The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has released another update on the sad case of Celeste Rivas, a teenage girl who was found dead in a car owned by musician D4vd (David Anthony Burke). The department told Complex that the 21-year-old artist is not a suspect in the ongoing inquiry.
Rivas’s body was found on September 8, the day after what would have been her 15th birthday. She had been missing since 2024. Workers at a LA towing yard found the body when they noticed a bad smell coming from a car that had been seized from the Hollywood Hills area, where D4vd had been living.
Why D4vd Has Not Been Cleared or Named a Suspect
The LAPD said that the subject of clearing D4vd is moot because he has never been officially designated a suspect in the first place, even though there was a lot of public conjecture after the finding. The investigation’s progress depends on a key piece of evidence:
Cause of Death: The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has not yet figured out how or why Ms. Rivas Hernandez died. This is the main reason why the case can’t be prosecuted as a homicide.
The LAPD said: A representative from the LAPD told the publication, “The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has not yet determined the cause or manner of Ms. Rivas Hernandez’s death.” Because of this, it’s still not apparent if there is any criminal responsibility except hiding her body.
Scope of Investigation: The officials said that there isn’t enough evidence to name a suspect without knowing what caused the death, and the death itself may not be considered murder in the end.
D4vd’s Actions During the Investigation
After the sad discovery, police examined the Hollywood Hills residence where D4vd had been residing and collected evidence from the premises. D4vd’s management had already said that the singer was “cooperating” with the police.
After the body was found and the uproar, D4vd has done a number of important things:
He called off his planned tour dates.
He put the release of his deluxe album, Withered, on hold.
He left his home in Hollywood Hills.
Celeste Rivas was buried on Monday, and her loved ones gathered at Queen of Heaven Cemetery & Mortuary for her memorial service while the investigation is still going on.