Federal investigators say Jonathan Rinderknecht used ChatGPT to create disturbing fire-themed visuals before the deadly Palisades blaze.
Jennifer Acree read a range of emotions across several of her group chats as texts spread that a man was arrested on suspicion of igniting the deadly Palisades Fire that ripped through the Los Angeles area earlier this year.
"It's very triggering for a lot of us," said Acree, 55, who lost her childhood home her family had since 1972. "It's like reliving the pain all over again."
Fire victims told USA TODAY that they were stunned, yet frustrated, after learning that Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, was arrested for destruction of property by means of fire. Federal prosecutors claim Rinderknecht, a former resident of Pacific Palisades, ignited what eventually became the Palisades Fire.
The criminal complaint against Rinderknecht further alleges he lied to authorities, telling them he first spotted the fire after leaving a clearing and walking back down the hill toward his car.
"It's really sickening that someone would even try to do that on purpose," Acree said as her 82-year-old mother and several of her neighbors not only lost their homes, but their longtime church and school as well. "Why?"
The arrest was a complete surprise
Acree's sentiments about the arrest were echoed by other Pacific Palisades residents who lost their homes and never considered that someone may have started the Palisades Fire. The blaze, which combined with the Eaton Fire in Los Angeles County, erupted on Jan. 7 and burned for weeks.
The two fires killed at least 31 people, left thousands of homes and other structures destroyed, and cost tens of billions of dollars in damage.
As he received 15 phone calls in about an hour, Robert Flutie, 61, who lost his sprawling five-bedroom home and flourishing pizza business in Pacific Palisades due to the fire, asked the same question.
"I'm completely flabbergasted. My immediate reaction was I don't understand what would compel a human being to create such pain and loss in other people's lives," Flutie said. "Why? Just why?"
Flutie said he believed a combination of factors, including strong winds, dry conditions due to a lack of rainfall, and high temperatures, caused the wildfires, rather than potential arson.
"How do we get from the massive destruction due to the weather to hearing this? That is beyond my capacity to comprehend right now," Flutie said. "I still think there are a lot of unanswered questions."
Acree and Flutie agree that the fires spread due to a lack of resources in Los Angeles County. A report released last month by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors found that outdated policies, gaps in communication, and staff shortages all hindered officials' ability to respond effectively and warn residents about the fast-moving blazes.
Flutie, a former first responder and firefighter in Bedford, New York, who happened to be in New York City and helped respond following the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, called what happened in Los Angeles County "a catastrophically epic failure of services."
Acree said her family would like to rebuild their single-story three-bedroom home that was lost in the fire. The house was a neighborhood fixture, she said, hosting an annual Fourth of July party for more than 50 years.
But she said insurance can't cover everything.
"Contrary to popular belief, not everybody who lives in Pacific Palisades is wealthy," Acree said. "My mom wants to go back, but we don't have an extra million dollars lying around; the home was our nest egg."
Acree said her mother lives with her family in West Los Angeles as her father, who had been in poor health in a nursing home, died days after the fire. Still, Acree wants to fulfill her mother's wish and wants to "figure out the economics of the situation."
"We have got to think on the bright side," Acree explained. "We're all in this together."
'That's his cross to bear, not ours'
Flutie agrees that it will take a collective effort for those affected by the Los Angeles area wildfires to rebound. He plans to rebuild his home with his longtime partner and his business in Palisades. He said his second pizzeria in nearby Brentwood, California, is doing well.
Flutie said without taking any political stances, he thought about how Erika Kirk, the widow of slain prominent conservative activist Charlie Kirk, recently said she was able to forgive his alleged assassin.
And with respect to others, Flutie said he will find forgiveness, adding that a house and business can be replaced -- a person cannot.
"Yeah, I'm going to forgive him," Flutie said of Rinderknecht. "I don't want to carry that energy and the weight of that anger around. I'm choosing to go back into my life and pick up where we left off without giving this guy any of my time for what he took away from us.
"That's his cross to bear, not ours," Flutie said.
Flutie added that the arrest shows that many residents who lost everything are still trying to come to terms with what happened only nine months ago.
"This is a touchstone moment to find out where we are with our pain, and it shows that we still have a lot of healing to do," Flutie said. "We are still a bit raw."