A federal grand jury has indicted a former Pacific Palisades resident on charges of starting what became one of the most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history, adding two felonies to his criminal case.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, faces a three-count indictment charging him with destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire in connection with the January 2025 Palisades Fire. The fire killed 12 people and destroyed more than 6,000 homes and buildings in Los Angeles.
Rinderknecht, also known as "Jonathan Rinder" and "Jon Rinder," has been in federal custody since his Oct. 7 arrest in Melbourne, Florida. His arraignment is expected in the coming weeks in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
If convicted, Rinderknecht faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a statutory maximum of 45 years.
Federal investigators determined the Palisades Fire was a "holdover" fire — a continuation of the Lachman Fire that began early on New Year's Day 2025, according to court documents. Although firefighters quickly suppressed the visible flames of the Lachman Fire, the fire continued to smolder and burn underground within root structures of dense vegetation.
On Jan. 7, heavy winds caused the underground fire to resurface and spread above ground in what became known as the Palisades Fire, which caused widespread damage in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
Law enforcement determined that Rinderknecht maliciously set the Lachman Fire just after midnight on Jan. 1 on land owned by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, an organization that received federal funding. A week later, the same fire — then known as the Palisades Fire — burned federal property.
Investigators used witness statements, video surveillance, cellphone data and analysis of fire dynamics and patterns at the scene to build their case.
On the evening of Dec. 31, 2024, Rinderknecht was working as an Uber driver. Two passengers he drove on separate trips between 10:15 p.m. and 11:15 p.m. later told law enforcement that Rinderknecht appeared agitated and angry.
After dropping off a passenger in Pacific Palisades around 11:34 p.m., Rinderknecht — who once lived in that neighborhood — drove to Skull Rock Trailhead, parked his car, attempted to contact a former friend and walked up the trail. He used his iPhone to take videos at a nearby hilltop area and listened to a rap song whose music video included things being lit on fire. Investigators noted he had listened to the song repeatedly in previous days.
At 12:12 a.m. on Jan. 1, environmental sensing platforms indicated the Lachman Fire had begun. During the next five minutes, Rinderknecht called 911 several times but didn't get through because his iPhone was out of cellphone range. While waiting, he typed into ChatGPT: "Are you at fault if a fire is lift because of your cigarettes."
When he finally connected with 911, he was at the bottom of the hiking trail and reported the fire. By that point, a nearby resident already had reported the fire to authorities.
Rinderknecht then fled in his car, passing fire engines driving in the opposite direction. He turned around and followed the fire engines to the scene, driving at a high rate of speed. He walked up the same trail to watch the fire and firefighters. At approximately 1:02 a.m., he used his iPhone to take more videos of the scene — behavior investigators noted is common among arsonists.
During a Jan. 24, 2025, interview with law enforcement, Rinderknecht lied about where he was when he first saw the fire. He claimed he was near the bottom of a hiking trail when he first saw the fire and called 911, but geolocation data from his iPhone carrier showed he was standing in a clearing 30 feet from the fire as it rapidly grew.
Investigators found a lighter in his car matching one seen in earlier videos, and DNA on the lighter matched Rinderknecht's, according to court documents. His devices also contained concerning images, including one generated on ChatGPT depicting a burning forest.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating the matter with substantial assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department and the U.S. Forest Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark A. Williams, Matthew W. O'Brien and Danbee C. Kim of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura A. Alexander of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section are prosecuting the case.