chance.' I don't know what happened, I don't know what happened. I don't know what happened. I may know, it'll come to me. I never … I don't think I ever put my hands on her."
Peterson then told police that he saw Stephanie fall from a distance. The detective reminded Peterson that they had been patient and understanding with him despite canceled appointments and difficulty contacting him. The detective also mentioned that they had tried to show that it was an accident, but Peterson did not participate in a polygraph test or reenactment of the events. However, Peterson did consent to a search of his house. Det. Spokes do mention to Peterson in this interview that there have been four major interviews and that the story changed. Peterson acknowledged this but did not waiver. Det. Spokes applied a bit of pressure, but Peterson deflected.
The interview ends at 12:40 PM.
September 21, 1993
10:00 AM
Mr. Sal DiGiovanni, a local businessperson, called Chief Irish and mentioned that he received a call from someone in Phoenix who was relaying information about the case. However, DiGiovanni had no information about the case and had missed all the media coverage.
Chief Irish Report (Pg. 34)
11:00 AM
Chief Irish contacted DiGiovanni, who provided the name of Jim Mayer from Phoenix, who had called DiGiovanni for information about the case. Chief Irish shared public information about the case with DiGiovanni and recommended that someone speak with Mayer, who claimed to be a close friend of the victim and had only recently learned about her death.
The reason Mr. Sal DiGiovanni had called was that Jim Mayer called him after talking to some of his bosses about someone he had known in high school, the victim in this case, having been killed in Sedona. Jim Mayer's boss at the automotive shop knew Mr. DiGiovanni and asked Mayber to give him a call to shed light on it.
Chief Irish Report (Pg. 34)
September 23, 1993
9:20 AM
Chief Irish contacts James A. Mayer, who knew Wasilishin in high school, graduating in 1979 from Moon Valley High. Mr. Mayer had heard about the case three days ago from Wendy Wasilishin (Sister Of Stephanie Wasilishin) because Mr. Mayber and both sisters were friends with him. Mr. Mayer provides a possible phone contact for the victim's mother in Phoenix, AZ, and says he hasn't seen Wasilishin in two years. Chief Irish provides Mayer with public information about the case. It was Mr. Mayer’s opinion that Wasilishin would not shoot or handle a gun in any manner.
Chief Irish Report (Pg. 34)
2:00 PM
Kathleen Anderson-Kolm, the victim's sister, sent a letter to Det. Spokes and expressed interest in visiting Sedona to get an update on the case.
Chief Irish Report (Pg. 34)
September 24, 1993
9:30 AM
Chief Irish called Kathleen Anderson-Kolm at her work, but she was not available but returned the call at 9:55 AM. Kolm wished for an update on the case and if there was anything new, but Chief Irish informed her that there were no updates. Det. Spokes were out of state until the next week. Kolm states she would be in Flagstaff, AZ., from September 9, 1993 - October 2, 1993, but she'd be home in Phoenix, AZ. Sometime after October 4, 1993.
Chief Irish Report (Pg. 34)
9:40 AM
Chief Irish calls Mrs. Bee Evans, the mother of Wasilishin.Daughter Wendy Wasilishin returned the call at 11:15 AM. Chief Irish speaks with Wendy and Evans. Chief Irish informs them of no updates.
Chief Irish Report (Pg. 34)
1:00 PM
Several transcribed transcripts were compiled and placed into the case file.
7-9-93 1641 hrs Det. Spokes And Investigator Saravo Interview with child (Name entirely blanked out) 12 pgs.
7-9-93 1742 hrs Det. Spokes and Investigator Saravo interview Peterson. 34 pgs.
7-10-93 1521 hrs Det. Spokes and Investigator Saravo interview Peterson at Poco Diablo Resort 35 pgs.
7-11-93 1421 hrs Det. Spokes, Investigator Saravo Interview Peterson and Peter Corn (Korn) during a walkthrough of the residence. 8 pgs.
Report page 66 (Signed by Patrol Officer #53 but Unsure of Name)
September 27, 1993
2:00 PM
Wendy Wasilishin came to the police department and left a notice from her mother. Chief Irish explains to her it does not hold legality there. Det. Spokes and Chief Irish update her and her fiance about the case. The notice was her mother attempting to ensure all information on the case came to her prior to other family.
Chief Irish Report (Pg. 34)
September 28, 1993
R.C. Irish (#02) (Chief Irish) writes a supplemental report of various dates and activities. These events are added to the timeline in chronicle order. The date the report is written is blank, and it is signed for this day.
Chief Irish Report (Pg. 34)
October 14, 1993
9:25 AM
A supplemental report was created by Det. Spokes. This report was to explain the investigation's progress and status. These events are added to the timeline in chronicle order.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 35)
Peterson updates Det. Spokes with his current telephone number. The number is included on Det. Spokes report but is blanked out.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 37)
October 15, 1993
At the request of Det. Spokes Peterson brings in a copy of his July telephone bill.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 37)
October 19, 1993
Det. Spokes write a supplementary report. This was to explain the investigation's progress and status. Events are added to the timeline in chronological order.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 37)
October 20, 1993 10:00 AM
Det. Spokes and Investigator Saravo have a meeting with Yavapai County Attorney C. Hastings at Mr. Hastings's office in Prescott, AZ.
They reviewed the case, and Mr. Hastings suggested that a psychologist should review Peterson's statements and give an opinion. Investigator Saravo said he would do this. Mr. Hastings then tells them if nothing new is revealed, then he will consider the investigation complete and make a charging decision.
Mr. Hastings then said he would contact this officer and provide a written decision, and then, when appropriate, he would issue a news release.
Saravo provides Det. Spokes a copy of his investigation. The copy was attached to police reports.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 38)
4:55 PM
Detective Spokes writes another supplemental report. This is to explain a meeting event with Yavapai County Attorney C. Hastings. This event has been added to the timeline within order.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 38)
October 21, 1993 10:08 AM
Sedona Police Department Supplementary report is filed, and they still have Peterson as a suspect. The purpose of the report is to explain the investigation's progress and status. This is a received transcript by Det. Spokes of the interview taken 09/03/93 of Peterson. The transcript was done by Nancy Wilson of the Sedona Police Department. The Tape was placed into Evidence.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 46)
November 9, 1993
The case is sent to the Yavapai County Attorney's Office for review to see if an arrest should be made, and the report on this date says the acknowledged inconsistencies in Peterson's account, but there was no evidence to prosecute.
December 1993
In December 1993, despite "inconsistencies in the suspect's stories," the Yavapai County Attorney's Office declined to present the case to a grand jury due to "insufficient evidence." A letter from the Office suggested that Peterson's confusion over the facts could be attributed to "trauma" or "wishful thinking." As a result, Peterson was not formally charged or arrested in connection with Stephanie's death, and the case went cold for several years.
Updated Event
A supplementary report by Chief Irish is written where he mentions speaking with Bee (Bernice) Wasilishin by telephone. Chief Irish updated her about the case, and Bernice Wasilishin spoke about a note and pictures she received from a friend of Stephanie Wasilishin named Rosie. It was Bernice Washilishin's opinion that the letter showed the state of mind of the relationship between Peterson and Stephanie Wasilishin. Two photographs taken on April 15, 1993, were enclosed. One was a picture of Stephanie Wasilishin over a cake at a baby shower; the other was Stephanie and Rosie, for whom the baby shower was being held. Chief Irish made copies of the photos and letter and attached them to the supplemental report.
Chief Irish Report (Pg. 64)
May 6, 2014
Scientific Examination Report from the Arizona Department of Public Safety is received, and the bullet jacket had a serology test done. “Per Criminalist Dick,” there was no blood detected on the item.
Reporting Officer Signed but Unknown Ser. No 258 Page 169
June 15, 2020
Sgt. Dominguez meets with Wendy Wasilishin in her home in Pheonix, AZ. They discuss the case of Stephanie Wasilishin's death. Ms. Wasilishin tells Sgt. Dominguez that she believed Peterson was responsible for her sister's death and that she wanted SPD to continue the investigation into the incident. Sgt. Dominguez explained how the SPD would proceed and that she would be kept informed.
Sgt. Dominguez then notes trying to find Peterson and Wasilishin's daughter, Kristina Wasilishin who also lived in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Sgt. Dominguez hoped Kristina would be interested in doing a confrontation call with Peterson about the original incident.
Sgt. Dominguez Report (Pg. 174)
July 6, 2020
Sgt. Dominguez contacted Kristina Wasilishin via telephone and they discussed the investigation. Kristina does agree to do the confrontation call. They make plans to meet in person for further discusion.
Sgt. Dominguez Report (Pg. 174)
July 20, 2020 (Monday) 11:01:27 AM
A supplement report by Sgt. M. Dominguez #387 is made outlineing a few events into his updated investigation into the case.
Sgt. Dominguez Report (Pg. 174)
July 16, 2020
An article by Red Rock News was published, but the family was not contacted for comment or informed of the article. Therefore, the paper publishes the story solely based on the statements from SPD Sgt: Michael Dominquez, a previous news story, and the comments from Police Chief Bob Irish.
The article states a seemingly one-sided story of the altercation. It focuses heavily on the case details but little on the family's feelings or needs for closure. It also posts very little about who Stephanie was as a person.
It also promises that SPD Sgt. Michael Dominquez was looking into the case at the request of the family. Dominquez takes the lead in the article and mentions no witnesses other than the victim and her boyfriend, Russell Peterson. The children were asleep in different rooms at the time of the incident. The autopsy report confirmed that the cause of death was a homicide. However, the case never progressed beyond the investigative stage. Dominquez first examined the cause of death and noted that the issue is still open because there is no statute of limitations on potential homicide. However, based on the evidence, he believed there was more to the story than suicide.
He planned on interviewing Peterson and meeting with the prosecuting attorneys and medical examiner's Offices to investigate the case further. The case file is 400 pages; Dominquez has read it multiple times, according to himself.
https://www.redrocknews.com/2020/07/16/sedona-police-department-returns-to-1993-case/
July 21, 2020, 12:21 PM
Sgt: Michael Dominquez takes Stephanie's autopsy photos and report to get a second opinion from Yavapai County Medical Examiner Dr. Jeffrey Nine. Dr. Nine could not make a determination regarding the manner of death, specifically a homicide or suicide.
Sgt. Dominguez notes that he had made several attempts to talk with Kristina Wasilishin to set up the in person meeting but is unable to contact them by phone or e-mail.
Sgt. Dominguez makes a note that he wished to speak with Peterson about the incident but has not done so yet. Dominguez notes that Pterson lives in the Pheonix Az area.
Sgt. Dominguez Report (Pg. 175)
July 27, 2020
An article by Red Rock News was published, but the family was not contacted for comment or informed of the article. This is a follow-up to the first article. It contains a photo of Dominquez reading Stephanie's case file. Again, this article seems to tell the story one-sided and contradicts the medical examiners ruling that it was a homicide. Additionally, the article seems to focus more on the technical aspects of the case rather than the victim's life and the impact of her death on her family. The family is barely mentioned, as are their goals for this case and their loved one. It seems that Dominquez felt that the case was not a homicide and was working to gather evidence to prove his theory made a few statements about the family, focusing too hard on the dominant right-hand fact. Dominquez was removed from this case after the article was published. Investigators must remain impartial and follow the evidence wherever it leads rather than trying to prove a particular theory.
Dominquez reports taking the autopsy photos to Yavapai County Medical Examiner Dr. Jeffrey Nine.
"He told me that based on what he had in front of him, he was not able to make an assessment in terms of manner, 'manner' being a suicide or homicide or unknown," Dominguez said. "I think that was a fair assessment, and I trust Dr. Nine because he's been doing autopsies for a very long time.
"This doesn't change anything for me. My direction from the beginning was to take the information I had to make a determination of 'Can I show that a crime occurred or not?' Based on what I'm seeing right now, I cannot see a crime here for me to be able to say there's probable cause."
Dominquez claims that what is known is that two shots were fired that night and that the bullet was recovered from the wall.
"When you do multiple interviews with someone, you expect variations," Dominguez said. "I'm more suspicious when someone has the exact same story three different times because, to me, that's a rehearsal. Variation is human nature because we all forget things, especially if we're traumatized."
Dominquez planned on interviewing Peterson of Phoenix, AZ.
Dominguez has stated that he plans to share the evidence he has gathered with the county attorney for review and guidance before taking any formal action to pursue the case.
"I won't have a decision until I can prove it to myself because I'm the one who has to say there's probable cause," Dominguez said. "I don't have that. There's too many inconsistencies. Short of a confession, I'm not sending this for prosecution."
