Jonathan Rinderknecht's social media profile surfaces? Big claim on alleged Palisades fire arsonist

Jonathan Rinderknecht was identified as the suspect who is accused of lighting a fire that destroyed much of the Pacific Palisades neighborhood in Los Angeles

Jonathan Rinderknecht has been identified as the alleged suspect who is accused of lighting a fire that destroyed much of the Pacific Palisades neighborhood in Los Angeles in January. Law enforcement officials announced on Wednesday that the 29-year-old Florida man will appear in court. He is presumed to be innocent until charged.

This undated photo provided by the US Attorney's Office shows Jonathan Rinderknecht, a suspect in the Palisades Fire.(AP)

Authorities said that Rinderknecht lit a fire on New Year’s Day that was put out initially, but continued to smolder underground before reigniting during high winds. The suspect fled the scene of the original fire, but returned to the trail.

“On the evening of December 31, 2024, Rinderknecht was working as an Uber driver. Two passengers that he drove on separate trips between 10:15 p.m. and 11:15 p.m. that night later told law enforcement they remembered that Rinderknecht appeared agitated and angry,” the Justice Department said.

Acting US Attorney Bill Essayli said at a press conference that Rinderknecht lied about his location, claiming he was near the bottom of the hiking trail. He was arrested on Tuesday in Florida and is set to appear in court on Wednesday.

Now, social media users made a big claim about the Palisades fire suspect's alleged accounts.

Under a ‘Did you check Reddit, Discord, and any gamer sites?’ title on Reddit, one person said that they scanned multiple platforms, including Twitch and Steam.

“I also cross-referenced with Florida-specific gaming communities for potential local ties. Unfortunately, the results turned up no verifiable social media profiles, posts, or accounts matching Jonathan Rinderknecht from Florida on these platforms. The hits were either unrelated individuals with similar names (e.g., a racer named Rinderknecht in motorsports announcements) or completely off-topic content. Discord, in particular, yielded no public traces, as it's largely private and doesn't surface easily in web searches without direct invites or leaks,” they noted.

The Pacific Palisades fire that tore through Los Angeles on January 7 left a path of devastation, killing 12 people and leveling more than 6,000 homes. According to a criminal complaint, investigators concluded the fire had been deliberately set, most likely sparked by a lighter used on nearby vegetation or paper. Authorities ruled out other potential causes, including fireworks, lightning, electrical lines, and discarded cigarettes.

Federal agents first questioned Rinderknecht on January 24. He admitted being in the area on New Year’s Day but claimed he saw no one else nearby, according to the complaint.

The same day, another inferno, the Eaton Fire in Altadena, erupted, killing 18 people and burning for days. The cause of that blaze remains undetermined.

An independent review ordered by Los Angeles County supervisors later found systemic failures in the emergency response. Investigators cited outdated alert systems, inconsistent communication practices, and limited resources as reasons for delayed evacuation warnings.

(With AP inputs)