Cal Fire captain who battled Eaton fire was killed by someone she likely knew, officials say

A Cal Fire captain who helped fight the Eaton fire last month was slain and investigators say she likely knew her killer.

Rebecca Marodi, 49, was found Monday at a residence on Rancho Villa Road in Ramona, according to a San Diego Sheriff’s Office news release. Deputies responded around 8:58 p.m. to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon and found Marodi with multiple stab wounds.

Marodi was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said. Homicide detectives are investigating the killing as a potential domestic violence incident and think Marodi knew her killer. The circumstances and motivation of the killing are unknown. Anyone with more information has been asked to contact the San Diego Sheriff’s Homicide Unit at 858-285-6330 or after hours at 858-868-3200.

Marodi started as a volunteer firefighter in 1993 in Moreno Valley and worked as a seasonal firefighter in Riverside and San Bernardino counties from 1994 to 2000, according to Cal Fire and the Riverside County Fire Department. Marodi was a fire apparatus engineer in 2007 and promoted to captain in 2022.

Marodi was among the many firefighters who helped battle the deadly Eaton fire last month, according to an Instagram post.