Breaking: Arrest Made In Connection To The Palisades Fire In California. DOJ Gives Major Update.
Suspect made ChatGPT images before lighting the fire, depicting towns burning.
A 29 year old male suspect has been arrested in connection with starting the Palisades Fire in California. The ATF, LAFD, and LAPD arrested the suspect in Orlando, Florida, yesterday after a long investigation that is still ongoing.
Investigators say Jonathan Rinderknecht intentionally started the Lachman Fire on New Year's Eve, which then “held over” until the extreme weather system moved in, and it turned into the destructive and deadly Palisades Fire. I reported on the Lachman Fire being the likely point of ignition for the Palisades Fire months ago.
“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. 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.”
Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli.
The suspect was interviewed on January 24th and is said to have lied to investigators about his whereabouts that night and made multiple false statements. At that point, investigators started their investigations and began gathering cell phone and internet data. 1.5 million phone records were collected and combed through.
They found that the suspect was an Uber driver in Southern California, had lived in the Palisades, and had friends in the community. In interviews, the last Uber customer he had said the suspect was “very agitated and angry” during the drive.
At that point, investigators say the suspect drove to the location of the Lachman Fire, took cell phone photos and videos at the location of the ignition, and then started the fire “with an open flame.” Geolocation data from his iPhone carrier showed that he was standing in a clearing 30 feet from the fire as it rapidly grew.
“Law enforcement determined – using witness statements, video surveillance, cellphone data, and analysis of fire dynamics and patterns at the scene, among other things – that Rinderknecht maliciously set the Lachman Fire just after midnight on January 1 on land owned by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA).”
Cell phone data suggests that the suspect then left the scene, attempted to call in the fire, but subsequently returned to the location of the fire after fire resources had responded. He hiked back up the trail, taking photos and videos of the fire and the responding firefighters.
Investigators say that the fire then smoldered underground until it reignited the day the Palisades Fire ripped through the community, destroying 6,837 structures and killing 12 people.
“At 12:12 a.m. on January 1, 2025, 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. 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.”
Investigators found that the suspect had used ChatGPT to create images on his cellphone before the fire was started, depicting towns burning with people running away from the flames. Investigators also found that the suspect watched a French hip hop video multiple times depicting people starting fires, including on the night the fire was started.
The suspect wrote about burning bibles, and was descriptive in prompts to ChatGPT about burning rich peoples homes while poor people danced and celebrated.
On November 1, 2024, RINDERKNECHT asked the following prompt to ChatGPT: “I am 28 years old. And... I basically... This just happened. Maybe like... I don’t know, maybe like 3 months ago or something. Like, the realization of all this. I literally burnt the Bible that I had. It felt amazing. I felt so liberated.”
On August 30, 2024, RINDERKNECHT wrote to a family member, “Burned the Bible I had literally.”
i. On July 11, 2024, RINDERKNECHT provided the following prompt to ChatGPT: “A dystopian painting divided into distinct parts that blend together seamlessly. On the far left, there is a burning forest. Next to it, a crowd of people is running away from the fire, leading to the middle. In the middle, hundreds of thousands of people in poverty are trying to get past a gigantic gate with a big dollar sign on it. On the other side of the gate and the entire wall is a conglomerate of the richest people. They are chilling, watching the world burn down, and watching the people struggle. They are laughing, enjoying themselves, and dancing.
Jonathan Rinderknecht has been charged with multiple felonies, which can lead to 20 years in federal prison. The suspect is said to have relocated to Florida after the fire was started.
Rinderknecht is reported to have no previous criminal record. No motive has been given by investigators. Investigators say the investigation is ongoing, and more information will be made available as soon as possible.
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I was hoping when I saw the headline that the LAFD and the City/County might be completely off- the-hook for incomplete mop-up and status checks from the "Hold Over". Seems that may still be at least part of the picture ?? Glad an arrest was made - good work by the investigative teams.
What a tragedy with SO MANY negative down stream effects on so many folks.
Wildland Arson must be one of the most senseless crimes of all.