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MELBOURNE, Fla. – A former Pacific Palisades resident now living in Florida has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint accusing him of starting the blaze that became the devastating Palisades Fire of January 2025 — one of the most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history, federal authorities announced.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, also known as “Jonathan Rinder” and “Jon Rinder,” was arrested Tuesday in Melbourne, Florida. He is charged with destruction of property by means of fire and is expected to make his initial court appearance in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
“The complaint alleges that a single person’s recklessness caused one of the worst fires Los Angeles has ever seen, resulting in death and widespread destruction in Pacific Palisades,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. “While we cannot bring back what victims lost, we hope this criminal case brings some measure of justice to those affected by this horrific tragedy.”
“At the request of state and local authorities, ATF took the lead in this complex investigation utilizing techniques unique to our agency’s capabilities,” added Kenny Cooper, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Los Angeles Field Division. “The horrific loss of life and property was significantly felt by ATF members, and we are honored to utilize our expertise to provide answers to this community.”
- Advertisement - From a Small Blaze to a Catastrophic Fire
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, investigators determined that the Palisades Fire was a “holdover” fire — a continuation of the smaller Lachman Fire that began early on January 1, 2025. Firefighters quickly suppressed that initial fire, but it continued to smolder underground within vegetation root structures.
On January 7, strong winds caused the underground fire to resurface and spread rapidly, igniting what became known as the Palisades Fire, devastating parts of Pacific Palisades.
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Investigators: Rinderknecht Set the Original Fire
Authorities say Rinderknecht maliciously set the Lachman Fire just after midnight on January 1 on land owned by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA), which receives federal funding. A week later, the same fire burned federal property.
The affidavit details the hours leading up to the fire:
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- On the evening of December 31, 2024, Rinderknecht was working as an Uber driver. Passengers told law enforcement he appeared “agitated and angry”.
- After dropping off a passenger in Pacific Palisades — the neighborhood where he once lived — he drove to Skull Rock Trailhead, parked, and walked up the trail.
- He took videos at a hilltop area and listened to a rap song he had been playing repeatedly in recent days — a song whose music video included scenes of things being set on fire.
- At 12:12 a.m., environmental sensors detected the start of the Lachman Fire.
Rinderknecht made several unsuccessful 911 calls due to lack of signal before finally reporting the fire from the bottom of the trail. By then, another resident had already called in the blaze.
He then fled the area in his car, passed fire engines heading to the scene, then turned around and followed them back, racing at a high speed. He returned to the trail to watch the fire, filming more videos around 1:02 a.m.
Inconsistencies in His Story
When interviewed weeks later, on January 24, Rinderknecht lied to law enforcement about his location at the time of the fire. He claimed he was near the bottom of the trail when he first saw the flames. However, geolocation data from his iPhone placed him in a clearing just 30 feet from the fire as it spread.
Potential Penalties
If convicted, Rinderknecht faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in federal prison.
The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department and the United States 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, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura A. Alexander of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
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