Arrest Made in Connection with Murder of 14-Year-Old Girl
Singer David Burke, popularly known as D4vd, was arrested on Thursday regarding the murder of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a 14-year-old whose body was discovered in the trunk of an abandoned Tesla in Los Angeles back in September 2025.
The Los Angeles Police Department stated, “Detectives with the Robbery-Homicide Division have arrested David Burke, 21, from Los Angeles, on suspicion of murdering Celeste Rivas.” They added that he is currently being held without bail.
In a subsequent update, police mentioned that the case would be forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office for review come Monday.
Interestingly, until his arrest, Burke had not been publicly identified as a suspect. However, earlier this year, he was part of a grand jury investigation concerning Hernandez’s death.
Reports from the Associated Press in February indicated that Celeste’s decomposing body was found in an abandoned Tesla that was registered to Burke, which had been towed from the Hollywood Hills.
Prosecutors noted in a grand jury subpoena issued on January 15 that the Houston-born alt-pop singer was under investigation, and they had asked three of his family members to testify.
Hernandez was reported missing in 2024 when she was just 13, a seventh-grader from Lake Elsinore, roughly 110 miles southeast of Los Angeles. Her body was found on September 8, the day after she had turned 15. Court documents described her as 14 years old at the time of her death.
According to details from the subpoena, investigators inspected a 2023 Tesla Model Y at the tow lot and discovered a body bag infested with insects and emitting a strong odor of decay.
While examining the body bag, detectives noted that portions of the body were severed. It was stated in the subpoena that after carefully unzipping it, investigators found the head and torso decomposed. They also discovered another bag containing severed body parts underneath the initial body bag.
At the time of the discovery, D4vd was on tour in the United States and continued performing until news of the incident went public. He later canceled the rest of his planned European tour, amid growing media speculation linking him to the case.
D4vd gained popularity among Gen Z listeners with his unique mix of indie rock, R&B, and lo-fi pop. He first caught attention on TikTok in 2022 with the song “Romantic Homicide,” which climbed to No. 4 on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. Following this, he signed with Darkroom and Interscope Records, releasing “Petals to Thorns” and “The Lost Petals” in 2023.