August 3, 2020
Sgt. Dominguez makes a supplemental report outlining his investigation events into the case.
Sgt. Dominguez Report (Pg. 175)
June 2022
In 2022, the Stephanie Wasilishin case garnered renewed attention after being featured on Fox News. Leading the investigation was Sedona Police Sgt—Laura Leon, who expressed her hopes of speaking with Peterson again to gather more information. However, the Yavapai County Attorney's Office declined to comment on the ongoing investigation, citing their ethical obligations to not comment on open, active cases.
FOX 10 attempted to reach out to Peterson for comment but, like Sedona P.D., did not receive a response. A visit to his Phoenix home was also unsuccessful, as Peterson was absent then.
The investigation into Stephanie Wasilishin's death remains ongoing.
2022 (Estimated)
In 2022, a change.org petition titled "DEMAND a complete Homicide investigation for the murder of Stephanie Marie Wasilishin" was started by family member Nicole Wasilishin. (Daughter Nikki) As of April 2023, it has garnered 1,067 signatures. The petition highlights the case of Stephanie Wasilishin, a mother of two whom her boyfriend fatally shot during a domestic violence altercation on July 9, 1993. No charges were ever filed in the case, and the family now requests to present a complete case file to a Grand Jury for review. The petitioner urges people to sign and share the petition and directs those interested in learning more about Stephanie's death to Google her name and watch a two-part news story aired on Fox News in June. The family alleges that the Sedona Police Department has taken no action with the information presented.
January 2023
According to the family, until January 2023, the SPD was unaware that Stephanie had planned to leave her live-in boyfriend that night.
February 2023
Nicole Wasilishin posted an update on the change.org petition where she started demanding a complete homicide investigation for her mother's murder. The update included a picture of the medical examiner report marked "Homicide" with her TikTok watermark of @nicolewasilishin726.
Nicole shared that the last four weeks of her mother's investigation have been active, and after years of begging, she finally got a couple of minutes in a room with the people in charge of her mother's homicide. She emailed every member of the Sedona city council, and the Vice Mayor got back to her and set up an interview between herself, her aunt, and the active investigator.
After a two-hour meeting, they left hopeful and requested additional interviews be performed first and foremost, including with her father, Craig Daley, who was one of the last people to speak to her mother before she was murdered. Nicole was ecstatic to announce that they finally interviewed her father in person last week and that her mother's case is moving behind the scenes, thanks to the helpfulness of everyone who signed the petition. Nicole promised further updates and hopefully an arrest in the coming weeks or months, thanking her followers for their support.
Update: This interview by Mr. Daley is critical to the investigation because he had previously not been given a chance to provide an accurate account of what he had known.
Private Family Conversation via Text 2023
2023 Estimated
According to Stephanie Wasilishin's family, Peterson had remarried a woman named (Redacted for her privacy and the marriage date is unknown) Peterson has allegedly confessed to his new wife, the murder of Stephanie Wasilishin. This information was turned over to the police around 2023 by the family of Wasilishin.
Private Family Conversation via Text 2023
Stephanie Marie Wasilishin
Stephanie was also called “Stacy.” The name is also on a few memorials, and her friends and family used it. Other nicknames she may have had are “Steph.”
Source: Throughout Police reports and https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/131478603/stacy-marie-wasilishin
Stephanie Wasilishin was born June 1, 1961, in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois (This may have been Chicago, Arizona) USA, and died July 9, 1993, around 1:40 AM by unsolved death in Sedona, Arizona, inside her home at 530 Coffee Pot Drive.
Stephanie may have lived in Jackson, Wyoming, USA, and Phoenix, Arizona, as well as her home residence of Sedona, Arizona, USA.
Wasilishin's visitation was 6-8 PM Wednesday, July 14, 1993, at Northwest Mortuary, 4033 N. 19th Ave. Followed by a scripture service at 7:00 PM.
Wasilishin's burial was in Saint Francis Catholic Cemetery in Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, section RES1 Plot SMAGO Row C Space 3
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/131478603/stacy-marie-wasilishin
Stephanie is a beloved family member from a large family. She is a dedicated mother to her two daughters, Kristina Courtney (Born. August 11th) and Nikki (Nichole) Lee, whom she raised with her longtime boyfriend, Russell Peterson. In addition, Stephanie worked as a pastry chef at Pietro's Restaurant, where Russell was also a chef.
Stephanie's family includes but is not limited to her Mother, Bernice (Also known as Bee, Bea Evens, and Bee Evans along with other variant spellings) of Pheonix AZ.; Stepfather, Reginald Evans; Father, Harry Wasilishin (b. 1930 D. 1975)
Sisters Wendy of El Cajon, California, Patty, and Kathy (Kathlean Colm-Anderson ). Brothers Lance and Michael. Paternal Grandparents Mike (b. 1893-D.1965) and Alice Wasilishin (B. 1900 d. 1962) Wasilishin was one of five children, and she had been a twin, but her brother Steven Harry Wasilishin had died when he was only 18 months old.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/161647705/mike-wasilishin
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/161647755/alice-g-wasilishin
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/251408486/harry-wasilishin
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 28)
https://www.newspapers.com/article/59659903/obituary-for-harry-wasilishin-aged-45/?xid=865
Wendy Wasilishin (Name variant is Windy Wasilishin) shared fond memories of her sister with the news and described her sister as someone who was funny and enjoyed joking around a lot. In a statement that is heavily underlined by many, Wendy tells us that her sister absolutely loved her children. When asked the blunt question of if her sister ever threatened to harm herself or Peterson, Wendy gives this quote.
https://www.newspapers.com/article/59659903/obituary-for-harry-wasilishin-aged-45/?xid=865
"No. She loved her kids. She was a perfect mom. She decorated all the time. She spent a lot of time with her girls."
Stephanie Wasilishin Video Rocking Her Baby: https://www.tiktok.com/@nicolewasilishin726/video/7274790014171565355?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7273559748814013994
Wendy was able to give input about her sister during the investigation as well. Wendy Wasilishin said that she had a best-friend-type relationship with her sister. They had spoken on the phone twice the night of Stephanie’s death. The conversation had been about Stephanie’s bad day and the upcoming intimate evening Stephanie hoped to have with Peterson. The second phone call ended with Stephanie in a good mood. Wendy Wasilishin tells investigators that her sister had loved life, was scared of death, and would not have taken her own life. At the time in 1993, sister Wendy Wasilishin had been living in El Cajon, California.
Police Reports (Pg. 42)
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 43)
Wendy Wasilishin has continued to advocate for her sister into the present day and has stated that she does believe that Peterson is responsible for the death of her sister.
Sgt. Dominguez Report (Pg. 174)
Kathlean Anderson-Colm (Name spelled in variants such as Kathleen or Kathy) was close with her little sister Stephanie Wasilishin. This was the first family contact by law enforcement to inform them of Stephanie’s death. Mrs. Anderson-Colm asked if she could be the one to tell their mother, and she took on this heavy burden. In 1993, Mrs. Anderson-Colm lived in the Phoenix, AZ, area with her partner, Ken Colm.
Officer R. Stesick Report (Pg 19)
Police Report (Pg. 20)
Kathlean Anderson-Colm was the oldest sister to Stephanie, and she had a close relationship with Stephanie. Kathlean has many name variants, such as Kathy, Cathy, or Kathleen, and other last names, such as Miller, Anderson, and Colm/Kolm. Mrs. Anderson-Colm would come to Sedona, AZ, every couple of months to visit her sister, and the two would talk on the phone occasionally. Stephanie Wasilishin had confided in her that Peterson abused her and that she wanted to leave but hesitated because of their daughter. Stephanie’s unhappiness had increased over the past six months, according to sister Kathlean. Kathlean did not see any physical evidence or witness anything but offered her sister help to leave. Mrs. Anderson-Colm described his sister as someone who had a great passion for motherhood and who may have taken a little more time than others to find her career goals.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 28)
https://www.newspapers.com/article/59659903/obituary-for-harry-wasilishin-aged-45/?xid=865
Kathlean Anderson-Colm tried to stay involved in her sister's case making efforts to contact law enforcement for updates.
Police Reports (Pg. 34)
Lance Wasilishin was one of Stephanie’s brothers, and he had spoken briefly with investigators by phone. Lance insisted that his sister was suicidal and also mentioned that Stephanie had tried to make her relationship work with Peterson.
Police Reports (Pg. 43)
Bernice Wasilishin is the mother to Stephanie Wasilishin. Bernice has many variants of her name as well as her married last name. Bea, Bee, Bee Evans, Bea Evans, last name variants are Gordon. Bernice lived in the Phoenix, Az, area around the time of 1993.
Officer R. Stensick Report (Pg. 19)
Bernice seems to have a presence within her family due to her wishing to have information sent to her directly from law enforcement and her family helping her send messages or pick up phone calls on her behalf.
Chief Irish Report (Pg. 34)
Mother Bernice Wasilishin said her relationship with her daughter was close and good. They had been making plans to go to Disneyland. Stephanie had told her about Peterson’s abuse over 50 times.
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg 45)
Nikki Wasilishin is the daughter of Craig Daley and Stephanie Wasilishin. Nikki has name variants but currently uses her full name, Nicole Wasilishin, professionally. Online, she uses the name Nikki. Currently, she is from Cave Creek, AZ, USA.
As a young child, Nikki was fairly aware of the home life situation but seemed to have a rosy view of life then. Child Nikki told investigators that she and her mother were friends. Her mother and “Rusty” (Peterson) liked each other a lot and did not fight much. When they did fight, it was because Peterson was spending too much money. (specifically for the cooking school) and that he was not spending time with his family. Nikki had not witnessed physical violence or signs of it. Though one time she did, her mother hit Rusty. Child Nikki thought that if Peterson had hit her mom, she would have told at least her friend Susie.
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 46)
Nicole's view of what happened is less than rosy as an adult, and it is important to her to find out what happened. Nicole thinks it was murder.
"When I have people tell me that it’s suicide or an accident or whatever you want to say, I know it’s just a blatant lie. My mom would never touch a gun … her two children were sleeping just feet away,"
"I’m not gonna give up on this anymore. I will fight the system. I will not let this go. My mother did not commit suicide or have an argument and try to shoot her boyfriend. That is not what happened," Nikki said.
https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/unsolved-in-sedona-decades-later-family-members-frustrated-at-lack-of-progress-in-cold-case
Nicole Wasilishin is currently single-handedly barraging the internet and local professionals to help bring some justice to her mother’s case.
@nicolewasilishin726
Nanny Nikki Nancy Drew&The The Case Of Her Mothers Cold Case https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100075911512108
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWFfe62xYukSFMucm1Q9eLTusBw99bvKZ
Craig K. Daley is the father of Nikki Wasilishin, and he is also Stephanie Wasilishin’s ex-boyfriend. They had lived together for five years and broke up for not seeing eye to eye. According to Daley, they had a friendly relationship. Mr. Daley is likely the last person to have talked to Stephanie on the telephone before her death. This phone call allegedly lasted 1-2 hours, according to both him and Peterson.
Mr. Daley was able to tell investigators that the phone call had been about setting up a pickup time for Nikki Wasilishin, the relationship troubles with Peterson, and then They drifted off into old times. Mr. Daley clarified that the two had not seriously considered getting back together, even if Stephanie Wasilishin had brought it up teasingly. (Investigators had asked him about this.)
Daley did have guns, and he was asked if Stephanie shot any of the guns. At first, he said he did not think so, and then he said that maybe she did a couple of times. Daley also describes an incident that had happened roughly two years prior where Stephanie and her sister Wendy had shown up at his house early in the morning to get some clothes for Nikki. Daley called the cops, and Stephanie was arrested for drinking, he thought.
Mr. Daley described Stephanie Wasilishin as having an average temperament and as a “very strong-willed girl.” and stated that she had not threatened with with violence or suicide but said that she did make inappropriate jokes such as "I'm going to kill you."
Mr. Daley had previously thought to have been interviewed until 2023, but he talked on the phone briefly with Investigator Saravo in 1993. Currently, Mr. Daley is willing to talk with law enforcement and has.
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 46-47)
In 2023, Mr. Daley clarified that this first interview was not correct. The interviewer yelled at him during the call, and the reports about the conversation in the police records are inaccurate.
Private Family Conversation via Text 2023
Kenneth and Phyllis Peterson, who were the parents of Russell B. Peterson (divorced), and gave their personal opinions about Stephanie Wasilishin’s personality to investigators. They described “Stacy” as a strong individual who had a rough life, and she spoke and acted very tough. Phyllis described her as "a very tormented young lady." They advised she came from an alcoholic and abusive background and that she had a twin who died, and the mother was resentful of Stacy about the death. They added Stacy would get nasty with Peterson.
