Singer D4vd arrested in Los Angeles on suspicion of murder in shocking death of 14-year-old girl
D4vd (pronounced ‘David’) and Celeste Rivas Hernandez
Alt-pop singer D4vd, the 21-year-old singer who rose to fame through viral hits on TikTok, has been arrested in Los Angeles on suspicion of murder in connection with the death of a 14-year-old girl whose remains were discovered last year in a vehicle registered to him.
Los Angeles Police Department officials confirmed that D4vd—whose legal name is David Anthony Burke—was taken into custody on April 16 in the Hollywood Hills. He is currently being held without bail as investigators prepare to present the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, which will determine whether formal charges will be filed.
The arrest stems from the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a teenager from Lake Elsinore, California, who had been missing since 2024. Her decomposed remains were discovered on September 8, 2025, inside the trunk of a Tesla Model Y linked to Burke. The vehicle had reportedly been left parked for weeks in a Hollywood Hills neighborhood before being towed to an impound lot, where workers alerted authorities after noticing a strong odor.
According to court documents, investigators found the body inside a cadaver bag, with additional remains located in a second bag. The condition of the remains indicated that the victim had been deceased for an extended period. Officials have not publicly disclosed a cause or manner of death, citing an ongoing investigation.
See:
Singer D4vd cancels tour after body of missing girl, 15, found dead in trunk of his Tesla
Burke, known for his breakout 2022 single “Romantic Homicide,” had been on tour when the remains were first discovered. At the time, his representatives said he was cooperating with authorities. Several tour dates were later canceled as the investigation intensified, including a planned European run.
In a statement following his arrest, Burke’s attorneys strongly denied the allegations, emphasizing that he has not been formally charged. “The actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death,” his legal team said, adding that they intend to “vigorously defend” him.
Authorities have indicated that Burke had been the subject of a grand jury investigation prior to his arrest, though details of that probe remained largely sealed. His family previously challenged subpoenas related to the case in court earlier this year.
The case has drawn national attention due to the disturbing circumstances of the discovery and Burke’s rising profile in the music industry. As prosecutors review the evidence, key questions remain unanswered, including how the teenager died and what role, if any, the singer may have played.
For more on D4vd, aka David Burke, being arrested in connection to the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose body was found decomposed in the trunk of his Tesla more than a year after she was last seen, see the video accompanying this article.
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(Sources: NBC News, Reuters, CNN)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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