ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A federal judge in Florida ordered the man charged in California’s deadly Palisades Fire to remain jailed due to concerns about his mental health and potential flight risk. Prosecutors indicated that Jonathan Rinderknecht exhibited troubling traits of an arsonist and that his declining mental state raised red flags for his family.
Rinderknecht was accused of starting a fire that began underground on New Year’s Day and later reignited, resulting in extensive damage in coastal areas of Pacific Palisades and Malibu, killing at least 12 people and destroying over 17,000 homes.
Concerns Over Mental Health and Flight Risk
During the court hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Nathan Hill expressed his concerns over Rinderknecht’s mental well-being and questioned his ability to appear in future hearings in California. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Lyons argued that he posed a potential flight risk as he has family in France and is fluent in French.
Shackled and dressed in a red jail uniform, Rinderknecht listened as a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent detailed his family's concerns related to his mental health, stating that they initiated eviction procedures against him after he allegedly threatened to burn down their home.
Lyons suggested that any conviction could lead to a more severe sentence due to the fatalities involved and described Rinderknecht as a 'loner with a despondent view of the world' who has been struggling financially.
In contrast, Rinderknecht's federal defender argued against his detention, highlighting the absence of evidence proving physical violence and claiming he had been cooperating with a psychiatrist.
After the hearing, Rinderknecht is set to remain in the Seminole County Jail until a scheduled hearing on October 17, where further evidence may be revealed.
Investigation and Response to the Fire
Investigators have taken months to conclude that Rinderknecht was responsible for starting the fire, which smoldered underground before becoming a catastrophic blaze. More than 13,000 pieces of evidence were collected, and various scientific tests were performed to determine the fire’s origin.
Fire officials stressed that fault for the fire should not lie with firefighting efforts, clarifying that underground smoldering fires can be challenging to detect. Interim Los Angeles Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva noted that firefighters had worked for hours to extinguish the initial flare-up effectively.
As investigations continue and the case unfolds, the community remains wary of the legal proceedings amid the ongoing recovery from the fire’s devastation.
