RAMONA — Yolanda Marodi was sentenced to 36 years to life in state prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the death of her wife, Cal Fire Captain Rebecca Marodi. The 54-year-old defendant waived her right to appeal the prison term as part of her plea agreement.

Rebecca Marodi died on Feb. 17, 2025, at the couple's home on Rancho Villa Road in Ramona, Calif. She was 49 years old and had worked for the state firefighting agency for more than 30 years.

The autopsy report determined that Rebecca Marodi sustained 23 stab wounds to her neck, chest, and abdomen. Security camera footage captured Rebecca Marodi fleeing the home while being chased by Yolanda Marodi.

Lorena Marodi, the victim's mother who lived at the home with the couple, found Rebecca Marodi's body and called 911. Lorena Marodi testified that she noticed Yolanda Marodi's car was gone when she drove past the home at the end of the night. Upon returning, she found a trail of blood leading inside the house.

Sheriff's deputy Angela Peratis and her partner found Rebecca Marodi face down in a hallway. Deputies attempted life-saving measures until firefighters arrived and took over. A firefighter at the scene asked, "Is that Becky?" according to Deputy Peratis's testimony.

Yolanda Marodi crossed the U.S.-Mexico border approximately one hour after the killing. She was arrested near a hotel in the Ferrocarril neighborhood of Mexicali on March 22, 2025. According to reports, Yolanda Marodi initially pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder before accepting a plea deal for second-degree murder.

In an apology letter submitted to the court, Marodi wrote, "There is no excuse for taking your daughter's life." She described her actions as "thoughtless, careless, and selfish" and stated that failing to seek help for trauma and mental health issues were "the root causes of my actions." She added that issues in their marriage left her feeling "angry and betrayed and enraged." "The fault is mine and I alone carry the responsibility for this tragedy," she wrote.

Lorena Marodi spoke at the sentencing hearing, stating, "It was a privilege of a lifetime to be her mother." She said, "In the face of the greatest darkness, I have stood strong to receive justice for my amazing, beautiful, strong daughter." Lorena Marodi also shared, "Every morning when I wake, the image of my baby girl lying on the floor with stab wounds to her back and lifeless haunts me." She concluded, "Despite the horrific violence bestowed upon Becky, I refuse to allow Yolanda’s darkness to consume me." San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan issued a statement regarding the sentence. "This was a vicious murder of a respected and dedicated fire captain who dedicated her entire career to serving her community," Stephan said. "This case also shows that no one is immune to domestic violence, which is one of the most hidden and dangerous forms of violence we confront." Stephan added, "We can honor Captain Rebecca Marodi’s memory by joining together to safeguard victims of domestic violence and hold their abusers accountable."

Why It Matters

The case shows the intersection of domestic violence and the loss of a long-serving public servant. Rebecca Marodi had served with Cal Fire for more than three decades before her death. The prosecution emphasized that domestic violence remains a threat, noting that no individual is immune to such violence regardless of their public standing or profession.

The sentencing concludes a legal process that included an international manhunt and a plea agreement that resolved the charges without a trial. Yolanda Marodi's prior conviction for voluntary manslaughter in 2003 provided historical context to the proceedings, though the current sentence addresses the 2025 killing specifically. The waiver of appeal rights ensures the 36-years-to-life term is final under the agreed conditions.

Timeline

In 2003, Yolanda Marodi pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the death of her husband, an incident that occurred in San Bernardino County. She served approximately a decade in prison for that conviction. On June 17, 2022, Yolanda Marodi and Rebecca Marodi were married. Roughly a week before the killing, on Feb. 10, 2025, Rebecca Marodi told Yolanda Marodi that she planned to end their marriage.

On Feb. 17, 2025, Yolanda Marodi told Lorena Marodi that she and Rebecca had things to work out but there would not be any fighting. Later that day, Sheriff's Homicide Det. Jessica Ricca testified that Yolanda Marodi responded to Rebecca Marodi calling for her mother by saying, "She's not here." During the attack, Yolanda Marodi responded to Rebecca Marodi's pleas by saying, "You should have thought about that before."

What's New

Additional reporting revealed that Yolanda Marodi told Lorena Marodi on the day of the killing that "She and Becky had some things to work out, but there wouldn’t be any fighting" when Rebecca returned home. Sheriff's Homicide Det. Evidence also showed that Yolanda Marodi sent a text message stating, "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."

Further details emerged from the defendant's apology letter, in which Yolanda Marodi wrote that she was "blessed" and "lucky to call (Rebecca) my wife." San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said in a statement, "We can honor Captain Rebecca Marodi’s memory by joining together to safeguard victims of domestic violence and hold their abusers accountable." It was also confirmed that Lorena Marodi lived at the Ramona home with Rebecca Marodi and Yolanda Marodi.