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 44-45)
Dimmity and Vinvent Raniello, a residence that was located across the street from Stephanie Wasilishin and Russell Peterson. They told investigators they saw and heard nothing from that night, and they did not know of any past fights. The couple had kept to themselves.
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg.45)
Jeff and Martha Christensen, the neighbors, said that the couple was mostly quiet, and they did not know them very well. Occasionally, they did hear them fighting at night over the course of a year and ½. They did not see any violence. Their children would play together sometimes.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 25-26)
James A. Mayer (Jim, an employee of an auto shop) was a close friend of Stephanie Wasilishin, and he was also a friend of Wendy Wasilishin. Mayer and Stephanie attend high school together at Moon Valley. (Graduated 1979) Mayer was unaware of Wasilishin’s death for some time since he had not had contact with her for two years. However, he felt it important to contact investigators to let them know that he had known her well. According to Mayer, Wasilishin would never shoot anyone or handle a gun in any manner.
Chief Irish Report (Pg.33)
Kathy Bertuglia identified herself to investigators as a friend to both Peterson and Wasilishin. On the day of Wasilishin’s funeral visitation, she called Chief Irish to inquire about the investigation. Then offered to make a statement in regard to her association with the couple. Ms. Bertuglia said of Stephanie, “Was not a very nice person.”
Chief Irish Report (Pg. 30)
Kay Ellen Gantt identified herself as a sister to Stephanie Wasilishin. The two had become close for about a year and a half. Stephanie Wasilishin confided in Ms.Gantt about her life problems. Ms.Gantt described Wasilishin as having a lot of internal pain, was resentful and jealous of Peterson’s success, and felt neglected by him due to his dedicated work. Ms. Gantt was a friend of Peterson and did visit him after Stephanie Wasilishin’s death.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 27-28)
Louis Covarrubias Rodriguez is a co-worker at the restaurant where both Peterson and Wasilishin had worked. Mr. Rodriguez said that he noticed Wasilishin was "always putting people down and trying to dig at Mr. Peterson." Mr. Rodriguez once asked her why she was always meant to Peterson, and she replied, "It hurt to be nice."
Detective Spokes Report (Pg.27)
Suzie Corbett was a co-worker but also a close friend of the couple. Ms. Corbett was a waitress that night, but she filled in with whatever job needed filling, so sometimes she would bus or greet. Ms. Corbett and her boyfriend had taken Peterson home that night, and Ms. Corbett had made plans with Wasilishin to pick up the children for a sleepover, but the work schedules fell through at the last moment. Ms. Corbett knew Wasilishin was upset because Peterson was working too much and not paying attention to her or the children. She described Wasilishin as having a strong personality and getting angry with her kids but never saw her threaten Peterson. Corbett also mentioned that Wasilishin was stressed over money and the upcoming trip but did not observe any threats between the couple. Ms. Corbett was a close friend to Wasilishin by a few months but had known her for about a year.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg.27)
First Interview transcribed tapes pg. 84
Cathrin Dinler was another co-worker who was friends with Stephanie Wasilishin and had seen her before she had gone home for the night from her work shift. Ms. Dinler told investigators that Stephanie was upset and had asked her to talk with Peterson about the trip. Wasilishin had confided in Dinler about her past and told her she had a rough childhood. Her mother and stepfather were both (blanked out). They physically and (blanked out) abused her, and her previous relationship with Craig Daily was also abusive. Ms. Dinler described how Wasilishin was "trying to push Mr. Peterson's buttons." Peterson would ignore her and her threats. Ms. Dinler said she had not seen any violence and recommended that they. Contact Kay Gantt, who was a close friend of Wasilishin.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg.26)
Mr. Peter Korn was the owner of Pietro’s Restaurant and employer to both Stephanie Wasilishin and Russell Peterson. Mr. Korn and Peterson were friends. Mr. Korn called Chief Irish multiple times on the same day Wasilishin died. Peterson had also contacted him to come and take custody of Wasilishin’s daughters. Later, Peterson stayed with him for a while as well.
Mr. Korn had strong opinions of Waslilishin’s character and shared his thoughts with law enforcement. Mr. Korn said that he "didn't really want to badmouth Stephanie" twice but went on to describe that Stephanie had been very upset and unhappy lately, possibly due to Peterson's upcoming ten-day trip to New York for a culinary seminar. He thinks that the relationship between Stephanie and Peterson was argumentative and that Stephanie caused most of the problems. He could see Stephanie taking actions such as killing herself but not Peterson shooting her. He heard Stephanie speak badly about Peterson's occupation, and she seemed annoyed and distraught because Peterson was so wrapped up in his work. Finally, Korn alluded to threats that Stephanie made regarding Peterson, although not necessarily life-threatening. Through the course of the conversation, Mr. Korn speaks on behalf of his other employees and says that all thought Stephanie was upset about the trip as well.
Mr. Korn was interviewed by Det. Spokes at his residence, where Peterson stayed with him after the death. Again, Mr. Korn had strong opinions of Stephanie and described her as course and straightforward. Korn knew the couple for two years, and he said Stephanie was always antagonizing Peterson and jealous of his success.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg.26)
Police Reports (Pg. 24)
Police Reports (Pg. 13-14)
Russel B. Peterson (Rusty) was a long-time boyfriend of Stephanie Wasilishin and had a lot to say about Stephanie and her personality.
Peterson describes Stephanie as "She was kind of hardcore, not kind of, very hardcore straightforward." Peterson acknowledges that he thought his achievements upset Stephanie, and she viewed them as her losses. Peterson also said it was her basic language to speak with straightforward and curse words. Peterson also went on to talk about how he built her up and taught her the skills she needed to make desserts. Peterson described her past as an “Unstable shitty background”
Transcription Pages (Police Report Pg. 50) (Fourth Interview)
"Not a big deal. Phew, you know, It's, I may or may not have told you this: It's one thing to see something on Television; it's another thing to come home on the verge of what you're doing and everything else, and then the person a person that has been part of your life for diz years that you, I trained her, I gave her the skills in the restaurant to do desserts, I gave a sense of ? but she comes home, I'm sure you've checked her out, she comes from a very unstable shitty background, one of which that I don't come from, obviously you guys don't come from that, but when we met at the Crescent hotel, I would see her, she would come in..."
Transcription Pages (Police Report Pg. 51) (Fourth Interview)
Peterson implied that Wasilishin had a personality that could swing to different emotions. "I mean, it all depends on, kind of, how she is at any given point in time."
First Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 88
Peterson describes how the morning of the incident (before the incident) Wasilishin was "off" but then again on any given day it depended on how you accepted that. "I mean, she might say something to you that she means, but its indirect kind of thing. "And I just kind of took everything always with a grain of salt like there was nothing off, just another day, just get done what we have to do, then we'll get home. "
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 115
Peterson also describes that Wasilishin could be a little aggressive to him after being home with the children all day.
First Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 84
Wasilishin is snippy, snide, and spunky, according to Peterson.
First Interview Pg. 97
Peterson thought that Wasilishin was a loving person and that she had loved him. "I know that Stephanie loved her kids." Peterson also said she seemed to be embarrassed of her past, so they did not talk about it much.
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 115
Peterson believed because of her alleged past abuse, Wasilishin had a lot of things that she projected onto others who were around because of her insecurities. Peterson tells investigators this did not make him angry.
Second Interview Pg. 134-5
When asked how he felt about Stephanie, he wasn’t able to give an answer and said maybe in a day or two, it would come to him.
Second Interview Pg. 145
Law Enforcement Lastly, In the surrounding areas and locally, police did not register any domestic violence accounts with her and her boyfriend. There was nothing of interest for Wasilishin’s background check.
Police Reports (Pgs. 22-23)
Russell Bennett Peterson
Temperament / Relationships / Extra Information From His Perspective / Evidence Taken From Him
Russell Peterson has the nickname “Rusty” and possibly “Russ,” and there have been spelling variants of his name. Peterson was named a suspect early on in the investigation, confirmed on various police report pages. There were some pages that also listed him as an investigative lead.
Yavapai County Attorney C. Hastings met with investigators in October of 1993 and suggested a psychologist review Peterson's statements. However, Mr. Hastings then tells the investigators that he plans on closing the case after this.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 40)
Prosecutors Yavapai County Attorney’s Office declined to file charges against him twice in 1993 due to "insufficient evidence."
There is very little modern information about Peterson, as he seems to have lived a quiet life since the unsolved death of his longtime girlfriend, Stephanie Wasilishin. Peterson allegedly refuses to reply to journalists or investigations. Peterson as of 2023 and resides in Phoenix, AZ.
According to Stephanie Wasilishin's family, Peterson had remarried to a woman named (Redacted for her privacy and the marriage date is unknown). Peterson has allegedly confessed to his new wife, the murder of Stephanie Wasilishin. This information was turned over to the police around 2023 by the family of Wasilishin.
Private Family Conversation via Text 2023
In the fourth and final interview with Detectives, Peterson tells them that he only wished to move forward with his life, raise his daughter, and achieve the goals he had set throughout.
Police Report Transcripts (Pg. 59) Fourt Interview
Peterson was around 31 or 32 years old at the time of the incident in 1993. Peterson also worked at Pietro’s Restaurant as a chef.
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg.46)
History According To Peterson
Peterson gave insight into his relationship with Stephanie Wasilishin and said they had been together for six and a half years. They had also been living together for about six years.
Police Report Transcripts (Pg. 79) (First interview)
Police Report Trasnscrips (Pg. 82) First Interview)
"We're friends, we're lovers. We're everything. We work together, we're a perfect mesh and combination of teamwork."
First Interview Pg. 99
"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, a good and semi-bad relationship. Just how relationships go. And after the first time, I mean, the gun was never grabbed before. I've known her for six years, I mean, it sat up there for a year and a half, and it was never grabbed before."
Police Report Transcript (Pg. 91) (Peterson's first interview after the initial statement)
Peterson described their relationship as, for the most part, stable.
First Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 88
Wasilishin had told others around her that their intimacy was not great, but Peterson said that while there were some lapses, they had good intimacy. “It was very comfortable, and it always seemed good for her.” Intimacy wasn’t necessarily planned, but it could be hard given the schedules and the kids.
Second Interview Pg. 147
Peterson frequently referred to Wasilishiin as his wife. During the 911 calls, he calls her this, and casually, in conversation, he calls her this. In some instances, the police also call Wasilishin his wife.
Second Interview Pg. 140
Peterson was told by investigators that the Wasilishin family believed he was abusive because Stephanie had reported that he was to them. Peterson denies this allegation and tells them this. "I never in six years ever raised a hand." Peterson then goes on to say that Mr. Daley had abused her in the past, and this was a documented fact because she had ended up in the hospital.
Transcripts (Pg.49) (Peterson Fourth Interview)
In the same interview, Peterson had described this about Stephanie and what he knew of her background as well as his and where they had met.
"It's one thing to see something on television; it's another thing to come home on the verge of what you're doing and everything else, and then the person a person, the person that has been part of your life for six years, that you, I trained her, I have her the skills in the restaurant to do desserts, I have ger a sense of? but she comes home, I'm sure you've checked her out, she comes from a very unstable shitty background, one of which that I don't come from, obviously you guys don't come from that, but when we met at the Crescent hotel, I would see her, she would come in..."
Transcripts (Pg.49) (Peterson Fourth Interview)
Peterson believed that he had taken Wasilishin out of an abusive environment. Though Wasilishin was embarrassed to discuss her past with him. The abusive environment was with Mr. Craig Daley and other ones "where she had a tendency to be involved with (blanked out)." This abuse had been in her childhood from her mother as well allegedly, and Peterson believed he had saved her from this as well. However, he did believe this shaped her insecurities that she was projecting on others. Peterson tells investigators this did not make him angry.
Second Interview Pg. 134-5
In this interview, Peterson again mentions meeting her at the "Crescent Hotel," where they bonded to a certain extent. Peterson had left, but she contacted him again and found him, and he took her back to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where they lived for a year and a half.
While in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Peterson was in charge of the White___ (blanked) Club.
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg.133
In Jackson Hole, they had spent somewhere between 15, 18, and 22 months "in a magnificent million and a half dollar restaurant, second to none." In Peterson's words, "Its just too bad that it was built in a town of 4,200 people and it was like a museum."
