The man accused of igniting the Palisades fire apparently had a rough New Year's Eve - no plans, a failed relationship, and a simmering rage at the entire world. According to court documents filed by prosecutors, Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, was allegedly in a foul mood before the first flames appeared, ranting to Uber passengers about being “pissed off at the world.”
Rinderknecht has pleaded not guilty to starting what became one of California’s most destructive wildfires, which began on 7 January 2025 in the hillside neighborhoods of Pacific Palisades and Malibu, killing 12 people. Prosecutors say he actually started a fire on 1 January that smoldered undetected in root systems for a week before flaring back up. His trial is set for 8 June.
The defense, naturally, sees things differently. Rinderknecht’s attorney Steve Haney argues his client is being used as a scapegoat for the Los Angeles Fire Department’s failure to fully extinguish the earlier blaze. Haney pointed to a deposition where a firefighter testified that the ground was still smoldering on 2 January and that supervisors were alerted about hotspots. A battalion chief, however, claimed he walked the perimeter four times and ensured all hotspots were out. The newly appointed fire chief, Jaime Moore, has commissioned an independent report to sort out the conflicting testimonies.
Prosecutors paint a more colorful picture: witnesses described Rinderknecht driving erratically on New Year’s Eve while ranting about Luigi Mangione (the accused murderer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson), capitalism, and vigilantism. When asked by investigators why someone might commit arson in the Palisades, Rinderknecht allegedly replied it would be “out of resentment of the rich enjoying their money as ‘we’re basically being enslaved by them.’” He also reportedly mentioned Mangione’s alleged crime.
Haney, in an email, maintained his client’s innocence and added a wry jab: “The offered motive that my client started a fire on [New Year’s] Eve because he did not have a date speaks for itself.”