Singer D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, was arrested on April 16, 2026, in connection with the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose remains were discovered in September 2025 inside the front trunk of a Tesla registered to him, according to multiple law enforcement sources cited by NBC Los Angeles.
The arrest marks a significant development in a case that began when Rivas, a Lake Elsinore, California teenager, was reported missing multiple times in 2024. Her last known contact with family occurred in May 2024, and investigators later confirmed she was alive as recently as January 2025 through surveillance and digital evidence.
On September 8, 2025, authorities discovered the decomposed remains of Celeste Rivas Hernandez in a cadaver bag inside the front storage compartment of a Tesla vehicle that had been impounded after being reported abandoned in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. The vehicle was registered to David Burke, known professionally as D4vd, a singer-songwriter who gained popularity through tracks like “Romantic Homicide” and “Here With Me” and released his debut album Withered in 2025.
Following the discovery, investigators revealed that Rivas’s arms and legs were found severed and placed in a separate black bag, according to unsealed court filings reviewed by the BBC in February 2026. These documents too indicated that Burke had been identified as a “target” of a Los Angeles County grand jury investigation into her death, though he had not been formally charged at that time.
Burke’s legal team had previously stated he was cooperating with authorities, and his father, Dawud Burke, contested a court summons in Texas related to the case, attempting to block the release of certain documents. Despite this, the filings were made public after a California court upheld the summons for family members to testify before the grand jury.
The case has drawn widespread attention due to Burke’s rising fame as a TikTok and music artist, with his world tour underway at the time of the body’s discovery. He was performing in Minneapolis on September 8, 2025, and had a scheduled stop in Kansas City the following day, according to tour schedules and local news reports.
Celeste Rivas Hernandez was born to parents who immigrated from El Salvador and had been reported missing three times in the final year of her life, as documented by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office. Her disappearance in April 2024 and subsequent lack of contact prompted an ongoing investigation that eventually led to the vehicle search and discovery of her remains.
As of April 17, 2026, Burke remains in custody pending further proceedings. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office has not yet announced formal charges, but the arrest indicates prosecutors believe sufficient evidence exists to move forward. No trial date has been set, and the grand jury investigation continues.
This story is developing. Readers are encouraged to follow official updates from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the District Attorney’s office for verified information on next steps in the case.