D4vd Arrested on Suspicion of Murdering Celeste Rivas Hernandez

Photo Credit: D4vd (Instagram)

Singer D4vd has been arrested on suspicion of murdering the 14-year-old girl whose body was found last year in the trunk of his abandoned car.

Los Angeles police have confirmed the arrest of 21-year-old singer D4vd, whose legal name is David Burke, on suspicion of killing 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Rivas Hernandez’s decomposed body was found last year in the trunk of his Tesla after it was towed from the Hollywood Hills.

Police said Burke was being held without bail, and that investigators would present a case to prosecutors at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office on Monday. The DA’s office confirmed that it was aware of the arrest; its Major Crimes Division will be reviewing the case to determine if there is enough evidence to file charges.

Burke has been under investigation by an LA County grand jury in a probe that was officially kept secret—but its existence was confirmed in February when Burke’s family filed an objection in a Texas court to subpoenas urging them to testify. That also tipped off the public to the fact that Burke was a suspect.

The decomposing body of Celese Rivas Hernandez was found in the front trunk of a Tesla registered in the singer’s name on September 8—just after her 15th birthday. She was still 13 when her family reported her missing from the Lake Elsinore area, about 70 miles outside Los Angeles. Authorities confirmed her death occurred when she was 14.

The Tesla had been towed from an upscale Hollywood Hills neighborhood where it had been reported abandoned. The body was discovered by authorities after employees at Hollywood Tow reported a “foul odor” coming from the vehicle, which had been brought to the lot five days prior. According to detectives, Rivas Hernandez’s body had been in the car for weeks.

Later, detectives served a search warrant at the home where Burke had been staying, but he had largely moved out and was on tour when the body was found in his car. However, several pieces of evidence were reportedly uncovered.

In November, LAPD sources confirmed that Burke was considered a suspect. Previously, he had reportedly been cooperating with authorities, but seemingly became less cooperative once he was named a suspect.

The potential relationship between Burke and Rivas Hernandez led to numerous images surfacing online, as well as communications between them on the chat platform Discord. Rivas Hernandez’s mother also told investigators that she had had a boyfriend named David at the time of her disappearance.