Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, was arrested in Florida on October 7 for allegedly igniting the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles on January 1, which burned over 23,000 acres, destroyed nearly 7,000 structures, and resulted in 12 deaths.

Rinderknecht returned to the fire scene shortly after ignition to record videos, and evidence suggests he was involved in starting the fire near Skull Rock after completing an Uber ride.

Investigators found digital evidence, including social media posts criticizing climate change, and a dystopian AI-generated painting of a burning city, which may relate to his motives or state of mind.

He was living in Los Angeles at the time but moved to Florida after the fire, where he was arrested at his sister's home following a warrant served during a traffic stop.

During searches, authorities discovered an unloaded handgun hidden inside a stuffed toy at his residence, and he had a history of threatening behavior and mental health concerns.

Rinderknecht is accused of setting a brush fire near Skull Rock, which was initially extinguished but rekindled by high winds, leading to a wildfire that caused extensive destruction and loss of life.

His defense argued he posed no physical threat and was receiving psychiatric treatment, but the judge rejected these claims, citing his flight risk and the severity of the charges.

The judge ordered Rinderknecht to remain in custody without bail, citing concerns over his mental health, flight risk, and the seriousness of the case, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for October 17.

Family members expressed concerns about his declining mental health, which was considered during the legal proceedings, and his family in Florida moved out of their home due to safety fears.

The investigation involved over 200 leads, hundreds of interviews, and more than 13,000 pieces of evidence, with cooperation from Uber and multiple agencies, leading to his arrest.

Prosecutors highlighted Rinderknecht's threats, bizarre social media activity, and involvement in other incidents, including a motorcycle crash and a neighbor’s lawsuit alleging stalking.

Evidence suggests Rinderknecht had asked an AI chatbot about causing fires and expressed a desire to flee abroad, with messages mentioning Bali and possessing a missing passport.

Prior to the fire, Rinderknecht listened to a French rap song with lyrics about fire and despair and watched its music video multiple times, which depicts objects being lit on fire.