Full Breakdown
California Woman Pleads Guilty to Killing Firefighter Wife After Prior Spousal Murder
8/7/2026, 11:29:54 PM
The Murder and Guilty Plea
Yolanda Olejniczak Marodi, 54, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the stabbing death of her wife, Rebecca “Becky” Marodi, 49, a Cal Fire captain. The killing occurred in the couple’s home in Ramona, California, in mid-February 2025. After the attack, Olejniczak Marodi fled across the U.S.–Mexico border and was apprehended in Mexicali on March 22, 2025. She was transferred to U.S. Marshals and booked on suspicion of murder. A sentencing hearing is slated for early September, with a potential penalty of 36 years to life.
Background & Context
Marodi had served more than three decades with Cal Fire, rising from a volunteer firefighter in Moreno Valley to captain of the French Valley station. Olejniczak Marodi’s criminal history dates to 2000, when she stabbed her then-husband, James Olejniczak, to death. She pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in 2003, received a ten-year sentence, and was released in November 2013 after serving nearly a decade.
Timeline
- 2000 – Stabbing death of husband James Olejniczak.
- 2003 – Plea to voluntary manslaughter; sentenced to ten years.
- Mid-February 2025 – Stabbing of Rebecca Marodi; victim found with multiple wounds.
- Same night, 2025 – Olejniczak Marodi crosses into Mexico.
- March 22, 2025 – Arrested in Mexicali, Baja California.
- Early August 2026 – Pleads guilty in San Diego Superior Court.
- Early September – Sentencing hearing scheduled.
Data & Statistics
- Yolanda Olejniczak Marodi: 54.
- Rebecca Marodi: 49; 30 years of service, captain since 2022.
- Flight: approximately 75 minutes to the border; captured 33 days later.
Official Statements & Responses
Cal Fire released a statement honoring Marodi’s career:
> “Her legacy of mentorship, service and dedication will be felt for years to come.” — Cal Fire
Deputy district attorney Jared Coleman explained the plea agreement:
> “The consideration of many factors, maybe the most important of which was the desire of the victim’s family for closure.” — Jared Coleman
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office confirmed surveillance footage captured the confrontation and that investigators recovered text messages sent by Olejniczak Marodi the day after the killing.
Verbatim Quotes
- “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,” — County District Attorney’s Office
On-the-Ground Reports
Rebecca Marodi’s mother, Lorena Marodi, discovered her daughter with multiple stab wounds and called emergency services. First responders arrived shortly before 9 p.m. but were unable to revive her.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources uniformly describe the February 2025 homicide, the flight to Mexico, and the March 22, 2025 arrest. No substantive discrepancies have emerged regarding the core facts. Details about the exact sentencing date remain pending, and the full extent of additional evidence (e.g., forensic findings) has not been disclosed.
