Jonathan Rinderknecht, the 29-year-old man charged with starting the devastating Palisades Fire, pleaded not guilty to all charges during his arraignment Thursday afternoon in Los Angeles.
A jury trial has been scheduled for December 16, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. PST in Courtroom 9C on the ninth floor of the United States Courthouse at 350 W. 1st St., Los Angeles. United States District Judge Anne Hwang is presiding over the case.
Rinderknecht faces a three-count federal 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 wildfire killed 12 people and destroyed more than 6,000 homes and buildings, making it one of the most destructive fires in Los Angeles history.
If convicted, the former Pacific Palisades resident faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a statutory maximum of 45 years. Rinderknecht, also known as "Jonathan Rinder" and "Jon Rinder," has been in federal custody since his October 7 arrest in Melbourne, Florida.
According to court documents, 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. Although firefighters quickly suppressed the visible flames of the Lachman Fire, it continued to smolder and burn underground within root structures of dense vegetation. On January 7, heavy winds caused the underground fire to resurface and spread above ground as the Palisades Fire, causing widespread damage in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
Law enforcement alleges that Rinderknecht maliciously set the Lachman Fire just after midnight on January 1 on land owned by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, an organization that received federal funding. A week later, the same fire burned federal property.
Investigators built their case using witness statements, video surveillance, cellphone data, and analysis of fire dynamics and patterns at the scene. On December 31, 2024, Rinderknecht was working as an Uber driver. Two passengers he drove that evening later told law enforcement that he appeared agitated and angry.
After dropping off a passenger in Pacific Palisades around 11:34 p.m., Rinderknecht drove to Skull Rock Trailhead, parked his car, and walked up the trail. He used his iPhone to take videos and listened to a rap song whose music video included things being lit on fire—a song he had listened to repeatedly in previous days.
At 12:12 a.m. on January 1, environmental sensing platforms indicated the Lachman Fire had begun. During the next five minutes, Rinderknecht called 911 several times but couldn'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 reported the fire from the bottom of the hiking trail. He then fled but returned to watch firefighters battle the blaze. During a January 24 interview with law enforcement, Rinderknecht allegedly lied about his location when he first saw the fire. Geolocation data from his iPhone carrier showed he was standing in a clearing 30 feet from the fire as it rapidly grew.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating the matter with assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department and the U.S. Forest Service.
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.