Accused arsonist pleads not guilty as new trial date set for November

Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, appeared in court in a beige jumpsuit with shackles, confirming he understood the charges before pleading not guilty to two federal arson counts. The first count relates to the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Day 2025, and the second to the subsequent Palisades Fire that devastated Pacific Palisades and parts of Malibu. A third timber-setting charge was dismissed last week.

After a June trial ended in a mistrial, prosecutors revised the indictment, a move defended by Rinderknecht’s attorney Steve Haney as a strategic shift that may not overcome the earlier evidentiary challenges. Haney highlighted the reliance on circumstantial evidence such as cellphone data, surveillance footage, and a green Bic lighter found in the defendant’s car. The judge barred any discussion of the Los Angeles fire department’s response, limiting the defense’s strategy. Rinderknecht stays in custody with no bail, and his lawyer says the client remains hopeful despite the serious potential sentence.