D4vd Named a Suspect in Ongoing Death Investigation Involving 14-Year-Old Found in Trunk of His Tesla

Los Angeles authorities have identified singer D4vd, born David Anthony Burke, as a suspect in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose body was found in the trunk of a Tesla registered in his name.

Staff at a Hollywood tow yard alerted authorities on September 8 after a Tesla in their lot began emitting a strong odor and drawing flies. According to a search warrant affidavit, the vehicle had been left unattended for an extended period before being towed from a residential neighborhood in the Hollywood Hills, where it had been parked for at least three weeks.

Inside the vehicle’s trunk, police found human remains later identified as belonging to Rivas Hernandez. She was 14 and had been reported missing several times throughout 2024. Her mother told TMZ that her daughter had been associating with an older individual named “David.” Images and videos posted on social media show the teen and Burke together, though the nature of their relationship has not been established.

Following the discovery, investigators executed a search warrant at a home on Doheny Place near where the car had been towed. The homeowner said the property had been leased to Burke’s manager, Josh Marshall, beginning in February 2024. Police have not disclosed whether evidence was recovered from the residence.

Burke was out of state at the time the body was found, performing on a national tour. He continued with a scheduled show in Minneapolis the day after the investigation became public, but the remainder of his tour dates were later canceled. Fashion brands Crocs and Hollister removed promotional material featuring the singer, who had been modeling their collaborative line.

Detectives have stated they are still working to determine the circumstances surrounding Rivas Hernandez’s death, how her body came to be placed in the vehicle, and who had access to the Tesla in the weeks it remained parked in multiple locations. Identifying someone as a suspect is a procedural designation and does not indicate guilt.

Police have not released details about the cause of death, timeline, or whether surveillance footage from the neighborhood has produced additional leads.

The case has drawn widespread attention in Los Angeles and online. Detectives are asking anyone with information about Rivas Hernandez’s whereabouts in the weeks before her death, or about the movements of the Tesla, to contact the LAPD’s West Bureau Homicide Division.

Burke has not been charged with a crime, and no arrests have been made.