Yolanda Olejniczak Marodi, 54, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, August 8th, 2026, to second-degree murder in the death of her wife, Rebecca "Becky" Marodi, 49, a longtime California firefighter. Rebecca Marodi was found fatally stabbed at their Ramona home in San Diego County in February 2025.

When asked by the judge how she pleaded to the charge, Marodi responded, "Guilty."

Rebecca Marodi, a veteran Cal Fire captain, suffered multiple stab wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. Surveillance footage reportedly captured Rebecca fleeing the home before the fatal stabbing, with Yolanda Marodi pursuing her.

As part of her plea, Yolanda Marodi also admitted to a prior serious felony conviction related to the 2000 stabbing death of her then-husband, James Joseph Olejniczak. She pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in that case in 2003 and was released in 2013, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Investigators alleged that after the killing of Rebecca Marodi, Yolanda fled to Mexico, where she remained for over a month before being arrested in Mexicali and returned to the United States.

Rebecca Marodi's legacy of mentorship, service, and dedication has been recognized as a profound loss to her family, friends, and colleagues.

Sources