Who is Jonathan Rinderknecht? Man arrested as suspect in intentionally setting deadly California's Palisades fire

Jonathan Rinderknecht, a Florida man, has been arrested based on the allegations that he intentionally ignited the Pacific Palisades Fire in Los Angeles, which claimed 12 lives, a law enforcement official said on Wednesday, i.e., October 8. As per the official, Riderknecht is facing trial under three federal criminal charges linked to the blaze, following an extensive investigation by the Los Angeles divisions of the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Los Angeles Fire Department, and the Los Angeles Police Department.

 October 8, 2025

According to a Reuters report, Rinderknecht was arrested in Florida and will be transferred back to the Central District of California, where he is set to undergo trial. In early January, the fire erupted in Palisades, spreading across 23,000 acres and destroying multiple structures around Los Angeles. According to reports, the fire caused about USD 250 billion in damages. 

Arson investigators concluded that the fire began overnight in early January near a popular hiking trail in a state park, tearing through large areas of Pacific Palisades, Topanga, and Malibu. Firefighters had managed to bring the blaze under control nearly 24 days later. 

The revelation that the fire was intentionally set could allow the US government to seek the death penalty for the guilty. US President Donald Trump issued an executive order on the very day he had assumed office in January, directing the attorney general to "pursue the death penalty for all crimes of a severity demanding its use."