The restaurant did not fail, but it had changed. Peterson tells them that the restaurant was open, and John B. Tomaso, who also owned Tomaso Galleries on Main Street, gave it to his wife, Ann Tamas,o, who had never run a resturant before. Ann Tamaso was a housewife and treated the project like it was her baby. According to Peterson, Ann was overwhelmed because the town could not support that type of resturant. Peterson had stepped in on a verbal deal to help her keep the place going but in the end she slighted him and told him that they would be restaffing the restaurant after only paying a two week vacation and that was it. Peterson called John Tomaso in Phoenix, who encouraged him to come there with Wasilishin. There, John Tomaso gives him 1,000 as Peterson thought it was fair and they moved on from the whole thing.
Second Interview Pg. 139
Peterson said they came back to Phoenix while she was pregnant with their child and had her there, but they raised the child in Sedona.
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 115
Peterson felt like Wasilishin didn't know how to handle the positive position she was in.
"She had been used to, from what she told me on a limited amount of occasions abuse from her mother, abuse from her family. A possible (blanked out) from a stepfather. Of things that she never wanted to really come forward because then that would mean that, well, Russell doesn't accept me, what about his family, do they, will they, won't they?" She always wanted to take a back step and there was no reason for it cause she was at the forefront of what we were doing. I mean she was part of it, one hundred and ten percent. There was no question about that. Not only in my eyes, not only her eyes, but in everybody around her. But she always came across that there was a certain barrier. I kind of knew it. Nobody else knew it. And that could have been through her being aggressive on certain points. Not aggressive physically but aggressive verbally."
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 115-118
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 134
There were other mentions of this possible abusive history that Peterson mentions again. Peterson said he took her away from Mr. Craig Daley's abusive environment and her mother. Allegedly, her mother sent Wasilishin away with no family visits around the age of 10/11 years old when she started to develop breasts.
Second Interview Pg. 134-5
Peterson, as well as others, had brought up the fact Stephanie Wasilishin used blunt language and curse words. In transcripts and interactions with police like the above quote, it appears that Peterson also used crude language.
Peterson briefly describes himself in the fourth interview. When Wasilishin had brought up her phone conversation with Mr. Daley, Peterson thought she was trying to push his buttons to go into that “mode.” but according to himself, he did not have those buttons.
Police Report Transcription (Pg.57) (Peterson Fourth Interview)
Peterson felt that he was a smart person.
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 118
Peterson also described himself as "So you know I'm I am me. I don't have a lot of variables. I am me."
Second Interview Transcribed Tpaes Pg. 121
Investigators asked Peterson if he had taken any martial arts courses, and Peterson told them he had never taken anything.
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 145
Peterson seems to want to explain to investigators why he didn’t seem remorseful. "For me to look at you and say, well, how come you don't look, how come I don't look like I'm remorseful? Talk to friends of mine. Talk to people. Talk to anybody that you want to talk to."
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 140
Peterson tells detectives that he was non-confrontational or aggressive and instead had a model of behavior that he followed, especially against aggressive behaviors at him.
"I think you know it became almost her ploy on me to try and invoke a reaction, whether it be one of negative or positiveness. And because in my whole life, I mean I'm not one if you want to confront me very aggressively, I'm not going to be the one to come back at you and then cause a step and be of that type of confrontation. I would rather sit on the outside and you can come and you can provoke, you can talk, you can do whatever you want then I become a real good listener. O.k. fine, O.k fine, O.k. fine and sometimes for some people, or for a lot of people, it works. I like to think of it working adversely. If you become aggressive at me and you want an aggressive reaction, you have established and you are successful in what you kind of wanted to happen. That seeing what you're gonna... my reaction on that kind of level. As opposed to if you get as aggressive as you can and come at me and I just kind of like sit here and I talk to you, or whatever, its puts more of a wonderment as opposed to the justification of yes. I see, and I know where and how I can press his buttons more or less."
Second Interview Pg. 147
Peterson explained that for him, acceptance into the cooking program was a dream.
"Taste Of The Cordon Blue." in Ithaca, New York. "in less than 30 hours, a culmination of 15 years of work, I was accepted" That night, he had a bottle of "Jordon Wine" because of it. The tickets were paid for, and his restaurant had given him "fucking 1,300 seven knives" to go on the trip. Peterson had already made plans for pick-up and packing by the time he arrived home on July 8, 1993. Friday was a packing day, Saturday, his father was picking him up in the morning. "I'm going to be out of here by 7:00. At 10:00 I'm on the plane, and I'm I'm doing my thing. I'm doing a dream."
Police Report Transcription (Pg.57) (Peterson Fourth Interview)
Police Report Transcription (Pg. 85) (Peterson First Interview)
That evening, Peterson had expected to come home and celebrate with Stephanie Wasilishin about the trip. Peterson had expected to have an intimate night with his girlfriend. Wasilishin may have also expected to have an intimate night with Peterson. Peterson was aware that this topic might have upset Wasilishin.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg.27)
"Uh. My gains were like her losses. My achievements were a piece that would probably something that she couldn't accept. And all I wanted to do was have sex that night! All I wanted to do was come home stuff, I know that Friday's going to be a very hectic day for me. Everything's Going to be packed. My Father's coming to pick me up early Saturday morning, and I'm going to be out of here by 7:00; at 10:00 I'm on the plane, and I'm I'm doing my thing. I'm doing a dream. She didn't want me though."
Police Report Transcription (Pg.57) (Peterson Fourth Interview)
Ride From A Woman?
The detectives asked Peterson multiple times if Susie, the woman he had gotten a ride home from, was involved somehow, but each time, Peterson admitted that this wasn’t the case and he had no relationship with her.
First Interview Pg. 100-02 and other instances within the police reports.
Wasilishin Threats?
Wasilishin had threatened Peterson before, but it was unrelated to the incident. Wasilishin allegedly threatened to take away Peterson's daughter. "You may never see her again, or I'll make sure of certain things," Peterson said that Wasilishin would make these types of threats whenever she felt she wasn't getting enough attention. "Therefore, she would look for other means, whether it be through our daughter, whether it be through a mother, a brother, a sister, regardless. She always had that subliminal thing in the back of her mind from what I, from only what I feel."
Peterson described other threats. Investigators asked him about these threats to see how he felt about them because others had told them that Wasilishin would threaten Peterson at work by saying things like she would stick a knife in his gut. Peterson agreed, saying yes, she did say things like this. "She's gonna poke my eyes out, she's going to do all kinds of things." Peterson said he felt like Wasilishin felt like she was a step above, and she wanted to feel powerful "Or whatever the case may be. But I was never, I never felt threatened."
Investigators wanted Peterson to explain a time when Wasilishin had possibly poked his eyes, but Peterson clarified, saying that she didn't try to poke him, but he did wind up with a patch on his eye. The incident was at 16 Street, Maryland, in (blanked out), and Peterson was working at (Blanked out). Peterson was unable to give further details, citing the incident was three and a half, four years ago. "I will not, and I will sit here and say ______, I will not blame that on her. That was not her. I'm not blaming that on me. I'm necessarily saying that that was a case from what I can remember where C(Blankedout), our daughter, I picked her up, her arms went_____, and it hit me in the cornea of the eye. Peterson goes on to say that Wasilishin was there, yes, but she had not "attacked." Peterson would not clarify further about his word choices or the story. "That just means that rather than tell a lie or not come as close to the truth, this is what I feel happened."
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 119
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 115-118
Peterson was asked if Wasilishin had ever had other incidents where she threatened with a knife or a gun during a fight. Notably, though, Peterson says they never really "fought" "It all depends on what you interpret as a "fight."
Q: Argue,
A: An argument is not necessarily a fight.
Q: That's true.
A: O.K. With an argument, she might have said, "Well, I'm gonna put a knife in your back. I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do that." And that she's letting something out at me, not necessarily directed at me but because I am the one there."
Q: Well, when she said that, did she ever use something as a prop?
A: No, nothing at all.
Investigators explored the idea that Peterson may have gotten upset about the relationship between Wasilishin and ex-Mr. Craig Daley, but Peterson tells them he did not have a problem with them talking or co-parenting.
"It all has to go to how Stephanie puts it. And two and a half hours was not like her. She would normally call Craig maybe for anything for 12, 8, 10 minutes for the money that he might or might not have Bea, Stephanie's mother, for dental bills, for things that have happened. Which I would have paid, but Stephanie always said No, it's Craig's responsibility. And, uh, what happened? I came out of the shower."
Peterson had to be re-asked about what this conversation was about until he said that Wasilishin had threatened to move back with Craig Daley.
Wasilishin has told Peterson that Craig Daley may or may not have invited her back to go and stay with him if they couldn't patch things up. Peterson tells investigators that she had not threatened him, though. "I was uncomfortable, but because of the fact that I know that its N(blanked out) father and the relationship that we have had, it didn't really bother me all that much."
Peterson tells him he was not angry and that he didn't think she was actually considering it.
Second Interview Transcribed Pg. 123
Peterson mentions that Wasilishin had brought up the possibility of leaving him like this on one or two different occasions.
Second Interview Pg. 134-5
Detectives asked Peterson if Wasilishin was seeing anyone, and Peterson told them that Wasilishin had thrown a couple of names around. A man named Bradley could have been from the Sedona area, but it was not Ms. Suszie Corbett’s Bradley.
Second Interview Pg. 147
Investigators asked Peterson about a possible assault incident with Wasilishin and Mr. Craig Daley, where Wasilishin may have been arrested, but Peterson had no information about it, and when asked why he didn't know, he said it was something five years ago. Investigators pressed further, asking if something traumatic happened to Peterson for him to not remember these details, but Peterson denied this. Then he explained whatever the situation was where Wasilishin had gone over to Mr. Daley's house, he knew it had something to do with her getting back at him for child support. Then he just moved her away from all that by going to Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Second Interview Pg. 134-5
Wasilishin Attempts Murder?
From the start, Peterson brings up the phone call that Wasilishin had with her ex-boyfriend, Mr. Craig Daley. Peterson mentions it in the initial statement. Then later, when asked directly what had caused the argument that night, he said that Wasilishin had been brewing and stewing for a while, but also maybe it had something to do with this phone call. This phone call is brought up repetitively by Peterson throughout all of his interviews.
First Interview Pg. 97
"After I came home, after I took a shower after we were sitting here and talking after these issues of the Craig, the uncommon two-and-a-half-hour conversation with Craig went back and forth."
Pg. 155
Wasilishin had brought up the fact Peterson worked too much and didn't focus on home life much, and this was part of the fight that night.
First Interview Pg. 97
According to Peterson, Wasilishin was of the mindset of why he got to go to the chef program trip and not her.
First Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 87
Peterson said the fight had devolved into Wasilishin telling him, well, maybe she'd be better off when he went to Ithaca. They hadn't been apart in the six years together. Peterson was of the mindset that this was a good thing and it would them a chance to look at the relationship.
First Interview Pg. 97 - 98
In the first interview, Peterson says that he won't say he shot Wasilishin, and he won't say she shot herself either.
First Interview Pg. 99
Around the fourth interview with Detectives, Peterson brings up the fact that Wasilishin had called him three times while he was at work, and Peterson found this odd.
Peterson also says that Wasilishin had called Mr. Daley at 11:20 p.m. when he came home from work. This is the interview that Peterson offers to bring in his phone bill to show these calls.
Peterson implies that he thought the events could have been premeditated on Wasilishin’s part and perhaps even Mr. Daley's. Peterson believed that Stephanie was too short to reach the gun in the closet and that she had gotten it down too quickly, so it had to have been placed in a more accessible location that night for her. Then, she kept bringing up her phone call with Daley casually. Peterson said the premeditated event was something he could not forgive.
Police Report Transcription (Pg.48) (Peterson Fourth Interview)
Peterson believed that Wasilishin had intended to kill him that night. "Yes. I feel that the act, I for..., No I can't forgive for wanting to kill me, but I feel that the act was premeditated."
Police Report Transcription (Pg.48) (Peterson Fourth Interview)
Peterson said she had aimed for his head but missed, and if she had aimed for his chest, she would not have missed. If he had been more of a reactionary person, she would have hit him for sure.
Police Report Transcription (Pg.50) (Peterson Fourth Interview)
Peterson had detectives come to the home to do a walkthrough. In this walkthrough, Peterson tells them he now realized because the carpet, the curtains, and everything else was in the way before how decent of a shot Wasilishin had taken at him. Later in the same interview, he talks about how frightening that was that if he had only reacted more intensely, he would be dead.
Pg. 155 and Pg. 161
Emotional?
In the first Interview with Peterson, however, he did not believe that Wasilishin was trying to murder him. Peterson said she went to the bedroom and came back to cock the gun and declare she was going to shoot him. "And I put my hands up and said, Steph, why?" What are you talking about? And I don't think her intentions truly were to shoot me as opposed to maybe a fright tactic." Investigators pried further into Peterson's thoughts on this moment, and he continued to say, "O.k.? So I kind of felt that she was screwing around maybe a little more than screwing around because its been sitting up there untouched, and now she goes and picks it up. I mean, she's got the hammer cocked back, and she's got it pointed at me."
