Federal prosecutors announced the arrest of a Florida man accused of intentionally starting one of Los Angeles’ most devastating wildfires, the Palisades Fire, which destroyed thousands of homes and claimed a dozen lives earlier this year.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles, 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht has been charged with destruction of property by means of fire, a federal offense that carries severe penalties. Authorities allege Rinderknecht deliberately ignited the blaze early on New Year’s Day and then listened to a rap song that featured scenes of fire in its music video. The office stated, “Rinderknecht listened to the song repeatedly in the prior days.”
Rinderknecht, who previously lived in Pacific Palisades, California, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday. He is currently residing in Melbourne, Florida, and appeared before a federal judge in Orlando on Wednesday. The judge ordered him temporarily detained without bail pending a court hearing scheduled for Thursday.
Federal Investigation Links Suspect to Fire Through Digital Evidence
Authorities revealed that multiple forms of evidence, including witness accounts, surveillance footage, cellphone data, and fire pattern analysis, were used to determine that Rinderknecht intentionally set the Lachman Fire just after midnight on January 1. The fire started on land owned by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, a federally funded organization. Within a week, the blaze grew into what became known as the Palisades Fire, which spread to federal land and caused catastrophic damage.
Acting U.S. Attorney for Los Angeles Bill Essayli said in a statement, “The complaint alleges that a single person’s recklessness caused one of the worst fires Los Angeles has ever seen, resulting in death and widespread destruction in Pacific Palisades.” He added, “While we cannot bring back what victims lost, we hope this criminal case brings some measure of justice to those affected by this horrific tragedy.”
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Essayli also stated that investigators found evidence on Rinderknecht’s digital devices, including “an image he generated on ChatGPT depicting a burning city.”
