Key points: The LAPD says singer D4vd (David Anthony Burke) has been identified as a suspect after the remains of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez were found Sept. 8 in the trunk of a Tesla at an LA impound lot. Authorities say the teen was last seen on April 5, 2024, and may have died in the spring. Burke has not been charged; the cause and manner of death remain deferred while the Robbery-Homicide Division continues its investigation.
Singer D4vd Named as Suspect After Remains of 15-Year-Old Found in His Vehicle, LAPD Says
Key points: The LAPD says singer D4vd (David Anthony Burke) has been identified as a suspect after the remains of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez were found Sept. 8 in the trunk of a Tesla at an LA impound lot. Authorities say the teen was last seen on April 5, 2024, and may have died in the spring. Burke has not been charged; the cause and manner of death remain deferred while the Robbery-Homicide Division continues its investigation.
08:05 AM, 11/19/2025Society
Overview: A Los Angeles Police Department source with direct knowledge has identified singer D4vd (legal name David Anthony Burke) as a suspect after the remains of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez were discovered in the trunk of a vehicle he owned. Burke has not been formally charged.
The remains of Celeste Rivas Hernandez were found on Sept. 8 in the trunk of a Tesla at an impound lot in Los Angeles. The vehicle had been towed after sitting parked for several weeks, and investigators have said she may have been deceased for some time before the discovery.
Authorities say Celeste was reported missing from Lake Elsinore, California, and was last seen on April 5, 2024, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Department has listed the cause and manner of death as "deferred," indicating that a final determination is pending further investigation.
An LAPD source told investigators that Burke has not been cooperative. The source also said the teen likely died in the spring and that Burke may have received assistance in dismembering and disposing of the body. Those allegations remain uncharged and are under investigation.
"Because a manner of death has not been determined, it remains unclear whether there is any criminal culpability beyond the concealment of her body," the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement about the case.
The department's Robbery-Homicide Division is conducting a thorough investigation. Burke's attorneys did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A representative for the singer previously said he was cooperating with authorities. In September, amid the probe, D4vd canceled the remaining dates of his U.S. tour.
This is an active investigation. Further details, including the medical examiner's final findings and any potential charges, will be released as authorities confirm them.