Chris Bosh has denied that he or his family were at their Pacific Palisades property when the 2025 fire began, after lawyers for the man accused of starting the blaze suggested it may have been linked to his home.
The former Miami Heat star said his family was in Austin, Texas, on New Year’s Eve 2024 and New Year’s Day 2025. He added that, to the family’s knowledge, their Pacific Palisades property was empty and was not being rented or used by guests.
Jonathan Rinderknecht faces criminal charges for allegedly starting the fire maliciously. His legal team has asked to introduce evidence from a retired Cal Fire investigator who wanted to testify about a possible firework being launched from the Bosh residence.
Rinderknecht’s lawyer said the investigator, identified as Mr Cole, had documented a mark, burn and smoke trail on the driveway and rear patio during his investigation of the Palisades fire.
“Mr. Cole is expected to testify that during his 2025 investigation of the Palisades Fire he observed and documented a mark and an associated burn and smoke trail on the driveway and rear patio area of the residence at (redacted), and that, based on his training and experience, those marks are physical evidence of a launched firework,” the lawyer said.
Prosecutors have scoffed at the theory.
Responding to the claims, Bosh said: “We were at our residence in Austin, Texas. To our knowledge, our Pacific Palisades property was unoccupied and was not being rented or used by guests during that time.”
He said the family had provided security footage and other relevant information to the appropriate authorities.
“We recognize the seriousness of this tragic event and have supported the authorities in their efforts to establish facts,” Bosh said.
