ABC15 Senior Investigator Melissa Blasius has built a reputation for asking tough questions and taking action on behalf of Arizona families.
Melissa spent the majority of her 25-year career in Phoenix. In 2018, she led our coverage of the life and legacy of Sen. John McCain. She is frequently asking questions at the Arizona State Capitol. Over the years, Melissa helped homeowners reverse wrongful bank foreclosures and helped veterans recover their long-overdue VA disability benefits. Her reporting influenced changes in state law, exposed criminal activity, and led to the resignations of top government officials.
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For her dogged reporting, Melissa has received some of the top journalism awards in the nation. In 2023, she was part of the ABC15 team honored with a Sigma Delta Chi award from the Society of Professional Journalists. In 2022, "Politically Charged" was awarded a George Foster Peabody Award, the U.S. Hillman Prize, and a du-Pont Columbia Award. In 2021, The National Headliner Awards recognized Melissa's reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also received regional Emmy Awards and a Sunshine Award from the Valley's Society of Professional Journalists.
While she worked as an investigative reporter at KUSA-TV in Denver, Melissa uncovered a secret patient waiting list at the VA hospital, exposed flooded-damaged mobile homes being marketed to unsuspecting buyers, and landed an exclusive interview with Mark Redwine who was later convicted of murdering his son Dylan. Melissa was a reporter in Houston, TX; Battle Creek, MI; Champaign, IL; and Topeka, KS. She also worked a stint as the Director of Communications at the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Melissa has covered national events like President Barack Obama's inauguration, the Las Vegas Massacre, and the space shuttle Columbia disaster. She also found adventure. Melissa flew a fighter plane, searched for drug smugglers in the desert, and even interviewed a talking pig.
Melissa graduated from Northwestern University near Chicago where she picked up a passion for Cubs baseball. Look for her at spring training games in Mesa! In her spare time, Melissa enjoys trail running, watching movies, and playing board games with her husband, stepdaughters, son, and grandson.
You can reach Melissa by email at melissa.blasius@abc15.com or call 602-803-2506. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) @MelissaBlasius or Facebook.
