The investigation into the death of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose decomposed body was discovered in the front trunk (frunk) of an abandoned Tesla registered to rapper D4vd, has dramatically escalated. Law enforcement sources with direct knowledge of the probe have reportedly named the singer, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, as a suspect.
Insiders told media that Rivas Hernandez’s death is being investigated by police as a possible homicide. However, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has not yet made an official ruling on the cause or manner of death, with toxicology results still pending due to the advanced state of decomposition of the remains.
Decomposition Complicates Probe
Celeste Rivas Hernandez was found deceased on September 8 in the impounded Tesla. The car had been towed from a Hollywood Hills street after sitting abandoned for weeks and receiving a parking citation.
Police sources told NBC4 Investigates that the extent of the decomposition suggests Rivas Hernandez may have been dead for several weeks before her body was found. This condition has severely complicated the forensic analysis, leading the Medical Examiner to list the cause of death as “deferred” and the manner of death as “pending investigation.”
According to authorities, it remains unclear whether any crime occurred beyond the concealment of her body, which is classified as a misdemeanor under California law. Nevertheless, the severity of the findings suggests a crime took place. An LAPD source told NBC LA that police believe it possibly took several people to dismember and dispose of Hernandez’s body.
The Singer’s Connection and Response
Rivas Hernandez’s mother previously told TMZ that the teen ran away from her Lake Elsinore home in 2024 at age 13 after getting into a relationship with someone named “David.” Online speculation has since intensified, fueled by alleged Discord chats, the girl’s matching “Shhh…” tattoo with the singer, and an unreleased D4vd song named “Celeste.”
Following the discovery of the body, police executed a search warrant at a Hollywood Hills mansion leased by D4vd’s manager, where the singer (David Anthony Burke) was known to have been staying.
- Private Detective’s Claim: Private detective Steve Fischer, hired by the mansion’s owner, Mladen Trifunovic, claimed to have found unusual “farm” tools in the $20,000-a-month rental that “could be used to get rid of a body.” Fischer believes these items “belong more on a farm than in a home.”
- Cooperation Issues: An LAPD source claimed that D4vd has not been cooperating with investigators. However, D4vd’s legal team, led by high-profile criminal defense attorney Blair Berk, has maintained that the singer is cooperating fully.
D4vd was in the midst of a world tour when Rivas Hernandez’s body was found, but he canceled the rest of his shows, including dates in Europe, in the wake of the mounting investigation.