A 29-year-old man has been arrested in Florida on suspicion of starting the massive Pacific Palisades fire that killed 12 people and destroyed more than 6,000 homes in Los Angeles earlier this year.
Federal officials said digital evidence recovered from the suspect, Jonathan Rinderknecht, included an image he generated on ChatGPT depicting a burning city. Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli announced the arrest Wednesday, calling it “a step toward justice for the victims.”
Rinderknecht faces charges of destruction of property by means of fire, though officials said additional counts, including murder, may follow.
The January blaze, the most destructive in Los Angeles history, ignited near a hiking trail in the Pacific Palisades area before spreading across more than 23,000 acres, causing an estimated $150 billion in damage.
The fire burned for more than three weeks, devastating nearby communities such as Topanga and Malibu and destroying homes belonging to celebrities including Mel Gibson, Paris Hilton, and Jeff Bridges.
Investigators believe Rinderknecht lit the fire with an open flame shortly after completing a ride as an Uber driver on New Year’s Eve. Although the initial “Lachman fire” was contained, it continued to smoulder underground and reignited days later during a windstorm.
Authorities traced Rinderknecht’s phone to the scene and later discovered he had recorded videos of firefighters battling the blaze. He also made multiple unsuccessful 911 calls that night and searched ChatGPT for advice on responsibility for fires caused by cigarettes.
Prosecutors say the suspect, a former resident of the Pacific Palisades area, tried to stage evidence to make himself appear helpful in stopping the fire. He will appear in court in Orlando, Florida, as investigators continue to determine his motive.
In July 2024, five months before he allegedly set the fire, Mr Rinderknecht asked ChatGPT to create an image of a “dystopian painting” that included a burning forest and a crowd of people running away from a fire.
