Arrest warrant for murder issued as police suspect wife of slain California fire captain may have escaped to Mexico

The woman suspected of stabbing her California Fire Captain wife to death is believed to have fled to Mexico amid an urgent hunt for her whereabouts.

49-year-old Rebecca Marodi was discovered dead from multiple stab wounds in her neck, chest, and abdomen at her Ramona home, where she lived with her wife and mother.

Following this tragic event, the police have identified Rebecca’s 53-year-old wife, Yolanda Olenjniczak, as the main suspect in the murder investigation. Authorities have alerted the public that Yolanda is currently at large.

Recently, law enforcement has issued an arrest warrant for Yolanda, suspecting that she has fled to Mexico after the brutal crime took place. This new information was reported by the Los Angeles Times.

More shocking details have emerged since Yolanda’s been on the run, as it was revealed she had previously been guilty of felony voluntary manslaughter charges after she killed her then-husband in 2000. 

The bombshell revelations come after Rebecca’s mother, Lorena, called 911 on February 17, informing officers that her daughter had been stabbed inside their home on Rancho Villa Road, according to an arrest warrant obtained by KABC-TV News.

When San Diego County sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene, they were met with Rebecca suffering stab wounds to the neck, chest and abdomen. The decorated firefighter devastatingly succumbed to her injuries after life-saving measures were administered.

The Medical Examiner’s Office conducted the autopsy and concluded that the cause of death was stab wounds or sharp force entries, categorizing the manner of death as homicide. 

Yolanda Olenjniczak, the 53-year-old mother accused of stabbing her California Fire Captain wife to death last week, is believed to have fled to Mexico

Rebecca Marodi, 49 (left), was found dead from multiple stab wounds to her neck, chest and abdomen last week inside the Ramona home she shared with her wife and her mother

Lorena told detectives that a week prior, her daughter had told Yolanda that she was ending their two-year marriage. She also offered officers a Ring camera from the home, which they reviewed the following day.

In the home security footage, Yolanda appeared to be chasing Rebecca across the patio shortly after 8pm – the evening of the deadly attack.

A voice, believed to be that of Rebecca, can be heard crying out, ‘Yolanda! Please… I don’t want to die!’ before she appeared in the frame with what seems to be blood running down her back, the arrest warrant states.

At that point, another voice – believed to be Yolanda’s – could be heard replying, ‘You should have thought of that before,’ as she stood over her wife holding a knife with apparent blood on her arm.

Rebecca repeatedly told her wife to call 911 while Yolanda told her to go back inside, an order Rebecca eventually obeyed as the two were seen entering the home. It was the last time Rebecca was seen in the footage.

Around 10 minutes later, ‘Yolanda is seen gathering pets, random items and some luggage and loading it into a silver Chevrolet Equinox SUV,’ the warrant states. She was also seen wearing different clothes during what appeared to be a rushed-escape.

The vehicle was then seen hours later entering Mexico as it crossed the border, according to the Department of Homeland Security. 

Although Yolanda still remains on the run, the warrant did note that she has since texted a friend. 

Rebecca’s mother, Lorena, called 911 on February 17, informing officers that her daughter (left) had been stabbed inside their home on Rancho Villa Road, prompting an investigation and the review of Ring camera footage

Authorities have issued a warrant for Yolanda’s arrest, as she is believed to have fled to Mexico following the horrific killing after her vehicle was seen crossing the border hours later 

Lorena told detectives that a week prior, her daughter had told Yolanda she was ending their two-year marriage

‘Becky came home and told me she was leaving me, she met someone else, all the messages were lies,’ the text read, according to the warrant. ‘We had a big fight and I hurt her… I’m sorry.’

The fatal incident comes nearly 25 years after Yolanda stabbed her then-husband James J. Olejniczak Jr., 26, to death in October of 2000, making her the subject of another manhunt, CBS 8 reported.

Yolanda had filed for divorce against James months earlier and the pair agreed to ‘mutual restraining orders’, according to court documents reviewed by the news outlet.  

They also agreed to joint custody of their two children, who were nine and four at the time.

Yolanda, who tried to flee with her children following her husband’s death, turned herself into police roughly 24 hours later, and in 2003 pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter. 

She was sentenced to 11 years in state prison in 2004, according to court records, but was only in custody from February that year until November 2013.

