A suspect linked to the deadly Palisades Fire in Los Angeles earlier this year is set to be transferred from Florida to California following a federal grand jury indictment. Jonathan Rinderknecht, who was arrested last week in central Florida, will face arraignment in Los Angeles in the coming weeks, according to federal prosecutors.
A scheduled hearing for Rinderknecht in Orlando, Florida, was canceled. The indictment from a Southern California grand jury charges him with destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce, and timber set afire.
Rinderknecht had been living with his sister and brother-in-law along Florida’s Space Coast for five months before his arrest. He will remain in federal custody after a magistrate judge raised concerns about his mental health and his ability to travel to California for future proceedings.
Initially represented by a public defender, Rinderknecht has now retained attorney Steve Haney, who previously represented a defendant in a high-profile college basketball bribery case.
Federal officials allege that Rinderknecht, a former Southern California resident, started a small fire on New Year’s Day. The fire reportedly smoldered underground before reigniting on January 7, spreading rapidly through the Pacific Palisades and Malibu areas.
The Palisades Fire resulted in 12 deaths in hillside neighborhoods. It was one of two major fires in Los Angeles County that day, which together killed more than 30 people and destroyed over 17,000 homes and buildings.
Authorities first interviewed Rinderknecht on January 24. Investigators spent several months ruling out other potential causes for the fire, such as fireworks or lightning. They also examined the suspect’s phone records to determine his location at the time the fire began.
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