Jonathan Rinderknecht charged with igniting fire that killed 12 people

Authorities have arrested 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht, charging him with intentionally starting a fire on New Year’s Day that burned for several days and later exploded in the deadly Palisades Fire. Devastated California.

Rinderknecht, 29, from Melbourne, Florida, He was arrested Tuesday on a federal charge of destruction of property by shooting, Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Eisley announced during a news conference Wednesday morning. He is scheduled to make his first appearance in federal court in Florida on Wednesday.

“The complaint alleges that one person’s recklessness caused one of the worst fires Los Angeles has ever seen, resulting in death and widespread destruction in the Pacific Palisades area,” Al-Asili said. “Although we cannot regain what the victims have lost, we hope that this criminal case will bring a measure of justice to those affected by this horrific tragedy.”

Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, was charged Wednesday with starting the blaze that eventually became the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles. (USAttyEssayli/X)

Sources say the arrest was made in connection with the deadly Pacific Barrier Fire

Al-Asili said there was evidence from Rinderknecht’s cell phone, false statements to law enforcement and his behavior after a separate fire that broke out shortly after midnight on New Year’s Day led to his arrest.

Justice Department officials said evidence collected from the suspect’s digital devices showed an image he created on ChatGPT depicting a burning city. The Palisades Fire has destroyed tens of thousands of acres across the region, displaced numerous residents, and claimed 12 lives.

This tragedy will never be forgotten: lives were lost, families were torn apart, and entire communities were changed forever.

– California Governor Gavin Newsom

From New Year’s Eve 2024 to New Year’s Day 2025, Rinderknecht worked as an Uber driver in Los Angeles. Federal authorities said two of his passengers told them he “appeared agitated and angry that night after he dropped off a passenger at Pacific Palisades.”

He then allegedly parked his car and tried to call an ex-boyfriend. After he was unable to catch them, officials said he then proceeded to walk along the road and took videos on his iPhone from the top of the hill. According to the criminal complaint, Rinderknecht claims he offered to help fight the fires, and investigators noted this was “highly unusual behavior.”

Read the criminal complaint – For app users, click here

Investigators said at the time that he “listened to a rap song whose music video involved setting things on fire.”

“He then used his iPhone to take videos in a nearby hilltop area and listened to a rap song — which he had listened to over and over in the previous days — whose music video included things catching fire.” Ministry of Justice He said in a statement.

According to the criminal complaint, Rinderknecht was listening to Gusman’s French rap song “Un Zder, Un Thé,” which is about isolation, exhaustion, and escapism.

Background and identity

According to a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Rinderknecht is also known by his aliases “Jonathan Rinder” and “John Rinder.”

According to criminal complaint, Rinderknecht had previously lived in the Pacific Palisades area of ​​Los Angeles, California, near the site of the initial “Lackman Fire,” and was familiar with the local trails and hilly terrain where the fire started. Investigators noted that he previously resided at a home approximately one block from the trailhead and had hiked the nearby Temescal Ridge Trail several times. After leaving California, Rinderknecht moved to Melbourne, Florida, where he was arrested by federal agents on October 8.

In the complaint, Special Agent William Schrey noted that Rinderknecht “admitted that he was fluent in French and had grown up in France.”

A map from the criminal complaint showing where Jonathan Rinderknecht allegedly started the fires. (Ministry of Justice)

A judge’s waterfront mansion burns in an arson attack as first responders use kayaks for a dramatic rescue

Schedule of key events

A series of events led to Rinderknecht’s arrest on Oct. 8, according to the criminal complaint.

• July 11: ChatGPT was asked to create a “dystopian painting” showing a forest on fire and the rich watching the world burn.
• November 1: ChatGPT said, “I literally burned my Bible. It was an amazing feeling.”

December 31:

• A video from his iPhone showed a green barbecue-style lighter in his apartment; The same lighter (along with his DNA) was later found in his car.
• Rinderknecht was working as an Uber driver in Pacific Palisades.
• Two passengers later described him as agitated and angry.

At approximately 11:28 p.mAnd listen to the French song “Un Zder, Un Thé” by Gusman.

11:34 pm: He dropped off a passenger on Palisades Drive, then drove the car alone toward the Skull Rock Trailhead, near where he once lived. According to the complaint, he was caught on CCTV footage.

Map of the route allegedly used by Rinderknecht to reach the Hidden Buddha area. (Ministry of Justice)

11:38 PM – 11:47 PM: Parked at the Skull Rock Trailhead and hiked the Temescal Ridge Trail to the “Hidden buddha” area where he took two videos; No visible fire.

11:54 PM: “Un Zder, Un Thé” was played again.

January 1:

12:12 AM:

• The first glow of the fire was detected by wildfire cameras near the ridge.
• Rinderknecht tried calling 911 several times, as GPS data placed him directly below the Hidden Buddha area.
• Cameras captured Lachman’s fire igniting and spreading as he remained in that location for more than a minute.

12:17 AM:

• 911 was successfully called near the bottom of the trail to report the fire.
• During the call, he wrote in ChatGPT: “Are you at fault if the fire is lifted [sic] Because of your cigarettes?” ChatGPT, according to the complaint, responded “yes” with an explanation.

12:20 AM:

• Rinderknecht got into his car and drove away from the fire. On his way down, he passed fire engines responding to the scene.

1:02 AM: Four iPhone videos were filmed of firefighters battling the blaze.

January 2:

• Firefighters extinguished the Lackman fire.

Paola Tapia hugs Katja Shmolka, who lost her home in the Palisades fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, in Los Angeles, California, United States on January 10, 2025. (Reuters/David Ryder)

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January 7:

• High winds reignited underground embers from the original site, igniting the Palisades Fire, which spread widely across federal and state lands.

January 31:

• The Palisades Fire has been completely contained.