Platinum-selling musician D4vd, born David Anthony Burke, was arrested on suspicion of murder after Los Angeles police said the decomposed body of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez was discovered in the trunk of an impounded 2023 Tesla Model Y. The vehicle was towed from the Hollywood Hills in early September 2025, and detectives later found the victim’s remains in two cadaver bags. Police announced Burke’s arrest in a social post on Thursday, April 16; he is being held without bail while the case is prepared for presentation to the District Attorney. Authorities have kept portions of the probe under seal, including a temporary restriction on releasing the coroner’s autopsy report.
Key Takeaways
- Arrest: David Anthony Burke (stage name D4vd), 21, was arrested on April 16 and is being held without bail pending DA review.
- Discovery: On Sept. 5, 2025, a tow yard reported a foul odor from a dented 2023 Tesla Model Y; on Sept. 8, 2025, investigators found Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s body in its trunk.
- Victim: Celeste Rivas Hernandez, age 14, had been reported missing from Lake Elsinore in February 2024 and again in April 2024.
- Forensics: Detectives recovered head and torso in one cadaver bag and severed arms and legs in a second bag; the medical examiner noted severe decomposition and listed weight as 71 pounds.
- Investigation: Witnesses were called before a secret grand jury; sealed filings later identified Burke as a target after family legal challenges made some documents public.
- Public fallout: Brands including Crocs and Hollister paused campaigns featuring the musician; collaborators moved to distance themselves while the probe proceeds.
- Tour activity: Burke was on a national tour when the car was towed and continued performing until a Sept. 17, 2025, Seattle show was canceled after the victim’s identification.
Background
The case centers on a vehicle towed from the Bird Streets area of the Hollywood Hills in early September 2025. Tow-yard staff reported an intense odor and flies around the car, which prompted notification to police. The Model Y was registered to Burke at an address in Hempstead, Texas, though the vehicle had been observed in multiple Los Angeles locations in the months before the discovery. Celeste Rivas Hernandez had been listed as missing twice in 2024 by family members in Lake Elsinore, about 75 miles southeast of Los Angeles.
Los Angeles law enforcement treated the matter as a homicide investigation from the outset, assigning detectives from the Robbery-Homicide Division. Investigators compiled evidence while keeping much of the process sealed, including a court order that temporarily prevented the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner from publishing autopsy results. That security hold became contested publicly, with the ME’s office arguing the restriction limited transparency to the community it serves.
Main Event
According to search-warrant affidavits and law-enforcement summaries released after legal challenges, detectives opened the Tesla’s trunk and found a severely decomposed body packed into two cadaver bags. One bag contained a head and torso; a second held the victim’s separated limbs. The ME’s online report described extensive decomposition, noting the office could not determine eye color and recorded a weight of 71 pounds. At the time of the ME update, the cause of death was listed as deferred pending additional investigation.
Investigators convened witnesses before a grand jury in downtown Los Angeles under secrecy orders. Subsequent legal action by relatives—specifically Burke’s parents and brother—challenging subpoenas in Texas led to the unsealing of some court paperwork. Those documents identified Burke as the target of a murder probe and described someone who “may be involved in having committed” one count of murder, language commonly used in charging-related filings.
Police said Burke was taken into custody and was in the process of being booked when the department announced the arrest on social media. The department also stated the case will be presented to the District Attorney’s office for filing consideration on the next available business day. Law-enforcement sources told press outlets the arrest took place at a home in the Hollywood Hills, though official public statements focused on the booking and transfer process.
Analysis & Implications
The arrest of a high-profile artist on suspicion of homicide raises immediate questions for criminal procedure and public relations. From an investigative standpoint, the months-long secrecy and the ME’s initial inability to publish findings reflect the tension between preserving case integrity and the public’s right to information. Prosecutors will need to move from probable-cause evidence toward meeting the higher standard required for indictment and any later conviction; sealed materials and grand-jury testimony suggest investigators were building a detailed evidentiary record.
For the legal defense and prosecution alike, the condition and handling of physical evidence—particularly human remains discovered in a vehicle—will be central. Forensic timelines (time of death, decomposition rate, and location history of the vehicle) and any digital or witness corroboration of the suspect’s whereabouts during critical periods will shape charging decisions. The DA’s office must weigh that body of work before deciding whether to file formal charges.
