Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

After more than 13 hours of deliberation, the jury foreman in Jonathan Rinderknech's arson trial tells the judge the jury was split, 10 in favor of not guilty, two in favor of guilty.
In 2025, after dropping off an Uber passenger in Pacific Palisades, 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknech parked his car, tries but failes to contact a former friend. He gets out of the car, walks up a nearby trail, takes iPhone videos, and listens to a rap song. Its music video includes objects being lit on fire.
Then, twelve minutes into the new year, a fire is started. With weak cell service, Rinderknecht walks back down the trail, continually calling 911 until he finally connects, only to find out other residents already reported the fire.
As Rinderknecht drives away, he passes firefighters and turns back to watch them on the scene. He records while firefighters quickly extinguish the blaze, or so they thought.
The dense underbrush makes it difficult to see, and the roots underground continue to smolder. A week after the 911 calls reporting the Lachman fire, the Santa Ana Winds create an explosion of deadly fire, spreading the remains of the Lachman fire across LA, freshly named the Palisades fire.
Investigators question Rinderknecht as he repeatedly called 911 about the January 1st fire.During those calls, Rinderknecht asked ChatGPT, "Are you at fault if a fire is lit because of your cigarettes?"
Rinderknecht gives conflicting statements about whether he smoked near the trail that night and where he was when he called. Rinderknecht claims he was at the bottom of the trail, but location data shows while speaking with 911, he’s just 30 feet from the fire’s origin.
Ultimately, Rinderknecht is charged. U.S. District Judge Anne Hwang polled the jury panel, asking if more deliberations could thaw the deadlock. Each juror answered no. How will the judge rule?
The Palisades fire killed 12 people, destroying more than 6,800 structures, both homes and businesses, and damaging over 1,000 more buildings.
Joining Nancy Grace today:
Stephanie Lydecker - Executive Producer & Host of True Crime Tonight; Founder & CEO of KT-Studios.com
Alexandra Pfeifer - Victim
Dr. Bethany Marshall - Psychoanalyst, Author: "Deal Breaker," and featured in hit show "Paris in Love" on Peacock; Instagram & TikTok: drbethanymarshall, X: @DrBethanyLive
Dina Doll - Attorney, Trial Consultant, Mediator & Legal Analyst, Doll Amir Eley, LLP
Moses Castillo - Private Investigator for the Dordulian Law Group, Former Supervisor Detective from The Los Angeles Police Department
Nicholle Brock - Firefighter, EMT, and Arson Expert
Dr. Kendall Crowns - Chief Medical Examiner Tarrant County (Ft Worth), Lecturer: Burnett School of Medicine at TCU (Texas Christian University)
Shannon Butler - Investigative Reporter at WFTV Channel 9, Florida
Sydney Sumner - Investigative Reporter, 'Crime Stories'
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Luigi Mangione is facing both state and federal charge, pleading not guilty. In the New York state murder case, his attorneys announced plans for a psychiatric defense, but abruptly withdrew plans to pursue the "extreme emotional disturbance" defense just a day after it was announced. The change in strategy has led to speculation that a plea deal may be in the works.
Joining Nancy Grace today:
Randolph Rice - Criminal Defense & Civil Attorney at Rice Law. Former Prosecutor in the State's Attorney Office for Baltimore County website: ricelawmd.com, IG, FB, X: @ricelaw
Dr. Chloe Carmichael - Clinical Psychologist, Author: "Can I Say That?" "Nervous Energy: Harness The Power of Your Anxiety,” Twitter: @DrChloe, drchloe.com
Sheryl McCollum - Cold Case Investigative Research Institute Founder, ColdCaseCrimes.org, Host : Zone 7 -- and Author of a new book: "Swans Don't Swim in a Sewer: Solving the Cold Case of the Flint River Killer's Daughter", Twitter: @ColdCaseTips
Dr. Kendall Crowns - Chief Medical Examiner Tarrant County (Ft Worth), Host: "Mayhem in the Morgue", Lecturer: Burnett School of Medicine at TCU (Texas Christian University)
Lauren Conlin  - reporter, LA Magazine, Co-Host of "PopCrimeTV" on YouTube, Website: www.popcrime.tv and primetimecrimeshow.com, X- @Conlin_Lauren, Instagram: @LaurenEmilyConlin, YouTube: @PopCrimeTV
Sydney Silvagni - Investigative Reporter, 'Crime Stories'
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Oscar Sanchez-Munoz's family finds his body among debris from a house fire after several unsuccessful searches by investigators and K9s. Pennsylvania mother's footage while armed fugitive uses her two-year-old daughter as a human shield helps convict him at trial. Boyfriend behind bars after Massachusetts woman's "fall down the stairs" ruled a homicide. Sydney Silvagni reports.
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June 16, 2008: the last day 2-year-old Caylee Anthony is seen alive.
One month later, her grandmother Cindy Anthony franticly calls 911 to report her granddaughter is missing. Casey Anthony claims that a babysitter kidnapped her daughter. By October, when nothing Casey tells police turns out to be true, she is arrested and charged with Caylee's death, even though Caylee is still missing.
On December 11, Caylee's remains are found in a garbage bag, dumped in a wooded area near the Anthony home. Eight days later, Caylee's death is ruled a homicide. Prosecutors announce they will seek the death penalty against her. Anthony was acquitted of murder, but convicted of lesser crimes of lying to police.
Since the trial, Anthony has tried multiple time to reinvent herself as a self-styled "legal advocate" and researcher. She operates primarily online, utilizing platforms like TikTok and Substack to communicate with followers, promote her legal advocacy work, She is using that method to released an upcoming serialized memoir, Who is she really?
Joining Nancy Grace:
fmr Chief Judge Belvin Perry Jr. - Presided over Casey Anthony Trial, Author: "The Velvet Hammer: Judge Belvin Perry, Jr.'s Capital Murder Cases and Memoir"
Randy Kessler - Trial Lawyer, Emory Law School Professor, Past Chair ABA Family Law Section, Author: "Divorce, Protect Yourself, Your Kids and Your Future", www.KSFamilyLaw.com, Instagram: @rkessler23, Twitter: @GADivorce
Dr. Shari Schwartz - Forensic Psychologist (specializing in Capital Mitigation and Victim Advocacy), www.panthermitigation.com, Twitter: https://twitter.com/TrialDoc, Author: "Criminal Behavior" and "Where Law and Psychology Intersect: Issues in Legal Psychology"
Rob Dick - Private Investigator & fmr Bounty Hunter. Saw Casey Anthony in prison. Served as Casey Anthony’s bodyguard immediately following her release on bail in 2008. thehumanhunters.com, beaclass.com, Instagram/Twitter: @robdickPI
Rob Shuter - Host: Naughty But Nice Podcast, can be found at robshuter.substack.com, Former publicist of Sean Combs, Author: "The 4 Word Answer", IG: @naughtygossip
Dr. Kendall Crowns - Chief Medical Examiner Tarrant County (Ft Worth), Podcast "Mayhem in the Morgue", Lecturer: Burnett School of Medicine at TCU (Texas Christian University)
Dave Mack - Investigative Reporter, 'Crime Stories'


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Woman tied to cult-like group behind a border patrol agent's shooting is now charged in her parents' execution-style murders. Parents sentenced for death of toddler due to untreated lice infestation. A simple hit-and-run investigation in Virginia uncovers a murder plot. Sydney Silvagni reports.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.