SAN DIEGO — A woman suspected of fatally stabbing her fire captain wife at their home in Southern California has been captured in Mexico after more than a month on the run, Mexican officials said Saturday.

Yolanda Marodi was taken into custody after being found at a hotel roughly 2.3 miles south of the U.S. border in the city of Mexicali, the Baja California Citizen Security Secretariat (SSCBC) said in a statement.

The SSCBC said Marodi was transferred to the border with the help of Mexico’s National Institute of Migration. She was turned over to the U.S. Marshals Service after being returned to the United States at a U.S. port of entry, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement about her capture.

She was wanted by U.S. authorities in the Feb. 17 killing of 49-year-old Rebecca “Becky” Marodi, a respected California fire captain, at the couple’s home in San Diego County.

The secretariat said cooperation and an exchange of information with U.S. authorities helped lead to the arrest.

An affidavit in support of an arrest warrant for Yolanda Marodi cites home security video depicting a horrific scene outside the couple’s home in Ramona as she confronted a bloodied Rebecca Marodi with a knife on Feb. 17.

As the pair ran across a patio that night, Rebecca Marodi was heard on the recording saying, “Yolanda! Please … ! don’t want to die,” according to the declaration.

At one point, Yolanda Marodi responded, “You should have thought about that before,” according to the affidavit.

Rebecca Marodi’s mother, who lived with the couple, called authorities to say her daughter had been stabbed, according to the document.

Shortly after, the home’s security camera captured Yolanda Marodi, wearing different clothes, placing belongings, luggage and pets in her silver Chevrolet Equinox SUV and driving away, according to the document.

The same night, the SUV crossed into Mexico, about 45 miles south of Ramona, the affidavit stated, citing Department of Homeland Security records.

Yolanda Marodi was charged with murder on Feb. 21.

The search for her included the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and the U.S. Marshal’s Service San Diego Fugitive Task Force, authorities said. Carlos Zúñiga, spokesperson for Baja California’s state security agency, said authorities there had been searching for her in coordination with U.S. counterparts, NBC San Diego reported last month.

In 2003, Yolanda Marodi pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the stabbing death of husband Jim Olejniczak in 2000, the station reported. She was released from custody a decade later.

The affidavit states that an unnamed witness received a text from Yolanda Marodi a day after Rebecca Marodi’s killing, stating that Rebecca Marodi had told Yolanda Marodi “she met someone else” and was leaving her.

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

First responders at the home reported Rebecca Marodi had multiple stab wounds, including lacerations to her neck, chest and abdomen, the document said. She was declared dead at the scene.

According to a joint statement from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire, and the Riverside County Fire Department, Rebecca Marodi worked in firefighting for more than 30 years, starting as a volunteer in Moreno Valley, a city about 85 miles north of Ramona, in Riverside County.

She was a seasonal firefighter, then a full-time one, before she moved up to engineer in 2007 and captain in 2022, working mostly in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, according to the statement.

Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department thanked authorities following Yolanda Marodi’s capture.

“We thank our law enforcement partners in San Diego and Mexico for their hard work,” spokeswoman Maggie Cline De La Rosa said in a statement. “Becky was a beloved member of our community and Department, and we miss her greatly.”

Rebecca Marodi dedicated much of her career to peer support, “always prioritizing the well-being of her colleagues,” according to the statement.

An Instagram post from Cal Fire’s battalion in Temecula, California, a community just north of Riverside County’s border with San Diego County, showed Rebecca Marodi on the front lines of the Eaton Fire in Altadena, the deadliest of the state’s windstorm-driven blazes in January.

A Cal Fire San Diego Benevolent Fund online drive to raise money for Rebecca Marodi’s family described her as a woman who “dedicated more than three decades to serving and protecting our communities with unwavering bravery, leadership, and commitment.”

A new business started nearly every minute of the day in California last year, according to a new report.

The Golden State received 43,265 new business applications per month—or 59 per hour—in 2024, according to Switch On Business, which is equivalent to almost one new business per minute.

But, despite the impressive figure, the study authors, who analyzed business application and census data, found that it was 6.9% fewer applications than in 2023.

