california woman confesses to fatally stabbing firefighter wife
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a california woman who went on the lam after being accused of stabbing her wife has pleaded guilty in her death.
and yolanda marodi previously served time from february 2004 to november 2013 for manslaughter in connection with the stabbing death of james olejniczak, her then-husband.
yolanda, 54, appeared tuesday in court, where she pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of california fire captain rebecca marodi, 49, at their ramona, calif., home on feb. 17, 2025, fox 5 san diego reported. she had previously pleaded not guilty in february.
jared coleman, deputy district attorney, said his office and the woman’s lawyers agreed to a plea deal, which downgraded the charge from first-degree to second-degree murder, after a chat with the victim’s family.
“the consideration of many factors, maybe the most important of which was the desire of the victim’s family for closure,” coleman told fox 5 san diego.
wife suffered multiple stab wounds
according to the san diego sheriff’s office, rebecca was found in their home by her mother. rebecca had multiple stab wounds to her neck, chest and abdomen.
despite attempted life-saving measures, she died of her injuries.
rebecca ‘becky’ marodi. (facebook)
the same day rebecca was killed, yolanda crossed the border into mexico. the sheriff’s office said yolanda was seen on surveillance video arguing and assaulting rebecca before leaving their home.
security footage showed yolanda chasing her wife across the patio while brandishing a knife the night of the murder, people reported.
rebecca pleaded with yolanda, saying “i don’t want to die,” police stated.
“you should have thought about that before,” said yolanda, who had blood on her arms.
rebecca reportedly begged yolanda to call 911. minutes later, yolanda loaded luggage and pets into a vehicle before leaving their home. she was then spotted crossing the mexican border.
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cops captured yolanda 33 days after she left the u.s.
‘i’m sorry’
yolanda was found by mexican authorities on march 22, 2025, near a hotel, per nbc 7 san diego. she was later released to u.s. marshals.
on the day after rebecca’s murder, yolanda sent texts to an acquaintance, where she mentioned a “big fight” which were later discovered by authorities.
“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,” yolanda texted.
yolanda’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for sept. 2. she’s expected to get 36 years to life in prison, fox 5 san diego reported.
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