Q: Do you think it was purposely above you, or she just missed you?
A: Uh, it was probably purposely above. If she wanted to hit me, she would have hit me.
Transcribed First Interview Pg. 90
In Peterson’s second interview, after he tells about Wasilishin taking the first shot at him, they asked him if they thought she was serious, and he thought that since she had the gun pointed at him, there had been some level of seriousness.
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 125
Peterson seems to take interest in details about the case and appears to be trying to work through what had happened that night himself.
.During the fourth interview, he asks the detectives how they could know the trajectory of the fatal shot.
Police Report Transcription (Pg.50) (Peterson Fourth Interview)
In the third interview, Peterson brings up Wasilishin's BAC a lot and wants to know what it was, but police do not provide this answer. Peterson shares with them that the family had found a hidden bottle of alcohol in Wasilishin's red purse. Peterson believed it compounded the situation.
Pg. 159-160
During the first interview, he realizes that Wasilishin was right-handed. “Oh my God. She's right-handed. It had to be her right hand. It had to be her right hand. And she's kind of pointing it around to a certain extent." (Talking about the gun and how they were facing in the bedroom)
First Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 93
Peterson also never explicitly says that he was traumatized so that his memory failed him but he brings it up by changing his stories and saying he could not explain his failure to remember certain details. Even in his first interview, he is unable to give very detailed comments about the struggle itself. At times he is unable to call blood by the name but uses the word “Stuff” instead.
Police Report Transcription (Pg. 59) Peterson Fourth Interview
First Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 93 - 95
"I mean, I simply, I don't know why and what, about to make this whole thing transpire and come to the culminated head of what it came to."
Second Interview Pg. 140
Peterson admits to telling to police different accounts and has no excuses for this but simply says he does not know. "I am not blaming anything I said at that point in time to anything. I was if I tell you numb, numb. Numb not because of anything, numb just because of the extent of everything."
In this same interview, he asks about doing a powder test for himself.
Second Interview Pg. 140
In the third interview, Peterson tried to talk with detectives about trauma and memory.
A: Have you ever, just on a personal note, (garbled) have you heard of cases where people (garbled) wish they had struggled with someone to stop them and imagined (garbled)
Pg 160-1
Suicide?
There are times when Peterson believed that Wasilishin had committed suicide but then there were times when he insisted she did not. Peterson gives investigators the reasoning that Wasilishin was in a pivotal point in her life and had an unstable background to set her off the edge. "I dont know. But I don't have the answers, gentlemen. I don't."
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 129-130
Peterson agrees with investigators that perhaps Wasilishin did this deed in order to make sure he did not go on the trip that she was upset about.
Q: Even to the point where I have even heard that she was going to make sure you didn't go.
A. Maybe this was her way, I mean, in some..
Q: Is that so?
A: In a sick manner, yes. That this was the one and only way, I mean especially after the day before I got my hair cut, I mean my knives... (The quote is a long one and moves on to other things)
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 131
However there are times in his statements that he is softer on this idea, saying something like
"She did not like the idea. Its not that she did not want me to go. Its because of the fact of when we kind of first got togehter and when I brought her to Jackson Hole, Wyoming where I was in charge the White ___ (Blanked) Club, The ___ (Blanked) who has an art gallery in Scottsdale, another in Jackson, I always told her because of maybe my age, because of maybe of what I have done that, you know, I had worked with people who came out of culinary schools, that they bank so much on piece of paper that they thought they could come out and make their 40,000 or 50,000 a year because they've got this."
"And I always told her, "No, the piece of paper means nothing. Its in the knowledge." O.k., that was six, seven years ago. And now that I have the knowledge and have never had the ability to have that piece of paper, this means not only something to me but it means something to you because anything I go there and I am going to translate and give you the ability to do that same thing. Whether it be a nice loaf of French baguette, the right kind of tart pastry shell, that doesn't matter."
Q: So, was it that she wanted to go?
A: She wanted to go.
Q: But this is an accepted thing, right? I mean, you have to be accepted
...
A: No, Its an accepted thing, and considering that I am, I hate to go back that old-world philosophy, but I am the breadwinner of the house.
Investigators asked Peterson if he was angry that Wasilishin may have tried to stop him from going on this trip, and he said no.
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 131 -133
Investigators confront Peterson about his changing story here and ask him if he had seen Wasilishin shoot herself because previously, he had told them he had grabbed her wrist.
"You know, it might sound lame to you and I don't want to sound that way. I think of a confrontation as after you've look at her body. I mean you took pictures of me and everything else. I might be contradicting the fact but I might have saw her shoot herself. And that's why there's this complete and total like, just wall. A wall. I'm willing to go under-neath, I'm in hypnosis. If it means a lie detector test. I'm looking at you square in the eye. I don't know. I think there was a confrontation. There might not have been a confrontation. I do believe I told you that. All this is a mere scratch."
Q: Where did it come from?
A: It could have came from work It could have came from the...
Q: You don't know?
A: I don't know.
Second Interview Pg. 139-140
Throughout the second interview, Peterson insists he simply does not know. Peterson will not confirm a struggle or not, suicide or not, and does not take a firm stance on any event at the point where Wasilishin and he are in the bedroom. Detectives attempt to get him to answer by offering to go back to the home to help wake up memories, asking if he took martial arts, to asking how he could take a gun from him or her. All of which Peterson deflected.
Second Interview 115-1145
"(long pause) maybe I did see her shoot herself. i just can't come to grips with it in myself. I don't know. I mean I, I hate to tell you I don't know, cause I should know and you guys (garbled) Russell, you were there but with the way it happened and the split-secondness of everything. I turned around and she (garbled)...
Second Interview Pg. 150
People Describe Peterson
Mr. Peterson Korn was the owner of Pietro’s Restaurant and employer to both Stephanie Wasilishin and Russell Peterson. Mr. Korn and Peterson were friends. In the hours after Wasilishin’s death, Mr. Korn was contacted by Peterson to come and take custody of Wasilishin’s daughters. This is after Peterson had agreed with police to send the children to foster care temporarily so they could get some sleep. Then Mr. Korn called Chief Irish to give his opinion on Wasilishin and talked about Peterson’s expanding culinary career and his dedication to his work. Mr. Korn is interviewed by Det. Spokes, and he tells him he know the couple for two years; while he had strong opinions about Stephanie, he describes Peterson as quiet and calm.
Peterson stays with Mr. Korn after the incident, and the two appear together in the house walkthrough. Peterson said it was an urgent matter to speak with detectives. In this key interview, Peterson changes crucial moments in the re-telling of the events that led to Stephanie Wasilishin’s death.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg.26)
Police Report (Pg. 24)
Police Report (Pg. 13-14)
Police Report (Pg. 28)
Ruth Baland was a mutual acquaintance of both Peterson and Wasilishin. They had been co-workers at the restaurant. Ms. Baland stopped by the same day of Wasilishin’s death to tell Chief Irish that she did not know why the incident had happened, but it was very unfortunate. Ms. Baland gave her opinion that Peterson was a very nice person and a nice guy. Ms. Baland also told Chief Irish that she had made room reservations at “Paco Diablo Resort” on behalf of Peterson’s parents.
Chief Irish Report (Pg. 15)
Phyllis Peterson is Peterson’s mother from Phoenix, Arizona. In the morning after the death of Wasilishin, Mrs. Peterson called Chief Irish. Mrs. Peterson, who referred to Wasilishin as “Stacy,” wanted to verify that Wasilishin “Was actually dead.” Mrs. Peterson had heard the information from her divorced husband, Kenneth Peterson, who had spoken with Russell Peterson earlier that morning. Mrs. Peterson tells Chief Irish that she was separated from Kenneth Peterson.
Chief Irish Report (Pg. 14)
Kenneth Peterson (Ken) is Peterson’s father from Phoenix, Arizona. Peterson chooses to call his father instead of an attorney. This event happens after Peterson tells law enforcement his first detailed account of the events that had just happened. Peterson has the privacy to speak with Kenneth Peterson, and Peterson calls his employer “Ted” after the phone call with his father.
Police Report Pg. 24
Peterson’s Parents are both interviewed by investigators outside of Mr. Korn’s residence. In this interview, they describe their son. According to them, Peterson was a “very passive individual.” They said their son was pursuing his life goal as a chef and that he was very talented. They said Peterson was going to a very prestigious cooking school shortly. Peterson’s parents emphasized that their son was a non-aggressive person, and they did not believe he would purposefully hurt Wasilishin.
Police Report Pg 42
Ted Blutter was Wasilishin and Peterson’s full-time manager of the restaurant and is friends with Peterson. Mr. Blutter is half half-owner of the restaurant. Mr. Blutter was likely the Ted that Peterson had called when he chose to call his father and a “Ted” in place of an attorney. On the day of Wasilishin’s funeral visitation, Mr.Blutter calls Chief Irish to give his opinion of Wasilishin and Peterson. Chief Irish notes that at first, Mr.Blutter seemed upset that all his employees had allegedly been interviewed, but he was not contacted. Mr. Blutter emphasizes that he and Peterson are “very good friends” and have been since he was employed by Mr. Blutter. They did a few things together and were close. They went to the Superbowl in January of that year after receiving an invite from a customer to do this.
Police Report Pg. 24
Police Report Pg. 30-31)
First Interview Transcribed Pgs. 103-112
Kathy Bertuglia was a co-worker of Peterson and Wasilishin from the restaurant. Also, on the day of Wasilishin’s funeral visitation, she calls Chief Irish. Ms. Bertuglia wanted to inquire about the investigation and offered to make a statement in regard to her association with the couple. Ms. Bertuglia expressed concern for Peterson and praised him by saying she was working at the restaurant when he was hired, and she had always thought very highly of him. Then she asked Chief Irish to pass a message to Peterson since she was trying to reach him.
Police Report (Pg. 30)
Jeff and Martha Christensen were neighbors of Peterson and Wasilishin. They told investigators that the couple was mostly quiet, and they did not know them very well. Over the course of a year and a half, they occasionally heard them fighting at night but had not seen any violence. Their children would play together sometimes.
Police Report Pg. 26-27
Dimmity and Vinvent Raniello were neighbors across the street from Peterson and Wasilishin. They told investigators they had neither heard nor saw anything. The couple kept to themselves.
Police Report pg 43
Cathrin Dinler was a co-worker of Wasilishin and Peterson at the restaurant. Ms. Dinler tells investigators that Peterson did not respond to threats by Wasilishin and would ignore them. Ms. Dinler did not witness any acts of physical violence between the couple.
Police Report Pg. 26
Suzie Corbett was a friend of Wasilishin and Peterson and worked at the restaurant. The night of July 8th, 1993, it was her boyfriend who had given both her and Peterson a ride home. Ms. Corbetter said that Peterson was in a good mood and was excited about the trip.
Police Report Pg 26-27
Investigators asked if Peterson had a relationship with Ms.Corbett, and Peterson denied any sort of relationship. Peterson is unaware of Suzie Corbett's last name and that Ms. Corbett is actually a good friend of Wasilishin.
Police Report Transcribed First Interview Pg. 84
Louis Covarrubias Rodriguez was a co-worker of Peterson and Wasilishin at the restaurant. Mr. Rodriguez described Peterson as a good person, and he did witness Wasilishin putting Peterson and others down verbally.
Police Report Pg. 27
Kay Ellen Gantt was a co-worker of Peterson and Wasilishin at the restaurant. Ms. Gantt was visiting Peterson at the Poco Diablo Resort when she spoke with investigators. Ms. Gantt described herself as good friends with both Wasilishin and Peterson. Ms. Gantt described Peterson as a good-hearted person who never complains.
Police Report Pg. 28
Bernice Wasilishin (Bea/Bee) is Wasilishin’s mother, and she tells the investigators that from what she knew about Peterson, her daughter had confided in her about his abuse more than fifty times. Mother Wasilishin described the relationship as “Not smooth.” Mother Wasilishin described Peterson as (blanked out the word) who urinated all over himself and inside the residence.
Peterson had called Mother Wasilishin on July 9th, 1993, to inform her of the event but told her that Wasilishin had shot herself, and he did not mention wrestling over the gun.
Police Report Pg. 43
Wendy Wasalishin is Wasilishin’s sister, and she tells investigators several details about Peterson and Wasilishin because her relationship had been close with her sister. According to Wendy Wasilishin, her sister had planned to have an intimate night with her boyfriend. Stephanie Wasilishin had told her that she and Peterson had not been together in several months. Wendy Wasilishin also tells investigators that her sister had confided in her that Peterson had been abusive and a (blanked out work) that would get drunk and “piss all over the residence.”