The case also illustrates reputational and commercial consequences for artists and brands amid serious allegations. Crocs and Hollister paused a joint campaign featuring Burke, and collaborators have signaled efforts to disassociate from the musician’s work while the investigation continues. These responses reflect corporate risk management when public figures face criminal scrutiny and can have sustained career and financial impacts independent of courtroom outcomes.
Comparison & Data
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Feb 2024 | First missing-person report filed for Celeste Rivas Hernandez (Lake Elsinore). |
| Apr 2024 | Second missing-person report filed by family. |
| May–Aug 2025 | Neighbors report seeing the Tesla parked in various Hollywood locations. |
| Sept 5, 2025 | Damaged 2023 Tesla Model Y towed from Hollywood Hills; tow yard reported foul odor and flies. |
| Sept 8, 2025 | Detectives open trunk and recover decomposed remains identified as Celeste Rivas Hernandez. |
| Sept 17, 2025 | Burke’s Seattle show canceled after identification; prior shows continued through early September. |
| Apr 16, 2026 | Burke arrested and booked; LAPD posts arrest on social media. |
The timeline shows a long period between the initial missing reports in 2024 and the discovery of remains in 2025, followed by months of sealed investigative steps before an arrest in April 2026. That gap underscores investigative complexity—movement of the vehicle, decomposition factors, and legal secrecy all contributed to a prolonged precharging phase.
Reactions & Quotes
“Detectives from [the] 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.”
Los Angeles Police Department (social media post)
Police publicly summarized the arrest and next procedural steps; the statement focused on custody status and the intention to present the case to the District Attorney. The LAPD post did not provide details of evidence or motive, citing the ongoing investigation.
“[The security hold] precluded the agency from serving our community with full transparency.”
Los Angeles County Medical Examiner (public comment)
The Medical Examiner’s office objected to a court-ordered restriction on releasing autopsy findings, framing the dispute as a matter of public accountability versus investigatory confidentiality. The ME emphasized its role in reporting factual findings about cause and manner of death.
“We are aware of this developing story. With respect to the current situation, we have removed campaign content featuring D4vd while the investigation continues.”
Crocs & Hollister (joint statement to Footwear News)
Commercial partners moved swiftly to pause visible ties to the artist, a predictable step to manage reputational exposure while criminal allegations are unresolved.
Unconfirmed
- Family statements and social posts suggest the victim may have been acquainted with someone named David prior to her death; direct evidence linking that relationship to the crime has not been publicly disclosed.
- Online photos circulating that appear to show Burke with a person resembling the victim, and matching finger-tattoo comparisons, have been reported but not independently authenticated by authorities in public filings.
- Neighborhood accounts that the vehicle moved among multiple spots for months are based on witness recollections and have not been fully documented in public investigative exhibits.
Bottom Line
The arrest of David Anthony Burke in connection with the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez marks a major development after a lengthy and tightly controlled investigation. Authorities say physical evidence found in an impounded Tesla and subsequent sealed investigative steps led to identifying Burke as the target; prosecutors must now review the investigative record to decide on formal charges. The case combines forensic complexity, extended timelines of vehicle locations, and contested transparency around autopsy findings—factors that will shape both courtroom strategy and public understanding.
Beyond immediate legal outcomes, the episode has immediate ramifications for the music industry and brands that worked with Burke, illustrating how criminal allegations can quickly disrupt careers and commercial partnerships. For the public, the next milestones to watch are the District Attorney’s filing decision, any indictment returned by a grand jury, and the unsealing of further evidentiary materials that will clarify motive, timeline, and the strength of the case.
Sources
- Rolling Stone — Press coverage and reporting on the arrest and investigation.
- Los Angeles Police Department — Official law-enforcement statements and postings (official agency).
- Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner — Official coroner reports and public comments (official agency).
- Los Angeles Times — Local reporting cited for arrest location and related coverage (press).
- TMZ — Cited family comments reported to entertainment press (press).
- Interscope Records — Record label for Burke’s album Withered (industry source).