Rebecca’s ex-wife, 58-year-old Lilia Phleger Phillips told DailyMail.com that she had concerns about Yolanda. 

‘From what I’ve heard her wife was a volatile person,’ said Lilia, who was married to Rebecca for seven years before they got divorced in 2015. ‘She served time for voluntary manslaughter. The crime happened in 2000. That’s public knowledge.’

The Medical Examiner’s Office conducted Rebecca’s autopsy and concluded that the cause of death was stab wounds or sharp force entries, categorizing the manner of death as homicide

In the home security footage, detectives were able to see Yolanda appearing to chase Rebecca across the patio as a voice, believed to be that of Rebecca, can be heard crying out, ‘Yolanda! Please… I don’t want to die’

After Rebecca was last seen in the footage, ‘Yolanda is seen gathering pets, random items and some luggage and loading it into a silver Chevrolet Equinox SUV,’ the warrant stated

Lilia said that vicious rumors about Rebecca’s death and people trying to politicize the tragedy has caused her distress. 

‘What’s most upset me is on social media everybody is trying to attach this horrendous domestic violence crime to the whole DEI uproar and connect it to DEI hires and the fires in Los Angeles,’ she said.

‘That is utter rubbish and completely wrong and takes away from the importance of understanding when people are in toxic relationships and the necessity to educate about domestic violence and how things can go wrong so quickly.’

Among her frustrations are online claims stating that lesbian couples are more violent than straight couples.

Lilia said she was gutted by this ‘noise,’ adding that Rebecca’s family felt the same way.

‘People are so willing to get up in arms about something that is completely unrelated,’ Lilia said.

She said the important thing right now is ‘catch the perpetrator, to heal and to focus on what the issue was and that is domestic violence.’

‘She would probably want people to understand that there are resources for people who are trapped in toxic relationships and domestic violence,’ she added.

The fatal incident comes nearly 25 years after Yolanda stabbed her then-husband James J. Olejniczak Jr., 26, to death in October of 2000, making her the subject of another manhunt

Yolanda, who tried to flee with her children following her husband’s death, turned herself into police roughly 24 hours later, and in 2003 pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter. She was sentenced to 11 years in state prison in 2004 but only served nine

Rebecca and Yolanda appear to have been together since at least 2022, when Yolanda shared an Instagram photo announcing their engagement

Rebecca’s death has also ignited people on X to speculate that she was a DEI hire, while others have spread bizarre and untrue conspiracy theories about her being to blame for the Los Angeles wildfires. 

One even went as far as to claim Donald Trump had instigated his supporters against the LGBT firefighter.

Rebecca and Yolanda appear to have been together since at least 2022, when Yolanda shared an Instagram photo announcing their engagement.

‘No words can express the joy and profound happiness and gratitude that I experience every day that I spend by her side, and soon I’ll get to call her my wife,’ she said at the time.

‘I’m so blessed to have this amazing woman love me unconditionally. I love you @beck_marodi, you make my life complete.’

Rebecca has been hailed as a hero since her passing, with her firefighter colleagues carrying her out of her home in a casket draped with the American flag.   

The decorated chief served more than 30 years with Cal Fire and had plans to retire this year, according to KABC. 

‘Her passing is a profound loss to her family, friends and all who had the privilege of working alongside her,’ Cal Fire said.

Rebecca has been hailed as a hero since her passing, as she served more than 30 years with Cal Fire and was one of the thousands of firefighters who battled the deadly Eaton Fire in January

Rebecca’s firefighter colleagues carried her out of her home in a casket draped with the American flag after her tragic passing 

‘Beyond her operational assignments, Captain Marodi was deeply involved in 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.’

Rebecca was one of the thousands of firefighters who battled the deadly Eaton Fire in January. She was even featured in social media posts of crews battling the blaze and shared videos of herself putting out the flames. 

At least 17 people were killed in the 14,000-acre Eaton Fire that ignited on January 7. The blaze destroyed 9,418 structures and damaged 1,073 more, according to NBC Los Angeles.

Cal Fire Battalion Chief Paul Selegue told the local news station Rebecca was someone everyone could aspire to be like.

‘She was never afraid to get involved with a person who needed help and she was always willing to extend herself to assist them,’ he said.