Florida received 72 new business applications per hour in 2024—the most of any state, making it the hottest state for startups, according to the study, while West Virginia received just 855new business applications per 100,000 residents in 2024, the lowest rate of any state.

America saw a record number of new businesses in last four years

The previous four-year period saw a record 21 million new businesses launched in the United States, according to January’s end-of-term report by former SBA Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman,

To compare, in 2021, Americans applied to start 5.4 million new businesses—more than two-thirds higher than the annual average of 3.2 million new business applications per year in the five years prior to the start of the pandemic, according to the SBA.

In 2023, some 1.8 million of the 5.5 million new businesses launched with plans to hire workers, according to Switch On Business findings.

California has more small businesses than any other state

California has more small businesses than any other state, employing seven million people.

The state also grabs the lion’s share of America’s venture capital, according to Switch On Business analysis, with California start-ups netting 59.25% of all capital raised nationwide in the first quarter of 2024.

Wyoming is a hot spot for new business creation

Wyoming received 10,133 new business applications per 100,000 residents in 2024—the highest rate per capita of all fifty states, according to Switch On Business. However, report analysts found that people outside the state made many business applications.

To compare, California submitted 1,317 business applications per 100,000 residents in 2024.

“[Wyoming’s] business-friendly tax structure, minimal regulatory requirements, and strong privacy laws have made it a preferred destination for business registration, especially for non-U.S. residents and out-of-state entrepreneurs,” according to Start in Wyoming.

Top 10 states with the most new businesses in 2024

States with the most new business applications submitted in 2024, according to Switch On Business analysis:

1. Florida (634,321)
2. California (519,182)
3. Texas (490,063)
4. New York (292,292)
5. Georgia (243,088)
6. Illinois (171,878)
7. North Carolina (163,499)
8. New Jersey (153,350)
9. Pennsylvania (146,789)
10. Ohio (145,512)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (VVNG.com) — In a significant milestone for law enforcement in California, 125 cadets graduated today from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Academy in West Sacramento, marking the largest graduating class since June 2022, when 128 officers were sworn in.

This ceremony highlights the successful completion of a 26-week, intensive training program that prepares the officers for their duties across the state.

The new officers will be assigned to various CHP offices throughout California, with one of the notable officers, Damian Alvarez of Desert Hot Springs, being assigned to the Barstow Area office.

According to CHP, Alvarez, who previously worked as a Lead Valet at Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, is among the diverse group of graduates now beginning their law enforcement careers.

“Today, we celebrate the dedication and perseverance of our newly promoted officers,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee in a statement. “Their commitment to integrity, service, and the safety of our communities embodies the core values of the CHP. As these officers begin their new role, they will carry the trust of those they serve — and with that, the ability to make a lasting impact.”

Cadets, including Alvarez, underwent comprehensive training during their time at the CHP Academy. This training focused on critical areas such as traffic enforcement, collision investigation, defensive tactics, firearms proficiency, emergency vehicle operations, and community policing.

They also received instruction on legal responsibilities, communication skills, ethical conduct, and cultural diversity awareness to ensure they are prepared to serve all California communities effectively.

The graduation of 125 new officers is part of a broader recruitment and hiring effort by the CHP. According to the CHP, nearly 300 cadets remain in training, with an additional 160 cadets scheduled to start their training on April 7.

This ongoing recruitment campaign was launched in response to the state’s need to fill 1,000 officer positions by hiring qualified individuals, a goal that was surpassed in November 2024.

“The CHP is actively recruiting dedicated individuals to make a difference in communities throughout California. As a CHP officer, you can make a meaningful impact by enhancing road safety, enforcing traffic laws, and responding to emergencies,” said the CHP in a press release. “With comprehensive training, competitive benefits, and opportunities for career advancement, the CHP offers a rewarding and fulfilling career path for individuals committed to upholding the highest standards of service and professionalism.”

Alvarez and his fellow graduates are now ready to step into their new roles, joining the ranks of the CHP officers tasked with ensuring the safety and security of the state’s roads and communities.

The CHP’s mission is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security, and the new officers are poised to carry on this vital work.

To learn more about joining the CHP, please visit our website to take the first step towards a rewarding career in law enforcement.

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