A 29-year-old man named Jonathan Rinderknecht was arrested Tuesday in Florida on suspicion of starting the fire that escalated into the deadly Pacific Palisades blaze in Los Angeles earlier this year. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Rinderknecht has been charged with “destruction of property by means of fire” in a federal criminal complaint.
Investigators allege that on Jan. 1, 2025, shortly after midnight, Rinderknecht intentionally ignited a small fire labeled the “Lachman Fire”—on a trail in the Temescal Ridge area of Pacific Palisades. Although firefighters initially contained that blaze, prosecutors say it continued smoldering underground. On Jan. 7, under high winds and dry conditions, it reignited and spread extensively, becoming the catastrophic Palisades Fire that claimed 12 lives and destroyed thousands of homes.
During a press conference, Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli and ATF officials detailed the evidence linking Rinderknecht to the fire’s origin. They cited a combination of geolocation data, surveillance footage, witness statements, and his own mobile-device activity. According to the complaint, on the night in question Rinderknecht had just finished work as an Uber driver, then drove to a trailhead, parked, and walked up a nearby hill. There he took video footage, listened to a rap song whose video includes imagery of things being set alight, and later called 911 to report the fire. Prosecutors allege that when first questioned by investigators, he provided false information about his location during the early moments of the blaze.
In addition, prosecutors say that Rinderknecht had generated on ChatGPT an image depicting a burning forest and fleeing crowds several months before the fire—an example, they contend, of premeditation. If convicted, Rinderknecht faces a statutory minimum of five years in federal prison and up to 20 years under the charging statute.
Governor Gavin Newsom welcomed the arrest, calling it “an important step toward uncovering how the horrific Palisades Fire began” and pledged continuing state support for the investigation.
The Palisades Fire, among the worst in Los Angeles history, charred more than 23,000 acres, destroyed thousands of structures (some estimates place losses above 6,800), and displaced many more.
Federal, state, and local authorities emphasized that while this arrest is a milestone, much work remains. The case is expected to move forward in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California after Rinderknecht’s initial court appearances in Florida.
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