Judge Declares Mistrial After Jury Deadlocks in Pacific Palisades Arson Case

A federal judge in Los Angeles declared a mistrial on Friday after jurors remained deadlocked in the case against Jonathan Rinderknecht. Jurors told the court on Thursday that they were unable to reach a unanimous decision after two days of deliberations. Rinderknecht, 30, is accused of deliberately igniting a blaze on January 1, 2025, that grew into the Pacific Palisades fire.

The fire killed 12 people, destroyed more than 6,000 buildings, and burned more than 23,000 acres across Los Angeles County. Prosecutors allege Rinderknecht lit a small brush fire on New Year's Eve 2025 known as the Lachman fire, which smoldered underground for six days before extreme Santa Ana Winds rekindled it near a hiking trail. Prosecutors said they intend to retry the case.

One of Rinderknecht's attorneys said the mistrial was a "pretty resounding indication of what the jury felt about this case" and that jurors were not convinced beyond a reasonable doubt. Rinderknecht, a dual French and U.S. citizen and former Uber driver who once lived in the Pacific Palisades community, was arrested in October and pleaded not guilty to charges of destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce, and timber set afire.

He faced up to 45 years in prison if convicted. "The evidence is strong that Jonathan Rinderknecht is responsible for igniting the fire on January 1, 2025, which eventually became the Palisades fire," U.S. attorney Bill Essayli stated after the mistrial.

Prosecutors allege Rinderknecht used ChatGPT like a diary to chronicle his fascination with fire before traveling to the area. The Palisades fire was one of multiple blazes that ignited back-to-back across the Los Angeles region in January, leaving 31 people dead and destroying 16,000 structures in total.