On Sept. 8, 2025, a discovery was made in the car of David Anthony Burke, also known as D4vd online. D4vd is a young rising singer-songwriter who became well known for his songs on TikTok like “Romantic Homicide” and “Here With Me.”
In the front trunk of a Tesla under his name, authorities found the body of a teenage girl. The vehicle had been searched due to a foul odor in an impound lot in Hollywood Hills.
The victim was later identified as Celeste Rivas-Hernandez. She was 15 by the time of identification and had been reported missing in early 2024 from her hometown in California. Since the discovery, authorities have called the case a homicide investigation. Her body was described as severely decomposed and had likely been in the car for weeks before being found.
Law enforcement sources note that she had been reported missing multiple times before her final disappearance. This case has shocked Celeste’s hometown community and all the fans of D4vd.
What was once a rising musical career is now entangled in a tragic and disturbing mystery.
Be advised, most online discourse or rumors are only alleged. Not all information found online has been confirmed by law enforcement. This is still an ongoing case with new developments made every day.
Who was the Victim?
Celeste Rivas-Hernandez, who would’ve been newly 15 years old, was found dead in the front trunk of a Tesla on Sept. 8, 2025, only one day after her birthday, according to Fox 11. She was located in the Hollywood Hills, about 80 miles southwest of her hometown of Lake Elsinore in Riverside County, California.
“The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner identified the remains as those of 15-year-old Rivas,” according to PEOPLE. “They listed her date of death as Sept. 8 and wrote that her cause of death is ‘deferred.’” This is still subject to change as the investigation continues.
On Sept. 17, soon after Rivas was identified, her family created a GoFundMe for funeral donations titled, “Help Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s Family.” There, her family wrote, “She was a beloved daughter, sister, cousin, and friend. Her family is heartbroken and devastated by this tragic loss.”
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office reported to the Los Angeles Times that Rivas-Hernandez had been reported missing at least three times throughout 2024. The first times were on Valentine’s Day of 2024 and March 19, 2024, when it was reported that she ran away from home but had returned a few days later. The third time Celeste was reported missing was on April 5, 2024, when she was just 13 years old; she was found in Hollywood by police and later returned home.
According to ABC7, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office reported that at the end of May 2024, she had called home but had not been heard from since, thus having her reported missing for the last time.
Prior to the final time the teen was reported missing, her mother revealed that Celeste had been dating someone named David, but she had never officially met him.
According to TMZ, D4vd’s friends had been under the impression that Celeste was a 19-year-old student attending the University of Southern California. Since Celeste had attended numerous age-restricted events, they had assumed that she wasn’t a minor. TMZ was previously able to confirm with law enforcement that the teen had multiple fake IDs that would have given her access to these kinds of events.
Details of the Case and Online Discourse
Despite Celeste’s body being found in the front trunk of his abandoned Tesla, D4vd was not considered an official suspect until more than two months after the investigation began.
However, internet detectives have suspected him since the news came out. Instances of similar tattoos, song lyrics potentially referencing the 14-year-old girl, and photos and videos of the two together have been steadily released.
Both Celeste and D4vd are reported to have “shhh…” tattoos on their right index fingers. However, some argue that the tattoo was popularized in the 2010s by singers such as Rihanna, and it’s simply a coincidence. Furthermore, D4vd reportedly had an unreleased song titled “Celeste_Demo unfin,” that includes lyrics stating, “Oh Celeste, girl with my name tattooed on her chest.”
In mid-Sept., police were seen executing a search warrant at D4vd’s Hollywood home—and they seized evidence, including a computer and several bags of belongings. Two days later, the singer canceled the remainder of his “Withered” tour, which was also his strongest alibi, as if he had been on tour at the time, he could not have committed the crime. However, fans have speculated that he did not start his tour when the teen was murdered, as the medical examiner claimed she had been dead for an extended period of time and had presumably been murdered sometime around the spring of 2025.
Reportedly, there are multiple instances of D4vd and Celeste seen in public together—she was also allegedly seen with his younger brother backstage during one of his performances. Although many fans also speculate on whether some of D4vd’s public music could have allusions to his relationship with Celeste, in a court of law, using an artist’s song lyrics as evidence tends to get tumultuous, as it blurs the line between creative expression and a confession.
Finally, on Nov. 18, TMZ was told by law enforcement sources with direct knowledge, “As far as we know, there is no paperwork classifying D4vd as a suspect, but as one of our sources told us … ‘Investigators are looking at D4vd as a suspect.’”
D4vd has recently retained Blair Berk, a high-profile attorney who has represented the likes of Harvey Weinstein, Kanye West, Britney Spears, and others, to help with his case. New information surfaces daily, as this is an ongoing investigation.