According to Wendy Wasilishin, she was told by Peterson during a phone call that Stephanie Wasilishin was dead in her bed before he entered the room after she had shot at him. Then he tells her the police had enough evidence and there was no need for him to do a reconstruction scene or a polygraph test. Then he told her that he would still do those things if needed.
Investigator Saravo Report (Pg. 43 and Pg. 45)
Lance Wasilishin is Wasilishin’s brother, and he spoke briefly to investigators by telephone. Lance Wasilishin tells them that his sister tried to make a relationship work with Peterson, but they did not have sex, and he was physically abusive. Lance Wasilishin described the time he had to intervene two years ago when the couple lived in Phoenix, Arizona. At their apartment, Peterson shoved Wasilishin and was yelling and screaming at her. Lace stepped in to keep it from going further at the time.
Police Report Pg 44
Nikki Wasilishin is the daughter of Craig Daley and Stephanie Wasilishin. At the time, in 1993, Nikki Wasilishin tells investigators that Peterson and her mother did not fight a lot. Nikki Wasilishin thought Peterson and her mother liked each other and were best friends. According to her, Peterson did not hit her mother or her sister, and she had never seen black eyes or bruises. According to her, they did argue about his working too much and not spending time with family. Overall, Nikki Wasilishin, as a child, thought he was a nice guy.
Police Report Pg 44
Craig K. Daley is the father to Nikki Wasilishin, and he tells investigators that Stephanie Wasilishin had confided to him about the relationship troubles that the couple was having. Mr.Daley also tells them in the past, she had hinted that Peterson had ruffed her up and that Peterson drank a lot.
Police Report Pg 44
Peterson is able to tell them that Nikki Wasilishin would know Mr. Daley's number, but he did not. Peterson knew that Mr. Daley lived in Phoenix, AZ, and that was it.
Police Report Transcribed First Interview Pg. 84
In 2023, Mr. Daley clarified that this first interview was not correct. The interviewer yelled at him during the call, and the reports about the conversation in the police records are inaccurate.
Private Family Conversation via Text 2023
Law Enforcement gives some details about their workings with Peterson in his final interview with them. Det. Spokes brings up that Peterson did change the details of the event during multiple interviews. Then they mentioned that getting a hold of Peterson could be difficult at times, and there had been canceled appointments. Peterson did not participate in a polygraph test or reenactment of the events.
Police Report Pg. 57-58
The police reached out In the surrounding areas and locally to see if Peterson had any contact with police in his past, and it did not register any domestic violence accounts. Nor did anything significant show on a background check except for something pertaining to his diver's license.
Police Reports (Pgs. 22-23)
Investigators often forget and assume that Peterson and Wasilishin were married.
Peterson Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 47
Evidence Related To Peterson
Peterson was wearing a pair of cotton men’s underwear, a pair of Chicago Bulls gray and red men's shorts x-large, and a blue t-shirt with a lake yellow stone printed on it. Peterson was also wearing a pair of Nike Air basketball shoes. These items were taken and processed by D.P.S. Crime Labs for trace evidence. The outfit was photographed before the first interview.
In the first interview, detectives ask him about the hole in his shirt, and Peterson explains it is a cigarette burn. Then they ask him about his turned-in sleeves at the armpits, and Peterson explains that had nothing to do with the struggle.
Police Report Pg. 102 First Interview
Later, Investigators tell Peterson that the results from "just from you handling it and the um, powder residue on your body and everything all comes from the fact that you were in an area when a gun went off."
Police Report Pg. 55
It is unclear if Peterson had been tested, but the detectives go on to say it would be inconclusive anyway since Peterson admits to handling the gun at least after the fact, but he tells investigators that the gun was never in his hand during the scuffle in the bedroom.
Pg. 55
Pg. 125
Peterson’s hands were photographed.
Police Report Pg. 41
Police Report Pg. 25
Peterson had a scratch on him, but he does not know if it came from a confrontation with Wasilishin or work.
Second Interview Pg. 140
Peterson shows investigators his plane tickets and then takes about 650.00 dollars with him from the home.
Police Report Pg. 41
Peterson had given six rolled fingerprint cards for evidence.
Police Report Pg. 21-22
It is likely a psychologist reviewed Peterson’s statements.
Police Report Pg. 38
Peterson offers to bring in his phone bill and does so.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg. 37) and Peterson Fourth Interview Transcribed Tape Pg. 48
Detectives had wanted to polygraph Peterson, but he had avoided this test. They had warned him the testing might need to be done in Flagstaff or Prescott. Peterson’s reply to this was simply “oh.”
Police Report Trasncribed Fourth Interview Pg. 60
Second Interview Pg. 149
Peterson offers to go under hypnosis, but it is unclear if this was ever done.
Second Interview Pg. 140
Peterson tells investigators to talk to all his friends and family.
Second Interview Pg. 140
Detectives had wanted to do a reenactment, but Peterson avoided this as well.
Police Report Transcribed Fourth Interview Pg. 60
Detectives offer to go back to the home with Peterson in hopes it might help him remember more information.
Police Report Pg. 144
Detectives encouraged Peterson to write down a narrative for himself after Peterson called them and had them come to the house for a third interview, but Peterson said, "This is something that I don't choose. I know it will stay with me the rest of my life, but remember the good times, remember the fun and the happiness we had, and whatever mindset she was in at that given point and moment. Uh, it will never be known."
Pg. 162
Peterson admits to drinking that night and said that he shared a bottle of wine with Wasilishin. However, it is unclear if Peterson had been tested for blood alcohol content after the incident.
Police Report Transcribed First Interview Pg. 81
During the first interview, Peterson is given the choice to allow a search of his home or to have the investigators do an application for a search. There are several pages of the detectives going through protocols and making sure they give Peterson all the information needed to make an informed choice. Peterson first asks for a way to get an attorney but makes it clear that he just doesn't know what he's into, not that he's afraid to let investigators investigate, and points out how he's already explained to them what had happened. Since Peterson isn't under arrest, he is given the private opportunity to call whom he needs to do, and the police tell him how to do it and that the lines are recorded even if they are not going to listen in. Peterson calls his father and Ted Blutter, the half-owner of the resturant where he works. In the end, he signs the form stating he has nothing to hide.
First Interview Pg. 103- 112
According to Stephanie Wasilishin's family, Peterson had remarried to a woman named (Redacted for her privacy). Peterson has allegedly confessed to his new wife, the murder of Stephanie Wasilishin. This information was turned over to the police around 2023 by the family of Wasilishin.
Private Family Conversation via Text 2023
Alcohol That Night
That night, both Wasilishin and Peterson had drunk alcohol. Peterson tells detectives that he did not partake in any drugs or medications but that he and Wasilishin did share the Jordan cabernet bottle of wine together. By the time of his first interview, Peterson declared he was sober and of sound mind to speak with the police.
Police Report Transcribed First Interview Pg. 81
Peterson tells police that Wasilishin had already been drinking when he came home that night.
Police Report Transcribed First Interview Pg. 85
In the second interview, Peterson tells them they shared the bottle of wine, with each having two glasses, and that he had one drink while at work. Peterson was slightly impaired by his own account at the time of the fatal incident.
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 125
In the third Interview, Peterson brings up the hidden bottle of alcohol that was in Wasilishin’s bag in the bathroom. He tells investigators that on July 10, 1993, before he and his brother went through the events together, other family and Peterson were at the house. Peterson's mother went to the restroom and used the front bathroom. Peterson's father used the bedroom bathroom and found an item that Peterson felt was evidence. Peterson's father heard something in her red bag.
A: As he lifts it up, you can take it for prints , but I mean it would show the volume that was consumed by her...
Q: I know what was consumed exactly.
A: Oh, you've already go a uh...
Q: I know what the blood alcohol level was.
A: BAC on her, whatever.
Q: Yeah.
A: But I just figured that, you know, I found that, I had no idea.
Q: O.k. So that's not a normal place where she would keep a bottle of Seagrams?
A: Its not normal. She used to, like, at times to hide them around to like, shall we call it, her personal stash. But.."
Third Interview Pg. 158
The Resturant / Work History
Peterson worked 15 years for this dream of moving his education forward in the Chef world. Though he had not had any formal training at this point in his life.
Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 48
First Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 87
The work environment seemed casual. Coworkers knew each other and had some awareness of each other’s outside lives. Some were friends, and most chatted at work. Peterson talks about Wasilishin calling him multiple times at his work the fateful night, but it was not mentioned that these calls jeopardized his job in anyway.
Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 48
The restaurant had fourteen tables and only eight employees.
First Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 97
"There's one Italian restaurant in the whole town, literally, and that's (blanked out), and since Spice's closed if you want to count the Hideway, which is nothing. And..."
First Interview Pg. 99
Mr. Peterson Korn was the owner of Pietro’s Restaurant and employer to both Stephanie Wasilishin and Russell Peterson. Mr. Korn and Peterson were friends. In the hours after Wasilishin’s death, Mr. Korn was contacted by Peterson to come and take custody of Wasilishin’s daughters. This is after Peterson had agreed with police to send the children to foster care temporarily so they could get some sleep. Then Mr. Korn called Chief Irish to give his opinion on Wasilishin and talked about Peterson’s expanding culinary career and his dedication to his work. Mr. Korn is interviewed by Det. Spokes, and he tells him he know the couple for two years; while he had strong opinions about Stephanie, he describes Peterson as quiet and calm.
Peterson stays with Mr. Korn after the incident, and the two appear together in the house walkthrough. Peterson said it was an urgent matter to speak with detectives. In this key interview, Peterson changes crucial moments in the re-telling of the events that led to Stephanie Wasilishin’s death.
Detective Spokes Report (Pg.26)
Police Report (Pg. 24)
Police Report (Pg. 13-14)
Police Report (Pg. 28)
Ted Blutter was the half-owner of the restaurant and also good friends with Peterson.
Pg. 109
Peterson was a chef at the restaurant, and Wasilishin was the pastry chef.
Police Report Transcribed Pg.83 First Interview
Peterson was aware that he was making good money in the small town of Sedona and knew that even though it wasn’t very big, it was still better than most, and it provided a lot for the family.
First Interview Pg. 97
The Trip Information
The program was in Ithaca, New York, and it was called Taste Of the Cordon Blue. It had been advertised in a magazine, and Peterson had applied for it himself after seeing that. The application was mailed to him from there. The program also costs 4,000 dollars in USD, but according to Peterson, even if you had the money to pay for it, they only wanted professionals. Peterson had been the ninth or tenth accepted into the prestigious program, which is an advanced program for Chefs. It was at Cornell University. Wasilishin had not put an application in for this program.
Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 48
First Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 87
First Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 86
Peterson clarified later that the school tuition was 2,500 for both weeks combined. There was a preliminary week and then a week of intensive course. "I figured as long as I was accepted and as long as I'm going to go because I have not really had a background in French food that to go through that preliminary week would make me that much stronger to go through the next week."
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 131
The money to fund the trip came from Peterson’s vacation money, and he told investigators he worked for two years to have this cash. This covered the schooling amount exactly.
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 131
According to Peterson, this trip was the second best in his life.
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 121
The resturant had gifted Peterson a set of 1,300 dollars "Seven Knives" Henckels brand set in leather to go with him.
Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 48
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 131
Friday was going to be hectic, packing Peterson's father and picking him up Saturday morning, around 7 am at 10 am on the plane. Friday was also the day Peterson was getting his paycheck to use for the trip.
Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 48
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 131
Peterson's father was going to pick him up on Saturday, then he'd leave at 11:30 at night Saturday night. Fly from Phoenix to Pittsburgh with arrival at 6:30. Then he'd leave Pittsburgh at 8:30 and arrive in Ithaca at 9:30 pm. The course was to last two weeks.
First Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 86
The plane tickets cost 650.00, which had been sitting in the house on the mantel and Peterson had shown to the investigators. This came out of his last check, according to him.
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 131
Wasilishin was going to be getting a paycheck from Peterson's on Wednesday, plus her money, plus 250.00 in her savings and 80-100.00 in checking so that she would not have been left without any money while he was on the trip. Peterson said the sum she would have had in total would have been about 1,000 to "play" with. The plan was for her to keep working while he was gone as well.
Peterson tells investigators that this trip did not create a financial burden on the family.
