A little after noon on Sept. 8, Los Angeles police responded to a call from a tow yard in Hollywood about a “foul odor” coming from an impounded Tesla. When the car’s front trunk was opened, detectives discovered decomposing human remains.
The victim’s body had deteriorated to such a degree, it took medical examiners a full week to identify her as Celeste Rivas, a teenager reported missing by her family in February and April of last year. But what was confirmed at the time the body was discovered was that the 2023 Tesla Model Y with Texas license plates was registered to David Anthony Burke, the real name of the up-and-coming singer D4vd.
Burke was on tour when the body was discovered, and a representative said he was “cooperating” with authorities. Police have yet to name a suspect, or even a person of interest, in the case, nor have any arrests been made.
As police continue their investigation, here’s everything we know about the shocking case so far.
The Body
After detectives discovered Rivas’ body, a report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner described her as a female with wavy black hair wearing a tube top and black leggings, size small, as well as yellow metal stud earrings and a yellow metal chain bracelet. Her height was listed as 5-feet-2-inches. But Rivas’ body was so “severely decomposed,” that examiners were unable to determine her eye color, age, or race/ethnicity.
One of the only potential identifying details they were able to share was a tattoo on the right index finger that read, “Shhh…”
Identification
Just over a week after the body was discovered, on Sept. 16, authorities finally identified Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a 15-year-old from Lake Elsinore, California, who was reported missing by her family last year. A GoFundMe has been set up to help her family cover the cost of funeral arrangements.
After Rivas was identified, reporters quickly swarmed the family’s home. While the family declined to speak with them, TMZ reported that Rivas’ mother said her daughter had been dating someone named “David” before her death.
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A friend, Rubi Alonso, who was visiting the house described Rivas as sweet and “studious” to Rolling Stone, adding: “It’s so sad. She was very beautiful.”
Despite identifying Rivas, there’s still much authorities do not know, including a cause of death. A report on the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner website still listed her cause of death as “deferred.”
The Investigation
Much of the information that’s trickled out about the investigation has centered around the impounded Tesla. The car was towed from the tony Bird Streets neighborhood in the Hollywood Hills, and it was sitting in the tow yard for three days before the police were called about the smell.
Residents told Rolling Stone that the car was spotted in various places around the neighborhood in the preceding months, as far back as the end of May. The city finally towed the sedan after a citizen complained that the car had been abandoned for more than 72 hours. Neighborhood sources said the sedan had been sitting in its final spot on Bluebird Avenue for at least three weeks.
“It moved around,” one resident told Rolling Stone. “It’s chilling.”
The investigation ramped up Wednesday night after Rivas’ body was identified. Per ABC 7 in Los Angeles, investigators searched a house on Doheny Place, close to where the car was abandoned. After several hours at the home, police left with a computer and other items.
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D4vd
Beyond the initial statement confirming that he was “cooperating” with authorities, reps for Burke have yet to make any public comments. The musician has continued to tour and play shows in support of his debut album, Withered, which arrived in April. At a concert on Sept. 9 — the day after the body was discovered — D4vd performed in Minneapolis, where he was seen tossing Labubus into the crowd and hyping his hit song “Crashing,” with singer Kali Uchis. (“Not my friend i did a song with him which is currently in the process of being taken down given today’s disturbing news,” she wrote on social media following the body’s discovery.)
D4vd has enjoyed an impressive rise over the past few years. He broke through in 2022 with his singles “Romantic Homicide” and “Here With Me,” both of which garnered significant traction on TikTok. He released his debut EP, Petals to Thorns, in May 2023, then followed it up a few months later with The Lost Petals.
While Burke has largely appeared unfazed by the investigation, the initial discovery of the corpse in the car did prompt the fashion companies Crocs and Hollister to pull back on a campaign that was set to feature D4vd. “We are aware of this developing story,” the brands said in a joint statement. “With respect to the current situation, we have removed campaign content featuring D4vd while the investigation continues.”
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On Wednesday, as news of Rivas’ identification spread, D4vd also had his first show canceled (a gig at the Showbox SoDo in Seattle). As it stands, D4vd’s next two shows are still set to go ahead as planned: A Sept. 18 gig at the Warfield in San Francisco, followed by a show at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on Sept. 20.
The Rumors
The identification of Rivas set off a wave of speculation and rumor, especially regarding her possible ties to Burke. (As of press time, Burke has not been accused of any crimes.) TMZ in particular has surfaced several alleged links, including a photo of Burke that appears to show him with a “Shhh…” tattoo on his finger similar to the one Rivas had. The tabloid also uncovered a photo of Burke in Lake Elsinore, close to where Rivas lived before her disappearance. (It’s unclear when the photo was taken.) An allegedly leaked and unreleased D4vd song has also started floating around the web called, “Celeste.”
