BONUS EPISODE~ Interview with my father: Craig Daley

Hi, my name is Nikki and I'm the daughter of a murdered woman. Welcome to a special bonus episode of Papi Killed Mommy.

⚠️ Before we begin, a quick trigger warning: this podcast contains discussions of domestic violence, homicide, and other potentially distressing topics. Listener discretion is advised.

One of the questions I get asked most often is: What about your dad? What does he remember from that night? What does he think really happened? How does he feel all these years later? Today, you'll finally hear his story — in his own words.

This is unlike any episode I've released before. What you're about to hear is my father's full, unedited interview. Nothing cut. Nothing polished. Just raw audio — including my own questions. I've chosen not to edit myself out, because I want you to hear the conversation exactly as it happened. You'll hear us overlap, stumble, even ramble a little — but that's the point. This isn't a script. This is real.

💔 My dad was one of the very last people to speak to my mom before she was killed. Their nearly two-hour phone call on July 8th, 1993, may have been the very spark that set Russell Peterson off. She told my dad she was leaving. She told him she was coming home. She even admitted she knew Russell was recording her calls — and she didn't care.

Yet despite how critical my father was to understanding the truth, investigators never once drove down to Phoenix to interview him in person in 1993. They never recorded his statement. They never transcribed it. Instead, they took a single phone call, dismissed what he told them, and left his words out of the official case file. When he spoke about the phone recorder, Russell's drinking, and my mom's plans to leave, he wasn't met with interest — he was met with anger. They minimized him. They silenced him.

That failure is still one of the most damaging gaps in my mom's case. My dad has always carried the weight of knowing she was supposed to come back — that she was ready to pack up me, my sister, the dog, the cat, and come home. And when you hear his voice today, you'll understand why this interview matters.

🎙️ It's raw. It's emotional. And it's crucial. Because without my dad's voice, the picture of who my mom was — and why she was taken from us — is incomplete.

💌 If this episode moves you, here's how you can help keep my mom's story alive:

✨ 👉 Support the Show — scroll down and tap the button at the bottom of the notes. Every bit helps me continue producing this podcast independently.

✨ 👉 GoFundMe for CrimeCon — help me share my mom's story at CrimeCon this September. Your support covers merchandise, travel, and awareness. Every donor will receive a thank-you card 💌 and one of my first-generation Papi Killed Mommy stickers while supplies last.

🐾✈️ Traveling to CrimeCon with my best friend, Dickie Birdie, comes with some unexpected expenses — his recent vet visit alone was $827. If you'd like to help make sure he's safe and comfy on this trip, I've put together a small Amazon Wishlist with his travel essentials (like a stroller, pop‑up kennel, and car seat). Every bit of support means the world. 💙

🛒 Click here to check out Dickie Birdie's Wishlist

✨ 👉 Follow me on TikTok & Instagram: @nicolewasilishin for behind-the-scenes updates, clips, and more ❤️

📞 And if you or anyone you know has any information about the death of my mother, Stephanie Marie Wasilishin, please con

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