Wife Sentenced to 36 Years to Life for Killing Cal Fire Captain

Prosecutors say the sentence brings finality following a guilty plea, admission of a prior manslaughter conviction, the defendant’s flight to Mexico, subsequent arrest in Mexicali, extradition to San Diego.

Overview

The victim, Cal Fire Capt. Rebecca “Becky” Marodi, was fatally stabbed at her Ramona home on Feb. 17, 2025 and was pronounced dead at the scene after suffering multiple stab wounds.
Investigators used Ring doorbell footage, witness testimony and forensic accounts to reconstruct the attack, with preliminary hearing testimony describing numerous stab wounds and audio captured on the footage.
About an hour after the killing the defendant crossed into Mexico and was arrested in Mexicali a little more than a month later before being returned to U.S. custody.
Yolanda Olejniczak Marodi pleaded guilty to second‑degree murder on Aug. 4, admitted a prior serious felony for a decades‑old manslaughter conviction, waived her right to appeal, and was sentenced on Sept. 2, 2026 to 36 years to life in state prison.
The case has drawn attention to intimate‑partner violence involving public‑serving victims, highlighted cross‑border law enforcement cooperation, and left family and colleagues urging stronger protections for people leaving abusive relationships.