Palisades Fire case opens with disturbing 911 calls played in court

The jury in the case of the alleged Palisades firestarter listened to the troubling 9-1-1 calls that the accused man made after starting the blaze on New Year’s Eve.

The suspect, Jonathan Rinderknecht, made his court appearance Wednesday morning in the US District Court for the Central District of California wearing a black suit and tie. He appeared solemn as his attorney prepared to advocate on his behalf.

Rinderknecht was on the hill that night to watch fireworks, his attorney Steve Haney told the courtroom.

While there, he made 16 emergency calls to report a fire.

“I’d like to report a fire,” he said, according to his attorney.

“In the Highland, yes we are aware,” an operator allegedly responded.

Haney said he would prove that the fire was started with fireworks.

Prosecutors disagreed, painting a story that suggested Rinderknecht acted like a pyro who is angry at the world.

They said Rinderknecht “blamed society” for all of his problems and used ChatGPT often. In one ominous case, prosecutors said he asked the artificial intelligence model in July 2024 to create an image of a fire.

He also looked at pictures of fires and took videos of fire engines leaving a Hollywood Los Angeles Fire Department station, prosecutors said. Rinderknecht also took his fire obsession to his music playlist, they alleged. He often listened to a song by a French rapper, including at least once on the day of the fire, who lit objects on fire during the song’s music video.

The alleged pyro also asked ChatGPT why “he was so angry all the time.” Prosecutors said he was particularly incensed about his relationship with his girlfriend and society.

He felt that anger, according to prosecutors, on the day of fire. He was working as an Uber driver that day, and passengers said he vented about how the ride-sharing service wasn’t paying him enough.

Around 11:35 p.m. that night he cancelled a ride that would have taken him away from the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. A few minutes later, he parked near a house where he lived with his partner.

He tried calling his ex, but received no answer.

As the minutes ticked away to midnight and the new year, he decided to use his iPhone as a flashlight and trudge up a familiar trail as he listened to the fire-themed French rap song, according to prosecutors. They said he sat at a spot, the Hidden Buddah clearing, that he had been to “thousands” of times and that was very “emotional” for him.

Prosecutors said he then started the fire with a green Bic lighter that was found in his car’s glovebox. His car remained parked near his ex’s house for several minutes after midnight as the fire grew.

Rinderknecht pleaded not guilty in October last year to federal charges of destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce, and timber set afire.

Palisades Councilmember Traci Parks, who helped the community recover from billions of dollars in damage from the fire and a dozen lives lost, was present for some of the proceedings. Rinderknecht’s father also watched.

Rinderknecht’s trial is estimated to last about 11 days. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in federal prison.

His motivation for setting the trial is not totally clear, but he’s shown a distaste for the wealthy, and idolized alleged United HealthCare CEO killer Luigi Mangione. He told investigators that a person might commit arson in the wealthy Palisades because of dislike for the rich.

“We’re basically being enslaved by them,” Rinderknecht allegedly told investigators.

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