We're learning more about Jonathan Rinderknecht, the man accused of starting the Palisades fires in California - none of it good. He is now also facing allegations that he threatened family members, including his sister and brother-in-law.
The alleged firebug accused of starting the Palisades blaze threatened to burn down his sister’s house and shoot his brother-in-law with a gun he stashed in a stuffed animal, according to authorities.
Jonathan Rinderknecht’s alleged threats concerned his family so much that they moved out of the house to get away from him and reported him to the police, the feds revealed Thursday.
The disturbing revelations came Thursday morning during an Orlando federal court hearing for the 29-year-old — accused of igniting the most expensive wildfire in US history — where an agent for the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) testified about alarming behavior from just last month.
Rinderknecht appears to have had a history of these threats, but here's the interesting bit:
Rinderknecht allegedly threatened to shoot his brother-in-law, prompting his father to call the cops – with investigators allegedly finding a gun hidden within a stuffed animal when they searched the home.
The alleged firebug claimed he made the threat in self-defense and had the gun locked in a safe, not in a plushie. Cops did not make an arrest after either visit last month.
It's unclear why there was no arrest here. It's possible that his brother-in-law refused to press charges. But this was far from the only time the accused firebug exhibited what can only be described as bizarre behavior. Rinderknecht had moved back to Florida after he allegedly started the Palisades fire. It's now apparent that he had other issues, as well.
The Florida man accused of sparking the flames that burned swaths of Los Angeles to the ground in the Palisades Fire posted on social media about how global warming causes wildfires.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, regularly took to Facebook to share posts about eco-apocalypses, mocking President Trump and his supporters, and pushing people to become vegans.
One article he shared – “Climate Change Will Force a New American Migration,” from ProPublica – even included a thumbnail showing wildfires raging across a California hillside neighborhood.
But wait! There's more!
And in August 2020, Rinderknecht shared a post from Joe Biden claiming Trump inherited a healthy economy from President Obama – but that Trump’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic “destroyed it.”
Then there was one of the few photos of himself on the page — where he appeared wild-eyed and mouth-open with his face painted like a skull and covered in blood.
Other online activity included creating disturbing AI-generated images showing cities burning with masses of people fleeing the destruction, according to) prosecutors.
To put it bluntly, Rinderknecht gives every appearance of being what one might call "a nut."
Read More: BREAKING: Palisades Fire Determined to Be Arson; Arrest Made
Sorry, Newsom: Palisades Fire Arrest Isn't Closure; It's Just the Beginning of a Terrible Reckoning
The legal proceedings in this case should be extremely interesting. The Palisades fire was a major disaster, and now Rinderknecht faces charges that could result in 20+ years in prison - possibly more if additional charges are filed.
This remains a developing story. Stay tuned.
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