D4vd, born David Anthony Burke, has been arrested for the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who was found dead in the trunk of his Tesla last September.
Per Variety, the LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division arrested Burke and are holding him without bail. The case will be presented to the District Attorney’s office on Monday for filing consideration.
LAPD NEWS: “Detectives from Los Angeles Police Department, Robbery-Homicide Division have arrested David Burke, a 21-year-old resident of Los Angeles, for the murder of Celeste Rivas. Burke is being held without bail.”
— LAPD PIO (@LAPDPIO) April 17, 2026
On September 8th, 2025, a “severely decomposed” body was found in the trunk of the musician’s Tesla in Hollywood. The victim’s body had deteriorated to such a degree that it took medical examiners a full week to identify Rivas Hernandez.
The 14-year-old was reported missing by her family in February, and again in and April, of 2024. The teen’s mother reportedly told TMZ that her daughter had a “boyfriend” named David; photos and video purportedly showing Rivas Hernandez and Burke in close proximity have circulated on social media.
Love Music?
Get your daily dose of everything happening in Australian/New Zealand music and globally.
The car was registered in Hempstead, Texas to Burke and impounded after being abandoned in the Hollywood Hills, where neighbors complained of a rotting smell. As of September 9th, the case was being treated as a death investigation.
The following November, the LAPD’s Joshua Byers characterised the case as an “investigation into murder” and requested a court order preventing the release of Rivas’ autopsy findings. Byers argued public release of details surrounding Rivas’ death could jeopardise the homicide investigation and had to be protected. The request was granted by a judge, who ordered that the ME’s findings be sealed.
That same month, D4vd was identified as a suspect.
D4vd, a platinum-selling artist who gained international popularity on TikTok, broke through in 2022 with his singles “Romantic Homicide” and “Here With Me”. The deluxe edition of his debut album, Withered, was shelved, and the remaining dates of his US tour were cancelled. As were his scheduled appearances in Australia, including the 2025 edition of Spilt Milk festival.
