Suspected arsonist behind Palisades fire looked up to Luigi Mangione as hero, prosecutors say

The man accused of starting the Palisades fire, one of the costliest disasters in U.S. history, was motivated by a resentment for the rich and viewed Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s chief executive, as a Robin Hood-like figure, according to court documents detailing evidence gathered by federal prosecutors.

In a court brief filed last week, authorities say a forensic review of his computer showed Jonathan Rinderknecht searched “Free Luigi” and “reddit lets kill all billionaires” in December 2024.

Rinderknecht, 30, is accused of starting the Lachman fire in Pacific Palisades on Jan. 1, 2025, which smoldered underground for a week before exploding into the deadly Palisades fire.

According to the brief, passengers described Rinderknecht — who working as an Uber driver — as “angry, intense, driving erratically and ranting about being ‘pissed off at the world’ and Luigi Mangione, capitalism and vigilantism,” in the hours before the clock struck midnight.

Read more: Los Angeles Times