Celeste Rivas: Singer D4vd allegedly dated teen girl found dead in his Tesla weeks before her deathMadeline CoveThe NightlyFri, 26 September 2025 6:03AMCommentsComments
The death of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose decomposed body was discovered in the trunk of a Tesla registered to rising music star D4vd, continues to send shockwaves through Los Angeles and the music industry.
Rivas’s remains were found on September 8 in a black Tesla towed to a Hollywood impound lot after reports of a foul odour.
The car, registered to the 20-year-old singer, real name David Anthony Burke, was traced back to a Hollywood Hills rental where he had been living.
D4vd, best known for his viral hits Here With Me and Romantic Homicide, has not been arrested or charged, but detectives have confirmed he is cooperating with investigators.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner identified the remains days later, though the cause and manner of death remain undetermined.
People reported that officials have not declared the case a homicide, but it is being investigated by LAPD’s robbery-homicide division.
“Several items of evidence were recovered” during a search of the rental home, including electronics and computers, a police spokesperson said.
Neighbours told reporters they often saw Rivas at the property with D4vd.
“He was with the girl regularly, all the time,” one resident allegedly said, adding that he assumed they were just a young couple.
Family members have reportedly said they knew Rivas was dating the singer before she went missing.
According to the Sun, she had been reported missing multiple times in 2024 from her home in Lake Elsinore, about 120km away, though residents claimed she occasionally returned before disappearing again.
The singer had been staying at the $20,000-a-month ($A30,500) home rented under his manager’s name.
After detectives served a search warrant on September 18, the property owner confirmed the lease was being terminated.
Photographs showed police leaving the house with evidence bags and revealed surveillance cameras on the property, though it remains unclear if they captured any useful footage.
Meanwhile, fans and online sleuths have combed through D4vd’s extensive social media presence, circulating images and livestreams that appear to show Rivas alongside him.
Law enforcement has not commented on the extent of their relationship, but the speculation has only intensified after reports that both D4vd and Rivas had “Shhh” tattoos on their right index fingers.
D4vd cancelled his remaining US tour dates following the discovery, casting uncertainty over the European leg of his debut world tour.
The tragedy has left his career hanging in the balance as investigators piece together the final months.
For her family, the focus is on closure.
Rivas’ body was released last week, and loved ones announced plans for her funeral in Lake Elsinore after raising more than $20,000 on GoFundMe.
“We will not speak publicly while the investigation is ongoing,” relatives wrote, but they thanked supporters for honouring Rivas as a “beloved daughter, sister, cousin, and friend.”
As detectives sift through evidence, one of music’s fastest-rising stars finds himself at the centre of a dark mystery that remains far from resolved.
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