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 131
Living Room And Outside Description
The home can be seen on Google Images and the newest news stories, and there have been a few changes to its appearance. Investigator Saravo described that when he arrived on the scene the house was brown and dark brown. The front porch light was turned on, and he observed a Sportscar in the driveway with plate number HFY-576. There was also a truck at the rear of the home with plate number GDF-220. The weather that night was clear, and the wind was calm.
Police Report Pg. 41
https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/unsolved-in-sedona-decades-later-family-members-frustrated-at-lack-of-progress-in-cold-case
Upon arrival at the home, initial responding officers noted that the screen door was unlocked and the primary door was open.
Police report pg. 1
The overall temperature of the home was cool, and the house was orderly. The previous morning, Peterson thought the house was dirty and had his daughters pick up the home.
Police Report Pg. 42
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 115 -116
Peterson mentions having been at the home July 10, 1993, to let Wasilishin’s step-brother Kevin into the home to pick up her truck and clothes. Peterson remarks that Wasilishin had kept the home fanatically clean and everything in place.
Second Interview Pg. 142
Officers describe walking into the house and going into the living room, which you had to go through to get to the master bedroom. The master bedroom had a short hallway that faced the living room. The back of the couch may have faced the front door since Nikki Wasilishin’s account talks about giving her mother a hug from behind as she sat on the couch.
Police report Pgs. 1-2
Police Report Pg. 3
The hallway facing the living room has a light switch near the end of it. As mentioned by Peterson during an interview.
Third Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 156
There is another hallway that is connected to the hallway that faces the living room. Peterson mentions this in an interview.
Third Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 156
The couch had an end table next to it, which had a glass of beer on top. There was also a coffee table, which is likely in front of the couch, that had a glass of red wine on it.
Police Report Pg. 12
Additional descriptions of the alcohol found in the home are in this passage.
"There is a glass partially full of liquid. Another empty glass that appears to have had wine in it. A ash tray with 8 cigarette butts (Marlboro). There is one wine bottle and one beer bottle in trash can."
Police Report Pg. 42
Peterson mentions that Wasilishin was sitting on the left-hand side of the couch, and again, he was sitting in the center.
Police Report Pg. 88
There is a candle burning on top of the TV, and the TV is on. Peterson does briefly mention watching TV when Wasilishin gets up to get a gun.
Police Report Pg. 42
Peterson Interview Police Report Pg. 50
The plane tickets and agenda for packing are located on the mantel. This is noted by Peterson in an interview, and he shows investigators these items when he is taken to switch outfits. Later, Peterson also describes that the new set of Henckel knives that Peterson was given was also there. They were brand new in a leather set. 650.00 dollars were also up there, and this was Peterson's last paycheck
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 132
Police Report Pg. 86
Police Report Pg. 41
There was likely carpet in the living room because Peterson mentioned it while doing a walking interview at his home.
Third Interview Transcripts Pg.155
Kristina Wasilishin’s bedroom is nearby the hallway. Peterson mentions that he turned around from Wasilishin’s body in the bedroom, and he saw his daughter down the hallway watching, and she was standing in front of her bedroom door.
Peterson Forth Interview Transcription Tapes Pg. 62
According to Peterson, the first bullet that was shot that night was when he was sitting in the center of the couch. Peterson mentions this many times, and he shows the investigators exactly where he had sat.
Peterson said Wasilishin was about 15 feet away and standing in the hallway to the bedroom when she had shot. This would have been to his left and above him.
Peterson interviews multiple sources in police reports
Police Report Pg. 41
In a different interview, Peterson says eight feet instead.
Police Report Pg. 50
This first bullet had gone into the two-layer living room curtain and hit the wall near and between the front door and front window. This is considered the east wall of the home. The measurements are 52" from the floor, 43" from the door, 1.5 from the window frame to the hole. The exit hole is near the front door with some of the bullet in it.
Police Report Pg. 12
Police Report Pg. 41
The top curtain was orange, and the secondary layer was lace. (This could be a flower pattern curtain that is brown and off-white. Documented in the evidence lists)
Police Report Pg. 41
Police Report Pg. 21
Police Report Pg. 172
From the outside, the bullet hole and jacket could be seen on the exterior wall of the home just to the right of the front door.
Police Report Pg. 12
The outside walkway had the three wood splinters, which were taken in as evidence by Det. Spokes who mentioned they were not only on the walkway but on the front stoop as well.
Police Report Pg. 12 and Pg. 25
Wasilishin and Peterson did own a portable or cordless phone, as mentioned by two officers who saw Peterson on it. It is unclear where this phone was normally kept.
Police Report Pgs 1 and 7
Nikki Wasilishin's bedroom was on the opposite side of the home in the converted garage. The space was far enough away from the incident that Nikki Wasilishin had not heard nor was wakened by the events.
Police report Pgs. 5 and information from the family in a 2023 conversation
Police report Pg 10
Other items taken in for evidence but not specified on an exact location are a brown address book and nine exposed and developed rolls of Pertuz color film. Four Sony mc60 micro-cassettes and a sony t-160 es vhs tape.
Police Report Pg. 21
Detective Spokes documents that he photographs the living room room and the outside.
Police Report Pg. 25
Several items from the living room and elsewhere have been tested for serology and hair.
Police Report Pg. 35
Body And Bedroom Description
Warning For Sensitive Content
The fatal event occurred in the master bedroom of the home around 1:10 - 1:15 AM on July 9, 1993. Stephanie Wasilishin was shot and died here, and when the first responders arrived, her body was still located in the bedroom.
Officer Brooks Report Pgs. 1-6
Detective Saravo Report Pgs. 41-45
Body Initial Visual Description
Peterson is likely the first to have seen Wasilishin’s body and interacted with it. However, young daughter Kristina Wasilishin had also seen Wasilishin’s body and interacted with it. Unfortunately, due to the child’s age, it appears she had not actually witnessed the fatal event but was near soon after, or perhaps viewing but unable to see the full event. Peterson’s accounts vary, which does not help to shed clarity on where either he, his daughter, or Stephanie Wasilishin was at the exact fatal moment. There are various accounts for how her body fell and how it was moved.
All Peterson Interviews
Kirstina Wasilishin Taped Interview
Peterson calls 911 but seems unsure of where the wound is on Wasilishin by saying she was shot in the chest or neck.
911 call transcript/exert
Peterson then is put on the phone with the fire department, who give him instructions on CPR.
Though it is unknown if Peterson actually did CPR, Officer Brooks describes Peterson when he first encounters him as holding a portable phone with a blood-covered right hand.
In the recorded 911 call, you can hear him doing something but saying, “I’m sorry,” and “There’s too much stuff around.” Kristina Wasilishin attempted to assist verbally at some points in the CPR instructions by responding to the instructor.
911 call transcript/exert
Officer Brooks Police Report Pgs. 1-5
Initial responding officers described seeing Wasilishin’s body in the bedroom, lying on her back on the floor near the closet on the north side of the room, which is also at the foot of the bed. The closet has one door open.
A wound to her upper left throat; they could see the gunpowder and burns. A wound to the lower right of her neck three inches down from her ear. (Exit) They remarked her head was cocked to the right, and she was warm to the touch at the neck and torso. The blood was pooled in large amounts near the right side of her head, and it was underneath her head. There is blood in her hair and skull fragments on the top edge of her blouse and hair. Blood was running from forehead to chin. There is blood-soaked in the breast area of the blouse and blood on the upper thigh, as well as the lower left leg running down. The right thigh had some blood spatter, and the lower leg had some blood wipe and spatter. There is blood on the outside and some inside of the right hand. A watermelon-type seed was on her left foot. The left hand was under the body, and it is further described that her left arm was bent and partially underbody.
When Investigator Saravo inspected her, he added that she had rigid fingers. (Some hours had passed since death until then.)
Officer Brooks Report Pgs. 1-6 Wound description and blood near the head.
Sgt. G. Stinson Report Pgs. 7-8 Notes her head position, blood position, and body position. Notes her temperature.
Officer Zanot Report Pgs. 9-10 Note her body position and location.
Investigator Saravo Report Pgs. 20-29 Gunpowder and burns at entry. Notes wounds, both entry and exit, blood descriptions, bone fragments, seed, and body position, body rigidity.
Sgt. Stinson, who was one of the three officers first to arrive on the scene, did have to move Wasilishin’s body when he first got there. The movement was documented in his report, and it was necessary to make an attempt for an airway. Sgt. Stinson grabbed the ankles and pulled straight east 3-4 inches.
Sgt. Stinson and Officer Brook also tried to find a pulse and Sgt. Stinson examined Wasilishin for breathing. The officers noticed Wasilishin’s eyes were fixed and dilated.
Investigator Saravo also inspected the body's chest, legs, and arms for any other injuries and saw none. They noted they saw lividity in the arms, heels, and back of thighs.
Gun Placement In the Bedroom
The weapon that had killed Stephanie Wasilishin was next to her body when officers first arrived on the scene. Peterson had given various accounts about moving the weapon, and daughter Kristina Wasilishin also tells investigators that he had moved it. In one account, Peterson says that he placed the gun back where it had originally been after the fatal shot, and in another account, he could not remember where the leather holster was.
Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg 62
According to Officer Brooks, he observed the gun sitting partially on a brown leather holster near Wasilishin’s right shoulder. Sgt. Stinson noticed that it was a stainless steel color gun. Later, Detective Spokes mentions the gun, but he says the gun is on her left instead of her right.
Police Report Pg. 3
"In checking the Ruger .44 magnum handgun that was laying on a holster to the left and slightly above the victim, I noticed that the cylinder contained four loaded cartridges and two fired cartridge cases. The revolver cylinder rotates in a counter-clockwise manner, and the fired cases were located in the 12oclock and 11oclock positions.”
Police Report Pg. 25
Investigator Saravo adds that the gun is a Ruger Redhawk 44. Calibar and the hammer were down, the barrel ported, and it was at least a 7-inch length barrel. Investigator Saravo mentions the gun was placed on Wasilishin’s upper right.
Police Report Pg. 42
Bullet In Bedroom
In the wall, about 6’2 level, was a hole with a bullet jacket lodged there. It had hair attached to it.
Officer Brooks Report Pgs. 1-5
Detective Spokes Report Pgs. 25
Investigator Saravo Pgs. 42
"I removed a bullet jacket and a section of drywall. After moving the drywall, I observed that there was an indentation on the rear section of the adjoining wall. In checking the insulation, I was unable to recover additional bullet fragments. It should be noted that attached to the bullet jacket that was recovered in the bedroom wall were various long hairs."
Detective Spokes Pgs. 25
Lead fragments were collected from the room, and they had been found on the floor and on the towel on top of the TV.
Blood In Bedroom
There was a lot of blood in the bedroom, according to the people who had viewed the scene. There was blood on the edge of a corner table nearest to Wasilishin’s head. A TV was in the bedroom as well, and it as some blood and matter on it. This is described as a TV and stand by Investigator Saravo, and he places these items as being above Wasilishin. (Directly in front of her?) There was a towel on top of the TV, which had blood and bullet fragments.
The wall next to Wasilishin (left of the closet) had light blood spattering and tissue. The ceiling above Wasilishin has light blood spattering.
Detective Spokes Report Pgs. 25
Investigator Saravo Pgs. 42
Various Police Accounts in Police Reports
Accessories In Bedroom
Wasilishin had several items around her, which were noted by several officers. A gold-colored neck chain was under her right arm, and a smaller piece of similar gold chain with a clasp was near the doorway to the bedroom.
On the right hand, Wasilishin was wearing a Moon Valley High ring.
Wasilishin had been wearing a green nightgown/shirt with red underwear. The green shirt was torn on the front in the upper button area.
The jewelry was transported with her to the medical examiner, with the exception of the red eyeglasses that had three yellow chains and a pendant attached, which were found by her head. Detective Spokes had noted that these glasses were entangled in her hair and laid on the ground to the right of Wasilishin’s body. Investigator Saravo saw the partial gold chains and locket recovered from her hair area on the right side of her head.
Bedroom Items
The other items that had been taken from the bedroom for evidence were a photograph and frame, a mirror, and the wallboard from the bedroom wall with the bullet hole. A poster and frame from the bedroom wall.
Photographs of this room were taken.
Other Bedroom Details
Investigator Saravo said the light was on in the bedroom, and there was a fan on. The bedroom had an adjoining bath, which had a fan on. The toilet contained two cigarette butts and some toilet paper that appeared that someone had urinated in it.
Officer Brooks Report Pgs.
Detective Spokes Report
Investigator Saravo Report
Sgt. Stinson Report
Autopsy
Warning For Sensitive Content
(Sources from autopsy report)
The autopsy was conducted with Dr. Phillip Keene of Maricopa County Medical Examiner of 120 S. 6th Ave. Phoenix, AZ. Officer S. Brooks also attended the autopsy and gave a summary of his visit with a supplemental report. The report of the autopsy was also officially done by Dr. Keene.
