US EditionFlorida Man Arrested, Charged in Deadly Palisades Fire
- On October 8, 2025, officials revealed that Jonathan Rinderknecht, age 29, had been taken into custody in Florida on felony charges stemming from the devastating January wildfire in Pacific Palisades, which resulted in 12 fatalities and destroyed over 6,000 buildings.
- Authorities claim that after finishing an Uber shift on New Year’s Eve, Rinderknecht deliberately set a fire with an open flame in the Pacific Palisades area; the fire smoldered for days before intense winds caused it to flare up.
- Investigators excluded fireworks, lightning, power lines, and cigarettes as ignition sources, gathered evidence including a ChatGPT-generated image of a burning city, and obtained statements showing Rinderknecht returned to view the fire.
- Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli acknowledged that although the harm caused cannot be reversed, he hopes that holding the suspect accountable in court will offer some justice to those impacted by this devastating incident.
- The fire ranks among the most destructive in Los Angeles history, prompting a September review that blamed resource shortages and outdated emergency policies for delayed evacuations.
235 Articles
235 Articles
5 key details to know about suspect in 'horrific' California wildfires
Investigators on Wednesday announced new information about the suspect in the devastating Pacific Palisades fire in January. Here are five things to know about the suspect.1. The suspect's name is Jonathan Rinderknecht. He is a 29-year-old French-born man who was living in Florida at the time of the...
Palisades firebug Jonathan Rinderknecht listened to disturbing French song repeatedly before setting ‘malicious’ fire
French-born Jonathan Rinderknecht, who allegedly sparked the Palisades Fire, watched the disturbing French rap video "Un Zder, Un The" by artist Josman repeatedly before setting the deadly wildfires in California.
Federal authorities arrested a 29-year-old man in Florida in connection with the Palisades fire that killed twelve people in California.
Nine months after the devastating fires in the Los Angeles area, a 29-year-old man has been arrested, accused of arson, allegedly causing the Palisades fire.
Radio France Internationale
Man arrested over deadly January fire in Los Angeles
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