Fire Captain's Final Pleas Revealed in Court as Wife Faces Murder Trial
The devastating final moments of California fire captain Rebecca "Becky" Marodi were revealed in a San Diego courtroom this week, as her wife was ordered to stand trial for her brutal murder. The 49-year-old first responder was found dead in her home on February 17, 2025, with twenty-three stab wounds marking a violent end to her three-decade career of saving lives.
Chilling Surveillance Footage Details Final Moments
Homicide Detective Jessica Ricca testified during Tuesday's preliminary hearing that surveillance camera footage from the couple's Rancho Villa Road home captured Becky's desperate pleas for mercy. According to Ricca's testimony, the footage showed Becky telling her wife, "I don't want to die," and begging Yolanda Marodi to call emergency services.
The video, which was described but not shown in court, allegedly depicted 54-year-old Yolanda Marodi carrying a knife while Becky pleaded for her life. At one point, Becky called out for her mother, to which Yolanda reportedly responded, "She's not here." The footage then cuts out, and when Becky reappears, she is described as being "covered in blood."
After Becky's desperate pleas, Yolanda is heard snapping, "You should have thought about that before," according to Detective Ricca's testimony. The footage then shows Yolanda fleeing the home, loading items into an SUV, and driving away from the scene.
Month-Long Manhunt Ends with Arrest in Mexico
Yolanda Marodi fled to Mexico immediately after the alleged killing, launching a massive month-long international manhunt. She was eventually apprehended by Mexican authorities in Mexicali, Baja California, where she was found loitering outside a hotel in her pajamas. Mexican officials turned her over to U.S. law enforcement, and she has been held without bail at the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility since her arrest.
The defendant has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder charges, but the judge presiding over Tuesday's hearing ruled there was sufficient evidence to send the case to trial, which is scheduled to begin in June.
Mother Discovers Daughter's Body
Becky's mother, Lorena Marodi, who lived with the couple but was not home during the alleged murder, provided emotional testimony during the preliminary hearing. She told the court that on the day of her daughter's death, Yolanda had confided in her about marital issues, which was unusual in their relationship.
According to Lorena's testimony, Yolanda said that she and Becky had "some things to work out, but there wouldn't be any fighting." Later that evening, when Lorena returned home after being out with friends, she discovered a trail of blood leading to her daughter's body. She immediately called emergency services.
Troubled Marriage and Previous Conviction
Court documents reveal that Becky had wanted to leave the marriage before her death. An arrest warrant viewed by reporters stated that Yolanda allegedly sent a text message after the killing that read: "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."
Friends of the victim testified that the marriage had become increasingly controlling in its final months. Ami Mahler Salinas Davis and her wife, Aisha Mahler Salinas, told investigators that Yolanda had isolated Becky from her friends and dictated what she could and couldn't do.
"Contact started getting really spotty about six months ago," Ami recalled. "That was when I started noticing things changing. Before, I would just say, 'let's go for a ride' and it went from 'let me check with my wife and make sure we don't have plans' to 'let me ask if I can go.'"
Becky's ex-wife, Lilia Phleger Phillips, also described Yolanda as a "volatile" person in previous statements to media.
Most disturbingly, court records reveal that Yolanda Marodi has a previous conviction for a strikingly similar crime. In 2000, she was convicted of voluntary manslaughter for the death of her husband, James J Olejniczak Jr., who was also found with stab wounds. She had filed for divorce months earlier, and the pair had agreed to mutual restraining orders and joint custody of their two children before his death.
Remembering a Fearless Firefighter
Becky Marodi was remembered in her obituary as a brave firefighter with a "fearless spirit" who was passionate about saving lives. She had served for over thirty years, most recently as a Cal Fire Captain, and had battled the deadly Eaton Fire just one month before her own death.
Her friends described the murder as a "complete shock" despite the red flags they had observed in the marriage. The case continues to develop as both sides prepare for the scheduled June trial, where more details about this tragic domestic violence case are expected to emerge.
