A man has been arrested on suspicion of starting the Pacific Palisades fire in Los Angeles that killed 12 people and destroyed more than 6,000 homes in January.
Justice Department officials said evidence collected from 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht’s digital devices showed an image he generated on Chatgpt depicting a burning city.
The fire started on January 7 near a popular hiking trail overlooking the wealthy coastal neighborhood.
The Eaton Fire, which ignited the same day in the Los Angeles area, killed 19 other people and destroyed approximately 9,400 structures. The cause of this fire is unclear. On Wednesday, Mr. Rinderknecht will appear in court in Orlando, Florida.
The suspect allegedly started the fire in the Pacific Palisades on New Year’s Day. That fire burned underground for days before spreading above ground.
Mr. Rinderknecht was arrested Tuesday in Florida and was charged with destruction of property by means of fire, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said at a news conference Wednesday in Los Angeles.
“The arrest will, we hope, provide a measure of justice for all those affected,” Mr Essayli said.
Officials said new charges – including murder for those who were killed – could come in the future.
The suspect was familiar with the area because he was a former resident of Pacific Palisades, officials said. Since the fires, he has moved to Florida.
He started the fire with an open flame after completing a ride as an Uber driver on New Year’s Eve. Days later, that fire spread and became one of the most damaging in Los Angeles history.
Officials said the suspect lied to investigators.
Among the thousands of structures destroyed in the fires were the homes of a number of celebrities, including Mel Gibson, Paris Hilton and Jeff Bridges.
