Days after a Southern California fire captain was found stabbed to death inside her home, authorities announced her wife — who was previously convicted of voluntary manslaughter — is wanted in connection with her death.
Cal Fire captain Rebecca Marodi, 49, was found suffering multiple stab wounds in her Ramona home just before 9 p.m. Feb. 17, the San Diego Sheriff’s Office said.
Despite life-saving efforts, Marodi died at the scene.
An autopsy determined Marodi died by stab wounds or “sharp force entries” and her manner of death was categorized as homicide.
The sheriff’s office announced Thursday that Yolanda Marodi, 53, also known as Yolanda Olejniczak, was identified as the suspect in the case.
She is described as 5’2, weighing 166 pounds, and having brown hair. Her current location is “unknown,” authorities said.
“The motivation and circumstances surrounding this homicide remain under investigation as detectives work diligently to gather more information and establish a comprehensive understanding of the case,” the sheriff’s office said.
The two had been married for a little over two years, NBC San Diego reported.
Court records show that Yolanda Olejniczak had pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter in 2003 in connection with the stabbing death of her husband Jim Olejniczak in October 2000, NBC San Diego reported. In that case, she spent more than 13 years in prison, which included additional time for the use of drugs and alcohol. She was paroled and released from parole in 2015, the station reported citing the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Rebecca Marodi had dedicated over 30 years to fire service, starting as a volunteer firefighter in 1993, a seasonal fire fighter from 1994 to 2000, became a full-time firefighter in 2000, and was eventually promoted to captain in 2022, Cal Fire and the Riverside County Fire Department said in a news release.
“Beyond her operational assignments, Captain Marodi was deeply involved peer support and hazmat, always prioritizing the well-being of her colleagues. Her legacy of mentorship, service and dedication will be felt for years to come,” the release said. “Her passing is a profound loss to her family, friends, and all who had the privilege of working alongside her.”
Anyone with information on Yolanda Marodi’s whereabouts is asked to contact the San Diego Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit at (858) 285-6330 or after hours at (858) 868-3200. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
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