SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Grisly new details have emerged about the fatal stabbing of a Cal Fire captain in San Diego County earlier this month as an international search continues for her estranged wife, the primary suspect in the case.
In an arrest warrant filed on Friday, authorities alleged the suspect, Yolanda Olejniczak, had been seen chasing the captain, 49-year-old Rebecca Marodi, in the moments leading up to her death in Ring camera footage from the patio of their home.
According to the filing, this altercation was captured around 8 p.m. — less than an hour before San Diego County Sheriff’s deputies were first called to the scene by Marodi’s mother.
The arrest warrant describes the events caught in the video beginning with Marodi running outside of the home and into the camera’s frame while being trailed by a woman in a yellow shirt, who prosecutors believe is the 53-year-old Olejniczak.
The filing alleges Marodi could be heard yelling out “Yolanda! Please … don’t want to die,” from outside the camera’s view before re-emerging with apparent blood on her back. Olejniczak can then be heard responding “You should have thought about that before,” the warrant says.
Per local law enforcement and a friend of the Cal Fire captain, Marodi had told Olejniczak she planned to leave her and end their roughly two-year-long marriage one week prior.
At a later point in the footage, Olejniczak could also be seen standing in front of Marodi with what appeared to be a knife in her right hand and blood on her arms, according to the warrant.
Olejniczak then instructs Marodi to go inside their home, the filing says, while the Cal Fire captain repeatedly pleads for 9-1-1 to be called. That was the last time Marodi was seen on video surveillance.
Roughly 10 minutes later, Olejniczak could be seen in the front door Ring camera in different clothing gathering pets, random items and some luggage to load into a silver Chevrolet Equinox SUV before leaving the scene, the warrant alleges.
A short time later, prosecutors said Olejniczak sent a text message to a friend saying, “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.”
The warrant adds a background check on the Chevrolet SUV found it had been logged by the Department of Homeland Security crossing the border into Mexico around 9:16 p.m.
“Based on the video surveillance from the residence depicting Yolanda with a knife standing in front and pushing Rebecca who was covered in apparent blood, Yolanda fleeing to Mexico, and the text message Yolanda sent to a close friend stating she ‘hurt’ Rebecca, I believe Yolanda stabbed Rebecca Marodi multiple times ultimately causing Rebecca’s death,” the filing reads.
Investigators had not previously released a motive in the homicide prior to the arrest warrant filing, although they had indicated it was likely an incident of domestic violence.
It is not the first time Olejniczak has been accused of committing a domestic violence-related stabbing. Records show she previously pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the early 2000s after fatally stabbing her estranged husband, James Olejniczak, in San Bernardino County.
San Diego Sheriff’s deputies are still searching for Olejniczak and are now offering a $1,000 reward for anyone with information that leads to her arrest. Should someone see her, authorities urge the public to stay away and contact local law enforcement immediately.
In the meantime, those who would like to help the Marodi family can donate to a fundraiser organized by Cal Fire San Diego’s benevolent fund.
FOX 5/KUSI’s Tony Shin contributed to this report. Watch his full report above.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.