Accused Palisades Arson Suspect Threatened Relatives Before Arrest
New details have surfaced about Jonathan Rinderknecht, the man accused of sparking the Palisades fire in California. Authorities now say he threatened family members before his arrest.
The alleged firebug accused of starting the Palisades blaze threatened to burn down his sister’s house and shoot his brother-in-law with a gun he stashed in a stuffed animal, according to authorities.
Jonathan Rinderknecht’s alleged threats concerned his family so much that they moved out of the house to get away from him and reported him to the police, the feds revealed Thursday.
The disturbing revelations came Thursday morning during an Orlando federal court hearing for the 29-year-old — accused of igniting the most expensive wildfire in US history — where an agent for the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) testified about alarming behavior from just last month.
Those threats reportedly spooked his relatives so badly they left the home and called police. Federal agents later brought the details into an Orlando courtroom as the investigation expanded.
Rinderknecht allegedly threatened to shoot his brother-in-law, prompting his father to call the cops – with investigators allegedly finding a gun hidden within a stuffed animal when they searched the home.
The alleged firebug claimed he made the threat in self-defense and had the gun locked in a safe, not in a plushie. Cops did not make an arrest after either visit last month.
It’s still unclear why local officers didn’t detain him after those visits, and public records so far don’t explain the decisions. One possibility is that relatives declined to press charges.
Rinderknecht reportedly moved back to Florida after the Palisades blaze and remained under scrutiny as investigators pieced together a federal case. His social posts drew attention, with material that included anti-Trump screeds and posts blaming wildfires on climate change. The ATF and federal prosecutors say those items helped build context for the alleged actions.
The Florida man accused of sparking the flames that burned swaths of Los Angeles to the ground in the Palisades Fire posted on social media about how global warming causes wildfires.
The legal proceedings in this case should be extremely interesting. The Palisades fire was a major disaster, and now Rinderknecht faces charges that could result in 20+ years in prison – possibly more if additional charges are filed.
This remains a developing story. Stay tuned.
Federal prosecutors tend to move cautiously in cases that involve alleged arson and interstate consequences, and agents say they want to make the record clean before seeking indictments. The hearing in Orlando pulled together ATF testimony and witness reports that investigators hope will hold up in court.
Prosecutors stress that these are allegations and the accused is entitled to a legal defense. Still, the gravity of the Palisades blaze has made this case a high priority for federal agents.
As the FBI and ATF continue to compile evidence, relatives and neighbors have been left to pick up the pieces. Expect more filings and hearings as the probe moves forward.
