The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department has identified a suspect in the tragic stabbing death of Cal Fire Captain Rebecca “Becky” Marodi, which occurred earlier this week in her Ramona home. The suspect, 53-year-old Yolanda Marodi, also known as Yolanda Olejniczak, is believed to be responsible for the violent attack that claimed the life of the respected fire captain.
Captain Marodi was discovered at approximately 9 p.m. on Tuesday after a 911 call reported an assault at her residence located in the 20200 block of Rancho Villa Road. Upon arrival, deputies found Marodi with severe stab wounds. Despite the efforts of first responders to resuscitate her, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to investigatiors, Marodi and Olejniczak knew one another, or were at least acquantinces, and the incident is being treated as an act of domestic violence. Specific details regarding their relationship and the circumstances leading up to the crime have not yet been disclosed. The sheriff’s department has asked for public assistance in locating Olejniczak, who remains at large. Anyone with information regarding her whereabouts is urged to contact the SDSO’s homicide investigators at (858) 285-6330.
Court records reveal that Olejniczak has a troubling past; in 2003, she pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter from a homicide committed in 2000, resulting in an 11-year prison sentence.
Victoria Bradley, a friend of Marodi’s mother, remarked:
I don’t know who is responsible, but it seems it was personal. I can’t even imagine what she’s going through. It’s just devastating, every parent’s worst nightmare.
As the investigation unfolds, the community is left grappling with the loss of a beloved captain whose life was tragically cut short. The sheriff’s department continues to search for answers as they seek to bring the suspect to justice.
