A U.S. federal judge has declared a mistrial in the arson case against a man suspected of igniting a wildfire that became one of the deadliest in California history.
Judge Anne Hwang issued the ruling Friday after the jury informed the court they could not reach a unanimous decision. Among the 12 jurors, 10 believed the suspect, Jonathan Rinderknecht, was not guilty. Federal prosecutors announced they would retry the man accused of intentionally starting the fire.
“The evidence shows that Jonathan Rinderknecht was responsible for starting the fire on January 1, 2025, which became the Palisades Fire. We fully intend to retry this case before a new jury and secure a conviction on all charges,” U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli wrote on social media after the ruling.
Judge Hwang ordered Rinderknecht to remain in custody until the new trial begins on October 19.
Responsibility for the Palisades Fire, which killed 12 people and destroyed entire neighborhoods along the Los Angeles north coast, has become a contentious issue. Prosecutors allege Rinderknecht used a barbecue lighter to start a fire on January 1, 2025. Firefighters initially believed they had successfully extinguished the blaze, but it reignited on January 7 after smoldering undetected in a root system.
Strong winds subsequently swept the flames through dry vegetation, fanning them into residential areas and causing widespread destruction. Conditions worsened by drought linked to climate change, along with an increasing number of people living in fire-prone zones near wilderness areas, have made wildfires in the Western U.S. more dangerous.
A juror identifying herself only as Syrena told the Associated Press that holding Rinderknecht responsible was unfair given others’ negligence. “There wasn’t enough evidence,” she said. “Shouldn’t the firefighters have known?” she added. The government presented no direct evidence that Rinderknecht ignited the initial fire, instead arguing that he was in the area at the time and portraying him as a disgruntled individual venting anger through arson.
“This is a big victory, and it’s unfair that under these circumstances the government is still holding my son,” said the suspect’s father, Joel Rinderknecht.
