San Diego, California – Yolanda Olejniczak Marodi, 53, accused of fatally stabbing her wife, Cal Fire Captain Rebecca “Becky” Marodi, has been apprehended in Mexico, over a month after the gruesome crime. The Baja California Citizen Security Secretariat (SSCBC) confirmed the arrest, a result of coordinated efforts between Mexican and San Diego County law enforcement.
The arrest warrant reveals chilling details of the February 17th slaying, including that the attack was captured by a home security system. The warrant details that Becky Marodi sustained stab and cut wounds to her neck, chest, and abdomen.
Becky’s mother, Lorena, who also resided at the Rancho Villa Road home, called 911 shortly before 9 p.m. on the night of the attack. Paramedics treated Becky at the scene before transporting her to Sharp Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
During an interview with homicide detectives, Lorena disclosed that Becky had informed Yolanda she was ending their marriage just a week prior. Lorena also told detectives that Yolanda was missing that night, and the home had Ring video surveillance.
The video footage, reviewed by detectives, revealed a horrifying sequence of events. At approximately 8 p.m., Becky was seen running across the patio, pursued by Yolanda, who was wearing a yellow shirt. Becky is heard pleading, “Yolanda! Please…! I don’t want to die.” The video then shows Becky with apparent blood on her back. Yolanda responds to Becky’s pleas with the words, “You should have thought about that before.”
According to the arrest warrant, at one point, Yolanda, seemingly armed with a knife, stood before Becky, with what appeared to be blood on her arms. Yolanda then ordered the bleeding victim inside, as Becky repeatedly begged her to call 911. At 9:20 p.m., the Ring camera at the front door captured Yolanda packing pets, luggage, and other items into a silver Chevrolet Equinox SUV. Detectives later confirmed that the vehicle crossed the border into Mexico that night.
Three days after the killing, a witness provided investigators with a text allegedly sent by Yolanda, 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.”
This is not Yolanda’s first violent crime. Over 20 years ago, she served prison time for the stabbing death of her ex-husband, James Olejniczak. Yolanda, then known as Yolanda Olejniczak, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the October 2000 stabbing death of James Olejniczak in San Bernardino County, and was imprisoned from February 2004 to November 2013.
The San Diego Sheriff’s Department confirmed that Yolanda Marodi was released to U.S. Marshals and booked on suspicion of murder.
CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department expressed gratitude to law enforcement for their efforts, remembering Becky as a “beloved member” of their community.
