Yolanda Marodi pleads guilty to murdering Cal Fire captain wife

Yolanda Marodi, 54, has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the February 2025 killing of her wife, Rebecca Marodi, a veteran Cal Fire captain. The plea was entered in San Diego Superior Court as part of a deal with the victim's family that reduced the charge from first-degree murder.

Rebecca Marodi, 49, was killed at the couple's home in Ramona. Home security footage captured the attack, showing Rebecca fleeing across a patio while Yolanda Marodi pursued her with a knife. Rebecca suffered 23 stab wounds to her neck, chest, and back. Following the incident, Yolanda Marodi fled to Mexico, where she remained for 33 days before being arrested in Mexicali.

As part of the plea agreement, Yolanda Marodi admitted to a prior felony conviction for the voluntary manslaughter of her husband, James Joseph Olejniczak, in 2000. She faces a sentence of 36 years to life, with sentencing scheduled for September 2.