SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — The Melbourne man accused of setting what would eventually become the Palisades fire, in California showed a growing fascination for fires, according to court records.
The criminal complaint for 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht shows his phone history includes conversations with ChatGPT and a family member about setting fires.
According to the document:
July 11th, 2024:
- Investigators say Rinderknecht asked ChatGPT to create a dystopian painting of a forest burning
August 30th, 2024:
- Investigators say Rinderknecht wrote to a family member saying “burned the bible i had literally”
November 1, 2024:
- Investigators say Rinderknecht told ChatGPT, “I literally burnt the bible that I had. It felt amazing. I felt so liberated.”
According to the documents, Google records show Rinderknecht also listened to the same song nine times in the four days before that fire began. Investigators said, “The music video for the song shows the main character lighting things on fire.”
Central Florida-based Psychologist Schellie Fanfan told Channel 9 that Rinderknecht’s fascination with fire setting appears to align with the impulse control disorder, pyromania.
“Pyromania is an impulse-control disorder defined by an intense, overwhelming fascination with setting fires to the point where it causes psychological dysfunction. It is rooted in an irresistible cycle of behavior,” said Fanfan.
Fanfan explained the disorder is linked with obsessive thoughts.
“This obsession, these thoughts become very consuming. And so the person will research, will watch videos, will engage in these behaviors that basically fuel the arousal and makes the tension worse,” Fanfan said.
According to the court documents, investigators obtained phone records and surveillance video which placed Rinderknecht in the same area where the Lachman fire first began in California on January 1st.
Investigators said the Lachman fire eventually became the Palisades fire which killed 12 people destroying more than 6,800 structures.
According to the court records, surveillance video shows Rinderknecht leaving the scene of the fire around 12:20 am, just minutes after University of California Cameras captured the first indication of the Lachman fire.
Within the hour, investigators said Rinderknecht returned to the scene to take four short videos of the fire.
According to the documents, on January 24th 2025, investigators sat down to interview Rinderknecht about the fire.
“One of his statements showed that he had knowledge of the fire before anyone else did, and that is one of the most damning pieces of evidence available to the prosecution,” said Legal Analyst Bill Sheaffer who reviewed the court records.
Sheaffer told Channel 9 overall, prosecutors had strong evidence linking Rinderknecht to the Lachman fire.
“ His social media and the GPS data from his phone puts him in that area very close to where the fire started,” explained Sheaffer.
However, Sheaffer told Channel 9 prosecutors will need to clearly demonstrate how the Lachman fire and Palisades fire are connected.
Investigators said the Palisades fire was a holdover fire, since roots continued to burn underground after the Lachman fire.
“They’re going to have to connect those two because if they don’t, and you can raise a reasonable doubt in connecting those two, you’re looking at a not guilty verdict,” said Sheaffer.
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