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Rainer Klaus Reinscheid (July 31, 2012) |
SANTA ANA, Calif. (KTLA) - A UC Irvine professor pleaded not guilty Wednesday to eight counts of arson that prosecutors claim was part of an elaborate mass murder plot to kill students and administrators son's school after the boy's suicide.
Rainer Klaus Reinscheid, 48, is charged with setting two fires at Irvine's University High School, three at assistant principal Michael Georgino's home in Costa Mesa and three at Mason Park in Irvine where his 14-year-old son Claas Stubbe killed himself by hanging.
"Based on the location and nature of the arsons, we believe Reinscheid was specifically targeting the people and places he believed were related to his son's discipline," Orange County District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Farrah Emami said.
Reinscheid is being held without bail.
If convicted, he faces up to 12 years and eight months in prison.
Reinscheid was first arrested on July 24 at around 1 a.m. in the park where his son died.
Officers had seen him allegedly trying to set a blaze with newspaper and lighter fluid.
He posted $50,000 bail the same day and was released.
It was during the arson investigation that detectives discovered the disturbing emails on Reinscheid's cell phone.
Authorities say Reinscheid wrote in emails that he was thinking about getting a dozen machine guns and shooting at least 200 students before killing himself.
Reinscheid, who was distraught over his 14-year old son Claas' suicide, sent two emails to his wife and another to himself threatening to kill the assistant principal of University High School, shoot hundreds of students and burn the school to the ground in a "firestorm that destroys every single building."
Reinscheid also searched the internet for gun and bomb-making information, according to investigators.
The emails, which were filed in court last week by Orange County prosecutors show Reinscheid wrote that he wanted to kill school administrators, sexually assault two female staff members and kill himself in the same spot his son died in March.
"I need a a gun, many guns, and then I have the ride of my life," Reinscheid wrote in one email to himself. "I will give myself a wonderful ending and be with Claas very soon. I like this plan, finally a good idea."
In the second email, Reinscheid requested that his wife pass along "one story" to their remaining children.
"Daddy was so sad when Claas passed away, he was just eaten away by his sadness and stopped breathing," he wrote.
Prosecutors are unable to pursue criminal charges regarding the threats because the emails were private.
Reinscheid's wife, Wendy Reinscheid, told police her husband had been suffering from deep depression and sadness since his son's death, according to court documents.
Reinscheid was first arrested on July 24 at around 1 a.m. in the park where his son died.
Rainer Klaus Reinscheid, 48, is charged with setting two fires at Irvine's University High School, three at assistant principal Michael Georgino's home in Costa Mesa and three at Mason Park in Irvine where his 14-year-old son Claas Stubbe killed himself by hanging.
"Based on the location and nature of the arsons, we believe Reinscheid was specifically targeting the people and places he believed were related to his son's discipline," Orange County District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Farrah Emami said.
Reinscheid is being held without bail.
If convicted, he faces up to 12 years and eight months in prison.
Reinscheid was first arrested on July 24 at around 1 a.m. in the park where his son died.
Officers had seen him allegedly trying to set a blaze with newspaper and lighter fluid.
He posted $50,000 bail the same day and was released.
It was during the arson investigation that detectives discovered the disturbing emails on Reinscheid's cell phone.
Authorities say Reinscheid wrote in emails that he was thinking about getting a dozen machine guns and shooting at least 200 students before killing himself.
Reinscheid, who was distraught over his 14-year old son Claas' suicide, sent two emails to his wife and another to himself threatening to kill the assistant principal of University High School, shoot hundreds of students and burn the school to the ground in a "firestorm that destroys every single building."
Reinscheid also searched the internet for gun and bomb-making information, according to investigators.
The emails, which were filed in court last week by Orange County prosecutors show Reinscheid wrote that he wanted to kill school administrators, sexually assault two female staff members and kill himself in the same spot his son died in March.
"I need a a gun, many guns, and then I have the ride of my life," Reinscheid wrote in one email to himself. "I will give myself a wonderful ending and be with Claas very soon. I like this plan, finally a good idea."
In the second email, Reinscheid requested that his wife pass along "one story" to their remaining children.
"Daddy was so sad when Claas passed away, he was just eaten away by his sadness and stopped breathing," he wrote.
Prosecutors are unable to pursue criminal charges regarding the threats because the emails were private.
Reinscheid's wife, Wendy Reinscheid, told police her husband had been suffering from deep depression and sadness since his son's death, according to court documents.
Reinscheid was first arrested on July 24 at around 1 a.m. in the park where his son died.