During the autopsy, a vial of blood was taken from Wasilishin, and Brooks took two 12-exposure rolls of 35mm film of the autopsy he took himself. These items were given to Brooks, and he gave them to Det. W. Spokes the same day.
Stephanie Wasilishin, a 32-year-old Caucasian female, was in good health except for the fatal wound that caused her death. Her height was estimated to be around 68 inches, or 5'7" (with muscular legs), which was confirmed by a friend. She had a slim but well-nourished figure, weighing 138 pounds, and had long blonde hair.
Upon arriving at the medical examiner's Office, Wasilishin wore a green night blouse and red panties. Her hands had been carefully bagged in brown bags to preserve evidence. She also had several pieces of jewelry on her, including a white metal Moon Valley High School class ring on her right ring finger, a yellow metal wristwatch (Det. Spokes called this a pulsar yellow watch) on her left wrist, and a two-piece style earrings with single clear stones in each. (In Det. Spokes evidence list he called these yellow earrings with white stones)
Wasilishin's pink-painted nails showed no signs of breaking or debris. The hands were taped for evidence, and there was a slight discoloration on the back of the middle segment of the left index finger. Gunpower was found on the left hand through tapes on both sides of the hand.
Officer Investigator Gary Saravo noted that Wasilishin was right-handed, and later, Officer S. Brooks also conveyed this information to Dr. Keen. This information is also referenced by Peterson in an interview.
"Oh, my God. She's right-handed. It had to be her right hand. It had to be her right hand. And she's kind of pointing it around to a certain extent."
First Interview Peterson Police Transcribed Tapes Pg. 93
The report concluded that the location of gunpowder residue on the left hand was more consistent with a defensive posture than with a self-inflicted injury, intentional or not. The residue was found on the left palm and webs of that hand.
Later, as Wasilishin laid in state on July 14 at the Northwest Mortuary place, Investigator Saravo and Det. Spokes go and measure her arms and hands so that they can simulate the event with similar-sized women.
The arm measurements were as follows: On the right arm, the distance from the shoulder to the elbow was 12 inches, and the distance from the elbow to the wrist was 9.5 inches. The right hand measured 7 inches in length and 4.5 inches in width. On the left arm, the distance from the shoulder to the elbow was 12 inches, and the distance from the elbow to the wrist was 10 inches. The left hand measured 7 inches in length and 4.5 inches in width.
The fatal gunshot wound was a contact wound with the muzzle of the handgun, and that she had died instantly due to the fact both the windpipe and spinal cord were severed by the bullet passing through her and exiting the body below the skull on the right rear portion of her neck about the bottom of her hair line. There was evidence at the entry wound of the muzzle and powder burns as well as under her chin. Wasilishin had a small fracture inside the right portion of the skull under the brain.
A more detailed description of the gunshot wound is as follows.
Perforating contact gunshot wound, neck. Perforating contact gunshot wound neck. This wound is on the left neck. The autopsy report describes a gunshot wound in the anterior left neck with an entry wound 1 inch in diameter. Abrasions and burning are consistent with contact with the weapon's barrel. Wound trajectory is from anterior to posterior and from left to right and upward, with a left-to-right angle of approximately 45 degrees from the sagittal plane and an upward inclination of roughly 15 degrees. The exit in the posterior right neck posterior to the right posterior triangle forms an elliptical defect located 3 inches below the ear. Taping for gunshot residue was taken of the lateral left neck.
"The entry wound was on the left side of Wasilishin's neck, near her jugular vein, with the exit on the right rear side of her neck."
a. fractured cervical spine at c-3, c-4, c-5 levels
b.transection cervical cord c-4 level
c. contusive laceration soft tissues of neck
d. facture floor of the cranial vault, right middle cranial fossa
The rest of the wounds, a through d, are all the results of the gunshot.
They also found a contusion on the right arm recently. Further described as a faint reddish-brown contusion of the anterior surface of the right biceps muscle extending from the anterior to the left medial patella. Lastly, they found erosive cervicities, but these are benign, and the report makes no mention of sexual assault.
They knew Wasilishin’s alcohol content was .17 during the autopsy, and this was conveyed to Brooks. That night, it was known she had shared a bottle of wine with Peterson.
Police Report Transcribed First Interview Pg. 81
Dr. Keene was of the opinion this was a homicide even before the gunpowder residue was found, telling Brooks after the autopsy was done that he thought to achieve the angle and location of the entry wounds, she would have had to hold the gun in her left. After the gun residue reports, Dr. Keene was still convinced her death was a homicide based on her right-handed dominance and the gun being in her left.
Gun Detailed Information
The gun involved in the case was a Ruger Redhawk .44 magnum. It was likely a first-generation built gun in stainless steel color, with a ported barrel with a length of seven and ½ inches. The serial number was 500-30391.
Detective Spokes Report Pg.22
Sgt. Stinson Report Pg. 7
Investigator Saravo Report Pg. 42
The gun had a custom Binacchi holster that was leather and brown.
Sgt. Stinson Report Pg. 7
Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 61
The ammo was GFL Italian brand. Hollow point Binacci (Sp?) Italian bullets in it.
First Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 89
The history of the gun prior to the fateful incident was that it had been a gift from Peterson’s father to him.
"I mean to look at the barrel and the size of that fuckin' gun that my father gave me, I never thought I'd be looking down the barrel of a .44 magnum."
Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 50
The gun was kept in the closet inside a holster in the bedroom.
"As for the gun, it was always kept in the master bedroom closet up to the left, closer to the T.V. than to the door of the hallway. You know what I mean? My mom could step on her tippy toes and reach and get it, but it would be, you know difficult and not something that should would ever intend on doing."
The family confirmed the location of where the gun was usually kept in a private 2023 conversation.
Peterson said the gun had sat up in the closet untouched for over two and a half years. Implying the gun was given to him by his father roughly in 1991.
First Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 89
Peterson and his friend (son of Emile, who owned to Coffee pot) went to Lower Red Rock Loop Road together to shoot. Son of Emile had a couple of shotguns, rifles, and a .45. Peterson claimed this was the only other time the gun had ever been shot. Peterson confirms the gun had been loaded and sitting up on the shelf completely loaded.
First Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 89
In the second interview, Peterson implies that the gun had sat unloaded up until he went shooting with Emile, son of the Coffee Pot owner, a few months back. During this event, where they were "popping caps and everything else." the friend had Italian ammo. They shot almost everything, but Peterson asked to keep some to be able to keep his gun loaded.
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 128
Peterson tells investigators that he was convinced Wasilishin could not reach the gun where he kept it. According to him, the gun was kept on the second shelf in the closet, “behind a thing,” and under clothes. Peterson theorizes that the gun had to have been placed more accessible to her because she retrieved it quickly that night.
"You're not tall enough to get it. You didn't leave your, it was put somewhere where it was more accessible to her. Uh, uh, I don't know what else I can tell you."
Peterson Fourth Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 48
In the second interview, we learn that some of the things the gun was under Wasilinshin’s stuff.
The second interview transcribed tapes pg. 127
When investigators arrived, they described where the gun was. The gun was placed on the floor on top of its brown leather holster. The gun was near Wasilishin’s upper shoulder and head area. Most Police descriptions say the gun was on her right side, but one report documented it left and slightly above her. The hammer was down when initial investigators saw it.
"In checking the Ruger .44 magnum handgun that was laying on a holster to the left and slightly above the victim, I noticed that the cylinder contained four loaded cartridges and two fired cartridge cases. The revolver cylinder rotates in a counter-clockwise manner, and the fired cases were located in the 12oclock and 11oclock positions.”
Detective Spokes Report Pg.22, 25
Sgt. Stinson Report Pg. 7
Investigator Saravo Report Pg. 42
Police Report Pg. 3
The gun had been taken into evidence, and it revealed that gunshots from it were one after the other, leaving four bullets left inside the gun.
The gun and holster were examined by the Northern Regional Crime Lab for latent prints and ridge details. The results were inconclusive.
Pg. 35
Investigators tried to simulate the firing of the gun to mimic the injury and situation with Ms. Nancy Wilson, whose arms and hands matched Wasilishin in measurements. (Nancy Wilson worked at the police department, possibly as secretary.)
“We were unable to have Ms. Wilson pull the trigger when we attempted to obtain the same angle of entry. Ms. Wilson had difficulty in pulling the trigger when the gun was fired on handed double action. We were able to have the gun discharge when Investigator Saravo struggled with Ms. Wilson.”
Police Report Pg. 37
Peterson was quick to be able to identify that a similar model gun was not his gun. During the fourth interview, the detectives show or talk to him about a similar model they have, and he says, "You don't have, it's not x at the front"
Police Report Transcribed Fourth Interview Pg. 53
According to Peterson, he had only shot a gun twice in his life. Once already outlined in the above information and the other, he did not clarify. Wasilishin, according to Peterson, could have been around guns when she was with Mr. Craig Daley, as he had several, but that was the extent to which he knew of her past history with guns.
Second Interview Transcribed Tapes Pg. 128
The Ruger Redhawk .44 Magnum revolver is a powerful handgun for hunting and personal protection. It typically comes with a barrel length of 2.75 to 7.5 inches and has a six-shot capacity, known for its accuracy and reliability. The double-action trigger of the gun rotates the cylinder and cocks the hammer before firing the next round, making it easier to use than a single-action revolver that requires manual cocking of the hammer each time. However, it still requires a significant amount of force to pull the trigger and cock the hammer in double-action mode. This gun can be used in single-action mode as well. This means you can cock the hammer before firing for a lighter trigger pull to fire the weapon.
C.W.: Loading and shooting Redhawk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppx7WB7JiOE
Conclusion
As we near the end of this timeline, it's with a heavy heart that I must admit that there are no definitive answers regarding the tragic death of Stephanie Wasilishin. It's a mystery that has plagued us for far too long, and the truth remains elusive, slipping through our grasp like a shadow in the night. It's disheartening to think that, for some, this has become an accepted reality.
But my friends, let us not be content with this uncertainty. Let us not resign ourselves to a narrative where justice is denied. Stephanie's memory deserves more than indifference; it deserves our relentless pursuit of the truth. The absence of answers should only fuel our determination, not diminish it.
Together, we have the power to change the course of this narrative. We can choose to shine a light into the darkest corners, to question the unasked questions, and to demand accountability. Stephanie's family deserves closure, and Stephanie herself deserves to rest in peace, knowing that we did everything in our power to find the answers.
Our journey doesn't end here; it begins anew with a renewed sense of purpose. Let's continue to support the Wasilishin family, sign those petitions, create content, and share Stephanie's story far and wide. Let's ensure that her memory lives on, not as a mystery but as a symbol of our unwavering commitment to justice.
In the face of uncertainty, we stand united, driven by compassion, determination, and the unshakeable belief that answers are within reach. Together, we can make a difference. Let's bring closure to Stephanie's case and honor her memory with the justice she deserves.
"I'm not gonna give up on this anymore. I will fight the system. I will not let this go. My mother did not commit suicide or have an argument and try to shoot her boyfriend. That is not what happened," Nikki said.
Sources
News story with clips of the call, photos, and more
https://www.fox10phoenix.com/video/1082140
https://flipboard.com/video/ksaz/8bf9bc168c
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123301012/stephanie-wasilishin-mention/
https://www.trendsmap.com/twitter/tweet/1536828139468296192
https://www.redrocknews.com/2020/07/16/sedona-police-department-returns-to-1993-case/
Blogs+Vlogs+Pods
https://audioboom.com/posts/8284646-stephanie-marie-wasilishin-3-decades-daughter-interview-included
https://audioboom.com/posts/8270880-stephanie-wasilishin
https://share.crimedoor.com/videos/pwjOi6C49RXXiiw2nqcb
https://www.tiktok.com/@crimecreepyandcrazy/video/7079826529219382574?lang=en
https://twitter.com/projectcoldcase/status/1537920896387584000
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thevisitationpodcast
https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueCrimeGenre/comments/11co4o5/the_death_of_stephanie_wasilishin_sedona_mothers/
https://www.deezer.com/us/show/2274602
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1886314
https://www.audacy.com/podcast/heres-the-back-story-56624
https://stephaniewasilishin.com/
https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2638224955986-the-cold-case-of-stephanie-wasilishin-sedona-mother-s-murder-remains-unsolved-30-years-later-part-1
https://music.amazon.es/podcasts/6d9d39cd-5a37-43fb-ba73-8372b43f510d/everythingbroughttolight
https://web.podfriend.com/podcast/mombies/
