Federal investigators arrest alleged arsonist of LA Palisades fire
A man was arrested in Florida on charges of intentionally igniting what would become California's devastating Palisades Fire, which killed 12 people and wiped out a wealthy enclave of Los Angeles at the start of the year, the U.S. Justice Department said on Wednesday.
- Americas
- Agencies and A News
- Published Date: 09:50 | 08 October 2025
- Modified Date: 09:54 | 08 October 2025
Federal investigators on Wednesday announced the arrest of a 29-year-old man for allegedly starting the destructive Palisades fire in Los Angeles in January that killed 12 people and destroyed over 6,000 homes in a wealthy coastal neighborhood.
Authorities said in a news conference that 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht has been charged with felony property destruction by fire.
Acting US Attorney Bill Essayli said Rinderknecht is accused of starting a fire in Pacific Palisades on New Year's Day. That fire eventually escalated into one of the most devastating fires in US history.
Essayli said investigators collected evidence from the suspect's digital devices, including an image he generated on ChatGPT depicting a burning city.
"While we cannot undo the damage and destruction that was done, we hope his arrest and the charges against him bring some measure of justice to the victims of this horrific tragedy," he said in a statement.
After the fire, the suspect moved to Florida, where he was arrested on Tuesday evening. Rinderknecht is scheduled to appear in the US District Court in Orlando on Wednesday afternoon.
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