Palisades fire intentionally set, arrest made
Jonathan Rinderknecht was arrested for starting what would become the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles.
An arrest has been made in connection with the deadly Palisades fire that ripped through parts of Los Angeles earlier this year, but is now believed to have been caused by arson, authorities announced Tuesday.
The fire, along with the Eaton Fire in another part of Los Angeles County, broke out on January 7 and continued to burn for several weeks. Together, the two fires claimed at least 31 lives, and researchers estimate the toll to be much higher. Thousands of homes and other structures were destroyed.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, is accused of starting the fire in the early hours of January 1, authorities said. Kenny Cooper, special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Los Angeles Field Division, said the fire was initially extinguished, but it continued to burn underground until winds ignited it and the Palisades Fire was never found.
Ciaran McEvoy, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles U.S. Attorney’s Office, said Linderknecht did not enter a plea during his first appearance in federal court in Orlando, Fla., on Oct. 8 because he was appointed a public defender. Rinderknecht is scheduled to return to court for a detention hearing on October 9th.
If convicted, Linderknecht could face five to 20 years in federal prison, authorities said.
“The Palisades Fire, reported on January 7th, was caused by an intentionally set fire,” Cooper said. “High winds brought this subterranean fire to the surface and spread above ground, sparking one of the most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history, known as the Palisades Fire.”
The Palisades Fire has burned more than 23,000 acres, destroyed nearly 7,000 buildings and killed 12 people, according to CalFire. Three other civilians and a firefighter were also injured in the fire, the agency said.
Officials said at a news conference that Rinderknecht was working as an Uber driver on New Year’s Eve and dropped off passengers in the Palisades area. Prosecutors said two passengers he drove with that night told investigators he seemed “agitated and angry.”
The men then walked from the trailhead to the top of the hill, igniting what is known as the Luckman Fire at about 12:12 a.m. on Jan. 1, said Bill Esseri, deputy district attorney for the Central District of California. Before lighting the fire, Rinderknecht allegedly listened to a rap song with a music video depicting setting things on fire.
After setting the fire, the man called 911 before leaving the scene, but then turned around and returned to the trail, taking videos and photos of the fire and firefighters working to extinguish it, authorities said.
Linderknecht, also known as “Jonathan Linder” and “John Linder,” is familiar with the Palisades area and is a resident of Southern California who later moved to Melbourne, Florida.
Esseri said the suspect was known to law enforcement and had been questioned as of Jan. 24. He currently faces federal charges of criminal damage to property by fire.
Esseri said the case will go to a grand jury and prosecutors may seek additional charges.
The criminal complaint against Linderknecht further alleges that Linderknecht lied to authorities that he only discovered the fire after leaving the vacant lot and walking back down the hill to his car.
A report released in late July said the wildfires were among the costliest in U.S. history, with a combined cost of $65 billion. A separate report released last month by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors found outdated policies, communication gaps and staff shortages all hindering authorities’ ability to respond and warn residents about rapidly progressing fires.
Palisades fire suspect uses AI to generate images of burning city
Federal investigators said Jonathan Rinderknecht used ChatGPT to create disturbing fire-themed visuals before the deadly Palisades fire.
Palisades suspect calls 911 after arson, uses ChatGPT: prosecutors
Before setting the fire on January 1, Rinderknecht used his iPhone to listen to the song “Un Zder, Un The” by French artist Jossman, according to a criminal complaint. Rinderknecht also told investigators that he grew up in France and was fluent in French.
Records also show that Rinderknecht listened to the song nine times in the four days leading up to the fire. The music video, which depicts someone setting something on fire, was watched three times during that time, according to the complaint.
Essayli said investigators found an AI-generated image of a burning city on one of Rinderknecht’s devices. According to the complaint, the image was created in July 2024 using the following prompt: “A dystopian painting divided into separate parts that seamlessly blend together. On the far left is a burning forest. Next to it, a large group of people are fleeing a fire, continuing to the center. In the center, hundreds of thousands of poor people are trying to pass through a huge gate with a large dollar sign.”
“On the other side of the gate and across the walls is a collection of the wealthiest people. They watch the world burn and watch coldly as people struggle. They laugh, have fun, and dance. The scenes are detailed and impactful, highlighting the sharp contrasts and direct connections between different parts of the world.”
The complaint says Rinderknecht tried to call 911 several times after starting the fire just after midnight. Many attempts were unsuccessful, but officials said the man may not have had cell phone reception in the area. He was eventually able to get through, but by then nearby residents had already called 911.
According to the criminal complaint, the suspect also used the ChatGPT AI platform during the 911 call to ask the following question: “If a cigarette caused a fire, would it be your fault?”
The search and 911 call were screen recorded using his cell phone, showing that he “wanted to preserve evidence of his attempts to help put out the fire and to produce evidence regarding a more innocent explanation for the cause of the fire,” according to the complaint.
The Jan. 1 fire became the Palisades Fire.
The Palisades fire is believed to have started on January 7th, and authorities said it was a so-called “holdover fire.” Residual fires, also known as “zombie fires,” can continue to burn underground and flare up again later.
Firefighters extinguished the Luckman Fire on Jan. 1, which burned 8 to 10 acres, before extinguishing it later that day and intentionally leaving fire hoses in case they were to re-enter the area, according to the criminal complaint. They retrieved the hose on January 2nd.
“To their eyes, the fire appeared to be completely extinguished,” the complaint states.
The Ruckman fire was likely caused by an open flame from a lighter, according to the complaint. Other causes excluded include fireworks, lightning strikes, power lines, the refraction of sunlight through glass, and smoking, according to the complaint.
“I’m in complete shock.”
News of the arrest came as a complete surprise to Perry Akins, 85, and his wife Metal, 77. The couple raised two children and lost their Pacific Palisades home of 45 years in a fire.
“I would call it complete shock, if that’s the right word. I didn’t think someone would start a fire on purpose? I had no idea,” Perry Akins said in a phone call with USA TODAY on Oct. 8.
Metal Akins said he was even more speechless.
“I always thought it was natural causes. It’s amazing,” she said. “It would be a big deal if someone actually did that.”
The couple decided not to rebuild and subsequently moved to nearby Brentwood, California. Pacific Palisades Rotary Club President Perry Akins said the organization has spent months collecting donations for the Palisades Fire Relief Fund.
About 16 Rotary members lost their homes in the fire, Akins said. He added that the arrests will definitely be on the agenda at the meeting scheduled for tonight.
“I don’t think we’ll talk about anything else,” Akins said.
Contributors: Thao Nguyen and Christopher Cann
