Palisades Fire Suspect Faces Revised Charges as Retrial Nears in Los Angeles

• Federal prosecutors filed a superseding indictment against Jonathan Rinderknecht on Aug. 13, dropping one of three original arson charges.
• The new indictment narrows the first count to the Jan. 1, 2025 Lachman Fire, not the full Palisades Fire.
• The revised indictment specifies damage to federal and interstate properties, including FDIC-insured banks and Pacific Coast Highway.
• Rinderknecht's June trial ended in a mistrial with jurors deadlocked 10-2 in favor of acquittal.
• The Palisades Fire killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of structures in Pacific Palisades and Malibu.
• A retrial is scheduled for October, though some reports initially said September.

Federal prosecutors are moving forward with a retrial of the man accused of starting the deadly Palisades Fire, but they have narrowed the case. Court filings Thursday dropped one charge and refined the remaining counts against Jonathan Rinderknecht. The new indictment also specifies that the fire allegedly damaged wilderness maintained with federal tax dollars and organs of interstate commerce, including FDIC-insured banks and Pacific Coast Highway.

Revised Indictment: What Changed?

Prosecutors obtained a superseding indictment from a federal grand jury on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. The new filing removes the charge of "timber set afire," leaving two counts: destruction of property by means of fire and arson affecting property used in interstate commerce. The first count now refers only to Rinderknecht's alleged role in starting the Lachman Fire on New Year's Day 2025, rather than combining it with the later Palisades Fire. The second count addresses damage from the Jan. 7 Palisades Fire. According to the Los Angeles Times, the new indictment also narrows the list of affected properties to Topanga State Park and land owned by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority. Prosecutors also narrowed the second count's language, specifying that Rinderknecht "maliciously damaged and destroyed" wilderness maintained with federal tax dollars and organs of interstate commerce, including FDIC-insured banks and Pacific Coast Highway.

The Original Charges and the June Mistrial

Rinderknecht, 30, was originally charged with three federal counts. At trial in June, jurors deliberated for nearly 13 hours before telling the judge they were hopelessly deadlocked. The vote was 10-2 in favor of acquittal on all charges, forcing a mistrial. The trial lasted 10 days. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said prosecutors would retry the case. Defense attorney Steven Haney called the verdict a failure of the government's case and said his client is innocent.

An alternate juror echoed the doubts that led to the deadlock. "Having not secured a scene for almost two weeks says a lot, and to pin that on one person ... this is a man's life and we can't ignore that fact either," the juror said. The same juror questioned the need for another trial: "I guess they have to conclude this case. But I think it's such a waste of our American dollars."

Another juror, who also voted for acquittal, said she and her peers were not convinced by mostly circumstantial evidence connecting Rinderknecht to the original fire. "Without the proof and all the doubts, I can't say he's guilty," she told the press after the trial. "There was so many people up there that said they did see smoldering, so why wasn't it taken care of?"

After the mistrial, Essayli wrote on X: "The evidence is strong that Jonathan Rinderknecht is responsible for igniting the fire on January 1, 2025, which eventually became the Palisades Fire. We fully intend to retry this case before a new jury and obtain guilty verdicts on all charged counts." Haney countered, saying prosecutors "failed miserably" and that a retrial would likely end in acquittal. "Ten-to-two is an overwhelming message from the jury that the government failed and did not have enough evidence to prove their case," Haney said. He also challenged Essayli to try the case himself: "If Bill Essayli wants to cheerlead from the sidelines, maybe he should come in and try the case himself next time."

Prosecution and Defense Arguments

Prosecutors say Rinderknecht, a part-time Uber driver, was angry at wealthy people and used a grill lighter to ignite vegetation near the Hidden Buddha clearing in Pacific Palisades just after midnight on Dec. 31, 2024. They point to witness statements, video surveillance, cell phone data and fire pattern analysis. Prosecutors also allege he spent days obsessing about arson, watching a French firebug music video on repeat and prompting ChatGPT to paint a tony hillside enclave aflame. Court documents cited by the Los Angeles Times show Rinderknecht called 911 seconds after cameras spotted the flames and later asked ChatGPT whether he was at fault if a fire was caused by cigarettes. The defense argues the evidence is circumstantial and that the Lachman Fire could have been started by errant New Year's Eve fireworks. Haney also noted the fire scene was not secured for nearly two weeks.

Federal prosecutors say they believe Rinderknecht intentionally ignited the Lachman Fire around midnight on New Year's 2025 along a hiking trail in the Palisades Highlands neighborhood, and they described him as frustrated with his place in society.

Court documents show the exact question Rinderknecht posed to the chatbot: "Are you at fault if a fire is lift [sic] because of your cigarettes."

The prosecution further alleged that Rinderknecht's motive was anger, loneliness and a thirst for revenge against the wealthy, and that he chose a remote, deserted area adjacent to the Pacific Palisades' Summit neighborhood to ignite the hilltop vegetation. Haney, meanwhile, argued that even if the Lachman Fire was caused by fireworks, the Palisades Fire could have been a separate arson.

Local California Context: The Palisades Fire

The Palisades Fire was the most destructive wildfire in Los Angeles history. It killed 12 people, burned about 23,448 acres, and destroyed roughly 6,800 to 7,500 structures, depending on the source. ABC7 reported 23,448 acres and about 6,800 structures destroyed, while the Daily News said over 23,500 acres and more than 7,500 homes and businesses damaged. The new indictment also noted the fire consumed more than 6,500 structures. The fire devastated the exclusive Pacific Palisades community and parts of Malibu, causing billions in damage and insurance claims. Wind-driven flames and dry hydrants drew engines from across the region, leaving first responders stretched thin when the Eaton fire exploded above Altadena hours later. The blaze also triggered a political reckoning in Los Angeles, with Mayor Karen Bass facing criticism that could cost her reelection and reshape city government.

Background: From Lachman Fire to Palisades Fire

The Lachman Fire was named for a street near the Skull Rock Trailhead.

Firefighters initially suppressed the Lachman Fire on Jan. 1, 2025, near Skull Rock Trailhead. But embers continued to smolder underground in root systems. On Jan. 7, strong Santa Ana winds caused the fire to resurface and spread rapidly, becoming the Palisades Fire. Prosecutors argued the two fires were one continuous event. Jurors were not convinced, with one telling the media she did not buy the "holdover" explanation.

At trial in June, investigators testified that embers continued to smolder underground and reignited on Jan. 7.

Haney argued there was far from conclusive proof that embers smoldering underground after the fire appeared to be extinguished reignited in the intense winds a week later.

What's Next

Rinderknecht remains in federal custody. He is due in court for a status conference next week. The retrial is tentatively set for October, though NBC Los Angeles initially reported September. The judge will likely address scheduling at the status conference.