EL CAJON— Yolanda Marodi pleaded guilty Tuesday to second-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of her wife, Cal Fire Capt. Rebecca “Becky” Marodi, at their Ramona home last year before fleeing to Mexico.
Yolanda Marodi, 53, was arrested last year on suspicion of murdering Marodi, her wife of two years, at the couple’s Rancho Villa Road home on the night of Feb. 17, 2025. Yolanda, who also used her former last name, Olejniczak, is believed to have fled to Mexico that same night and was arrested the following month.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sept. 2 at the El Cajon Courthouse. In addition to second-degree murder, which is defined as intentional and malicious but not premeditated, Marodi’s charges include assault with a deadly weapon and committing a crime with a prior felony charge.
She previously pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the 2000 stabbing death of her first spouse, James Olejniczak, in San Bernardino County and served prison time from February 2004 to November 2013.
An arrest warrant stated that before Rebecca Marodi, 49, was killed, she had sought to leave her marriage with Yolanda. Surveillance camera footage from their home on the night of the fatal attack showed Rebecca fleeing her home as her wife chased her, according to an arrest warrant. 
The video showed Rebecca covered in blood and yelling “Yolanda! Please … I don’t want to die,” per the warrant. Yolanda, who appeared to be holding a knife with blood on her arms, responded, “You should have thought of that before,” the documents said.
Rebecca then asked her wife several times to call 911 before they re-entered the home. About 10 minutes later, the camera captured Yolanda loading items into a car and driving away.
The following day, Yolanda also sent a text to a “known associate” stating “Becky came home and told me she was leaving me. She met someone else. All the messages were lies. We had a big fight, and I hurt her … I’m sorry,” according to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office.
Rebecca Marodi’s mother returned to the Ramona home that night and found her daughter inside with multiple stab wounds. She died at the scene.
The following month, Yolanda was arrested at a hotel in Mexicali, just south of the U.S. Border, and turned over to U.S. authorities. She initially pleaded not guilty.
Rebecca Marodi had worked as a state firefighter for more than 30 years, starting out as a volunteer firefighter in 1992. She earned the title of captain in 2022 and was remembered as a respected leader, mentor and beloved Cal Fire member, per a benevolent fund created by the Cal Fire San Diego County Firefighters Local 2881.
She was also a devoted daughter who served as the primary caretaker for her 77-year-old mother, the agency said.
