Singer d4vd Arrested for Murder of 14-Year-Old Girl Whose Body Was Found in His Tesla
LAPD homicide unit arrested 21-year-old David Burke — known as d4vd — after the decomposed body of Celeste Rivas Hernandez was discovered in a Tesla registered in his name. His lawyers say he's innocent.
The music world is in shock. d4vd — the 21-year-old TikTok-turned-Billboard star whose real name is David Burke — has been arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department on suspicion of murder. The victim: Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a 14-year-old girl whose decomposed body was found inside a Tesla Model Y registered in the singer's name — seven months after she first went missing.
What We Know About the Arrest
LAPD's homicide division arrested d4vd (pronounced "David") in connection with the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. He is currently being held in jail with no possibility of bail. According to authorities, the case was the result of a months-long investigation that quietly grew around the singer.
Police say they plan to present the case to prosecutors at the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office on Monday, where the Major Crimes Division will review the evidence to determine whether formal charges should be filed.
⚠️ Important: As of now, no formal criminal complaint has been filed and no grand jury indictment has been issued. d4vd is being held on suspicion only — he has not been formally charged with murder.
Who Was Celeste Rivas Hernandez?
Celeste was a 7th-grade student from Lake Elsinore, California — a city about 70 miles southeast of Los Angeles. She was just 13 years old when her family reported her missing in 2024, and court documents indicate she was 14 at the time of her death.
Her body was discovered on September 8 inside an impound yard — just one day before what would have been her 15th birthday. She had been missing for seven months.
Shocking Details: What Was Found in the Tesla
Court documents paint a disturbing picture of what investigators discovered. A 2023 Tesla Model Y — registered to d4vd at a Texas address linked to his family — had been parked in a Hollywood Hills neighborhood for an extended period, appearing abandoned.
When the car was eventually towed and searched, investigators found a body bag covered in insects with a strong odor of decomposition. When it was partially opened, the head and torso were visible in an advanced state of decay.
Court documents state that the Medical Examiner later determined the victim's limbs had been severed, and a second black bag beneath the first contained additional body parts. The official cause of death has not yet been publicly released.
His Lawyers Say He's Innocent — Here's Their Statement
d4vd's defense team — attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter — wasted no time pushing back. In a formal statement, they said:
"The actual evidence in this case will establish that David Burke did not kill Celeste Rivas Hernandez and was not responsible for her death."
— Defense Attorneys Berk, Bednarski & PeterThey emphasized that he is being held on suspicion only, with no grand jury indictment and no formal criminal complaint filed — and say the evidence, when fully examined, will clear him.
Who Is d4vd? From TikTok Bedroom to Billboard Charts
If you're not a Gen Z music fan, here's the quick version: d4vd blew up in 2022 when his song "Romantic Homicide" went viral on TikTok and climbed all the way to #4 on the Billboard Rock & Alternative chart. He was a teenager making music in his bedroom — and it worked. He signed with Darkroom and Interscope Records and became one of the more buzzed-about young artists in indie-pop.
At the time Celeste's body was discovered, d4vd was actively on tour promoting his debut album Withered. Following the investigation becoming public, his remaining North American tour dates were cancelled — as was his entire upcoming European tour, which had been scheduled to begin in Norway.
What Happens Next?
Police are set to hand the case over to the LA District Attorney's office. The Major Crimes Division will then review all available evidence to decide whether to formally charge d4vd with murder. Until that happens, he remains legally a suspect — not a convicted person or even a formally charged one.
The Bottom Line
d4vd is in custody, but no formal murder charges have been filed yet. His lawyers are fighting back hard. The DA's decision on Monday will be the next major moment in this case — and the music world is watching closely. We'll update this post as the story develops.
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