The person accused of beginning the Palisades fireplace, one of many costliest disasters in U.S. historical past, was motivated by a resentment for the wealthy and considered Luigi Mangione, the suspect within the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s chief government, as a Robin Hood-like determine, in response to courtroom paperwork detailing proof gathered by federal prosecutors.
In a courtroom temporary filed final week, authorities say a forensic evaluation of his laptop confirmed Jonathan Rinderknecht searched “Free Luigi” and “reddit lets kill all billionaires” in December 2024.
Rinderknecht, 30, is accused of beginning the Lachman fireplace in Pacific Palisades on Jan. 1, 2025, which smoldered underground for per week earlier than exploding into the lethal Palisades fireplace.
In keeping with the temporary, passengers described Rinderknecht — who working as an Uber driver — as “offended, intense, driving erratically and ranting about being ‘pissed off on the world’ and Luigi Mangione, capitalism and vigilantism,” within the hours earlier than the clock struck midnight.
“On New 12 months’s Eve 2024, the defendant was alone once more,” federal prosecutors wrote within the 25-page temporary. They allege {that a} relationship with a co-worker had ended that 12 months and that she rebuffed him once more on Dec. 30, resulting in a “visceral response: He left her two manic voicemails and entered prompts into ChatGPT expressing his excessive displeasure along with her therapy of him.”
Authorities allege of their temporary that he was stewing over being within the neighborhood of his ex-lover and listening to a French rap track that evoked pictures of fireplace in its music video.
Jonathan Rinderknecht was arrested Oct. 7, 2025, in Florida.
(U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace)
It might be an excessive amount of of a stretch to tie all these items of circumstantial proof collectively to make a strong case for Rinderknecht’s prosecution, stated Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor. The prosecution “has to persuade the courtroom to confess the proof of his relationships, his dislike of capitalism, and praising Luigi Mangione as … motive proof. Not like the fascination with fireplace, which his protection can also be opposing, the choose could discover that this different proof is simply too attenuated,” Rahmani stated.
Rahmani stated the case hinges on proving the Jan. 1 fireplace rekindled days later.
“The prosecution is counting on ATF consultants to ascertain this, and the protection has designated consultants of their very own to rebut. That is an important problem within the case, and whoever wins the battle of the consultants will prevail.”
Prosecutors allege the proof exhibits the Lachman fireplace that erupted on Hidden Buddha Hill on Jan. 1 — which officers thought had been extinguished — smoldered for days and reignited amid hurricane-force winds on Jan. 7. The Palisades fireplace killed 12 folks, destroyed 6,500 constructions throughout the Palisades and Malibu and price billions in harm and insurance coverage claims.
Inside three weeks of the hearth, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives brokers targeted on Rinderknecht, who referred to as 911 repeatedly to report the Lachman fireplace. Investigators seized a Bic barbecue lighter from Rinderknecht’s automotive along with his DNA on it that he admitted to having with him on the Temescal Canyon Path in Pacific Palisades, in response to the trial temporary.
Investigators received warrants for his cellphone and a bunch of electronics after tying the automobile he drove for Uber to the scene, even noting he turned again in his automobile to comply with firefighters again to the burn.
“On December 29, 2024, simply two days earlier than the Lachman Hearth, defendant recorded three movies of fireplace engines departing LAFD Station No. 27 within the Hollywood space,” prosecutors wrote. “Whereas recording, defendant stated out loud (apparently to himself), ‘They’re coming for you bro, I’m telling you, you bought to get that psychological f— brains so as, and never be liking this craziness, they’re on their manner, don’t fear.’”
Requested by an investigator on Jan. 24 why somebody would set the blaze, Rinderknecht stated it “could be out of resentment of the wealthy having fun with their cash” and “in contrast such an act of ‘desperation’” to Mangione’s killing of a United Healthcare government on a New York avenue in December 2024, in response to federal prosecutors.
Rinderknecht used his iPhone to take movies at a clearing on Hidden Buddha Hill and hearken to the French rap track “Un Zder, Un The,” which the affidavit stated was about despair and bitterness and whose video exhibits a trash can on fireplace.
“When interviewed by investigators, the defendant falsely claimed that he first noticed the hearth as he was already midway down the hill, strolling again to his automotive. Based mostly on the geolocation knowledge for the defendant’s telephone, he was nonetheless in Buddha Hill clearing (on the prime of the hill) watching the hearth develop when he referred to as 911,” prosecutors stated.
9 months after the hearth, Rinderknecht could be arrested. Prosecutors say he lighted the hearth at 12:12 a.m. and stayed within the space till 2 a.m.
Steve Haney, Rinderknecht’s lawyer, stated the federal government has no proof tying his consumer to the Lachman fireplace. In courtroom briefings, he argues the reason for the Palisades fireplace will be traced to Los Angeles metropolis firefighting commanders failing to correctly extinguish a smoldering fireplace — not began by his consumer — regardless of warnings from crews on the bottom that it was not out.
“Critically, the federal government possesses: no eyewitness who noticed Mr. Rinderknecht beginning the hearth; no bodily proof of accelerants, ignitable fluids, or supplies related to deliberate arson on the origin website; no incriminating statements or admissions by Mr. Rinderknecht; no surveillance video of Mr. Rinderknecht committing any act of arson; and no identification of the exact ignition supply or the particular merchandise of gasoline first ignited,” Haney wrote.
Past cellphone pings putting Rinderknecht within the basic space the place the hearth started, Haney and his consultants argue that authorities have few specifics from the terabytes of proof.
In reality, early search warrants targeted on fireworks that residents reported listening to. An ATF report on the trigger doesn’t describe the residents who stated they noticed the fireworks that evening, or the 4 teenagers seen by a safety guard or an unhoused particular person within the space, Haney famous.
Federal prosecutors, searching for to imprison Rinderknecht for as much as 45 years, say they’ll name ATF consultants to refute that fireworks, a cigarette or energy strains began the Palisades fireplace.
“The reason for the hearth was the introduction of an open flame (lighter) to a flamable materials comparable to vegetation or strange combustibles, comparable to paper,” the ATF report concluded, and that may finally develop into the Palisades fireplace.
Federal prosecutors allege that after he moved to his sister’s Florida dwelling in April 2025, Rinderknecht “blew up” and threatened to burn her home down, whereas yelling statements comparable to, “Why did you convey me right here?”
“Defendant’s fascination with fireplace dates again to no less than 2018,” federal prosecutors wrote, saying he drove by the Santa Monica and Winnetka areas along with his then-girlfriend to “admire the Woolsey Hearth.”
The case will return to federal courtroom in downtown L.A. on Could 11, the place a choose will contemplate arguments from either side on proof to incorporate within the trial.
